Cellpack

Abstract

To improve the mounting accuracy of thermistors. [Solution] The cell pack comprises a plurality of cells, an insulating plate, and a thermistor 60. The thermistor 60 has a plate-shaped base 61, a projection 62, a detection part 63, and a cable 64. The projection 62 protrudes from the base 61. The insulating plate 40 comprises a through hole 49, a pair of side walls 42, 43, a first holding part 45, a second holding part 46, and a third holding part 47. The projection 62 of the thermistor 60 is inserted into the through hole 49. The pair of side walls 42, 43 rise on both sides of the base 61 of the thermistor 60. The first holding part 45 is located above one of the sides of the base 61. The second holding part 46 is located above the other side of the base 61. The third holding part 47 is located above the end of the thermistor 60 opposite to the base end 61f.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cell pack.

Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-256467 discloses a technique of disposing a thermistor so as to contact a battery cell. The thermistor is inserted and held in a thermistor holding portion of a holder. The thermistor includes a sensor portion that detects the temperature of the battery cell and a sensor case that holds the sensor portion. The thermistor holding portion includes a thermistor insertion portion, a thermistor locking portion, and a thermistor covering portion. The thermistor locking portion is provided on the front side in the insertion direction of the thermistor rather than the thermistor insertion portion. The thermistor locking portion is wider than the thermistor insertion portion. The thermistor covering portion is arranged so as to form a gap between the battery cell. The sensor case includes a biasing means and an elastic claw. The biasing means presses the sensor portion against the battery cell by a reaction force generated by pressing the thermistor covering portion. The elastic claw has a width wider than the width of the thermistor insertion portion in a free state and is openable and closable. According to such a configuration, it is said that the assembling property of the thermistor is enhanced.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-086794 discloses a bus bar module including a case assembled to a battery assembly, a bus bar supported by the case, and a plurality of electric wires routed in the case. The case has an electric wire routing groove portion in which the electric wires are routed and a thermistor mounting portion to which the thermistor is mounted. The thermistor mounting portion is provided in the electric wire routing groove portion. According to such a configuration, it is said that the bus bar module is miniaturized.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0005] The inventors of this invention aim to improve the mounting accuracy of thermistors to insulating plates. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The cell pack disclosed herein comprises a plurality of cells, an insulating plate, and a thermistor. The plurality of cells are arranged in a predetermined configuration. The insulating plate is located on the top surface of the plurality of cells. The thermistor is mounted on the insulating plate. The thermistor has a plate-shaped base, a projection, a detection part, and a cable. The projection protrudes from the base. The detection part is located at the tip of the projection. The cable extends from the base end of the base. The insulating plate comprises a through hole, a pair of side walls, a first retaining part, a second retaining part, and a third retaining part. The through hole is formed at a position opposite to a predetermined position on the plurality of cells. The projection of the thermistor is inserted into the through hole. The pair of side walls rise on both sides of the base of the thermistor into which the projection is inserted. The first retaining part is located above one of the sides of the base of the thermistor into which the projection is inserted. The second retaining portion is located above the other side of the base of the thermistor, into which the projection is inserted through the through hole. The third retaining portion is located above the end of the thermistor opposite to the base end, where the projection is inserted into the through-hole. This configuration improves the mounting accuracy of the thermistor to the insulating plate. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of Cellpack 100. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of cell 10. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the busbar module 30. [Figure 4]Figure 4 is a perspective view of the thermistor 60. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the part of the insulating plate 40 to which the thermistor 60 is attached. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the portion of the insulating plate 40 to which the thermistor 60 is attached. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing a thermistor 60 attached to an insulating plate 40. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the technology disclosed herein will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described herein is, of course, not intended to particularly limit the present invention. Each drawing is schematic and does not necessarily reflect the actual object. In addition, the same reference numerals are used for members and parts that perform the same function, and redundant explanations are omitted as appropriate. In the following description, the reference numerals L, R, F, Rr, U, and D in the drawings represent left, right, front, back, top, and bottom. The reference numeral X in the drawings represents the width direction (short side direction) of the cell pack, Y represents the long side direction, and Z represents the height direction. However, these directions are merely for the convenience of explanation. These do not limit in any way the installation configuration of the cell, etc.

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cell pack 100. Figure 1 schematically shows the cell pack 100 with the top cover (not shown) open. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cell 10. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the busbar module 30.

[0010] <Cellpack 100> The cell pack 100 comprises multiple cells 10, a busbar module 30, and a pack case 50. As shown in Figure 1, in the cell pack 100, the multiple cells 10 are directly placed on the bottom wall 51 of the pack case 50. The cell pack 100 is a so-called cell-to-pack structure in which the multiple cells 10 are directly placed in the pack case 50.

[0011] Incidentally, in a cell-to-pack structure, multiple cells are housed in a pack case without forming a so-called cell module, which is a bundle of multiple cells that are electrically connected. Compared to a cell pack with a cell-to-pack structure, fewer components (such as binding bars) are needed to house in the pack case. This can increase the number of cells that can be placed in the space within the pack case (in this embodiment, the space between the left and right side walls of the pack case). As a result, the energy density of the cell pack can be improved.

[0012] <Pack Case 50> The pack case 50 is an enclosure that houses the components that make up the cell pack 100. The pack case 50 houses a plurality of cells 10, a busbar module 30, a junction box 70, and a harness assembly 74. The pack case 50 may be made of a metal such as stainless steel, stainless steel alloy, aluminum, or aluminum alloy. The pack case 50 has a bottom wall 51 and side walls 52-55. The side walls 52-55 rise from the ends of the bottom wall 51.

[0013] The bottom wall 51 may be a surface on which multiple cells 10 are arranged. In this embodiment, a junction box 70 is also arranged on the bottom wall 51. The bottom wall 51 is substantially rectangular in shape. The bottom wall 51 has a rear portion 51a on which multiple cells 10 are arranged and a front portion 51b on which the junction box 70 is arranged. The rear portion 51a has a larger area than the front portion 51b. The front portion 51b is inclined with respect to the rear portion 51a. The bottom wall 51 may not have an inclined portion and may be entirely flat. The side walls 52-55 extend substantially vertically upward from the bottom wall 51. Side walls 52 and 53 face each other in the width direction (left-right direction) X of the cell pack 100. Side walls 54 and 55 face each other in the long side direction (front-back direction) Y of the cell pack 100. A top cover (not shown) is attached to the upper ends of the side walls 52-55, and the pack case 50 is closed. External connection terminals, etc., may be provided on the side walls 52-55.

[0014] The pack case 50 comprises a cell arrangement space 50a and a junction box arrangement space 50b. The cell arrangement space 50a is a space in which a plurality of cells 10 are arranged side by side. The junction box arrangement space 50b is a space in which a junction box 70 is arranged. The cell arrangement space 50a is located above the rear part 51a of the bottom wall 51. The junction box arrangement space 50b is located above the front part 51b of the bottom wall 51 in a top view. The cell arrangement space 50a and the junction box arrangement space 50b are adjacent in the long side direction Y. The cell arrangement space 50a is located off-center to one side (the rear side in this embodiment) in the direction along the pair of side walls 52, 53 inside the pack case 50. The junction box arrangement space 50b is located on the opposite side from the cell arrangement space 50a (the front side in this embodiment) in the direction along the pair of side walls 52, 53 inside the pack case 50.

[0015] <Multiple cells 10> Each of the multiple cells 10 is an energy storage device. As shown in Figure 2, each cell 10 comprises a case 11, a positive terminal 13, and a negative terminal 15. The case 11 is a so-called rectangular cell case, formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Inside the case 11 is an electrode body (not shown). The electrode body has a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The positive terminal 13 and the negative terminal 15 are provided at the side ends of the upper surface of the case 11, respectively. The positive terminal 13 and the negative terminal 15 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the long side direction Y of the cell 10. The positive terminal 13 is electrically connected to the positive electrode of the electrode body inside the case 11. The negative terminal 15 is electrically connected to the negative electrode of the electrode body inside the case 11. The configuration of the cell 10 can be the same as that of conventionally used energy storage devices, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0016] In this specification, "cell" means the minimum unit of an electrical energy storage device. "Electrical energy storage device" is a term that refers to a device capable of repeated charge and discharge. Electrical energy storage devices include secondary batteries such as lithium-ion secondary batteries and nickel-metal hydride batteries. Electrical energy storage devices include capacitors such as lithium-ion capacitors and electric double layer capacitors. An electrolyte may be used for the electrical energy storage device, or a solid electrolyte may be used. For example, the electrical energy storage device may be a secondary battery using a so-called liquid electrolyte, or may be a so-called all-solid-state battery using a solid electrolyte.

[0017] A plurality of cells 10 are arranged in a predetermined arrangement. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of cells 10 are arranged in a row between a pair of side walls 52 and 53 of the pack case 50 for each predetermined number, constituting a cell row 20. The cells 10 can be arranged as many as possible between the pair of side walls 52 and 53 from the viewpoint of improving the energy density of the cell pack 100. The interval between the pair of side walls 52 and 53 corresponds to the dimensions of the plurality of cells 10 in the direction in which the pair of side walls 52 and 53 face each other. The interval between the side walls 52 and 53 and the length of the cell row 20 (dimension in the stacking direction X of the cells) are substantially the same.

[0018] In the cell row 20, the cells 10 are arranged while the positions of the positive electrode terminals 13 and the negative electrode terminals 15 are alternately switched. For this reason, in the cell row 20, the positive electrode terminals 13 and the negative electrode terminals 15 are alternately arranged in the direction in which the cells 10 are stacked. The number of cell rows 20 and the number of cells 10 included in one cell row 20 are not particularly limited. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the cell pack 100 includes three cell rows 20a to 20c. The cells 10 included in the cell row 20 are electrically connected by a bus bar module 30 provided with a bus bar 33.

[0019] <Bus bar module 30> The bus bar module 30 includes an insulating plate 40, a bus bar 33, and a thermistor 60. The bus bar module 30 may include an end bus bar 35 and a cover 39 (see FIG. 1).

[0020] <Insulating board 40> The insulating plate 40 is a plate-shaped member made of an insulating resin material. The insulating plate 40 is placed on the upper surface of a plurality of cells 10. The insulating plate 40 is substantially rectangular in plan view. The insulating plate 40 covers the upper surface of a plurality of cells 10 included in the cell row 20. The insulating plate 40 is substantially parallel to the bottom wall 51. A plurality of openings 40a are formed in the insulating plate 40. The openings 40a are formed in positions that overlap with the positive terminal 13 and negative terminal 15 of the cell 10. Busbars 33 are attached to the insulating plate 40 so as to connect the plurality of openings 40a.

[0021] <Busba 33> Each busbar 33 is a conductive member that connects multiple cells 10 in series. The busbar 33 connects the positive terminal 13 and negative terminal 15 of different cells 10 from among the multiple cells 10. As the busbar 33, a metal with high electrical conductivity such as aluminum or copper may be used. In the cell row 20, the busbar 33 connects the positive terminal 13 and negative terminal 15 of adjacent cells 10. The multiple cells 10 may include cells connected in parallel.

[0022] The shape of the busbar 33 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the busbar 33 is substantially U-shaped. The middle portion of the substantially U-shaped busbar 33 is attached to the upper surface of the insulating plate 40. In this way, the busbar 33 is held by the insulating plate 40. The positive terminal 13 of the cell 10 is connected to one end of the substantially U-shaped busbar 33. The negative terminal 15 of the cell 10 adjacent to the cell 10 is connected to the other end of the substantially U-shaped busbar 33. The busbar 33 and the positive terminal 13 and negative terminal 15 can be connected by, for example, welding. Multiple cells 10 are connected in series by being connected sequentially by multiple busbars 33. The connection configuration between the cell 10 and the busbar 33 is not particularly limited. Of the cells 10 at both ends included in the cell row 20, the positive terminal 13 of one cell 10 and the negative terminal 15 of the other cell 10 are connected to end busbars 35, respectively.

[0023] <End Bus Bar 35> The end busbars 35 are conductive members that connect cell rows 20 to other cell rows 20 or junction boxes 70. Metals with high electrical conductivity, such as aluminum or copper, can be used as end busbars 35. The end busbars 35 are mounted on the upper surface of the insulating plate 40. End busbar 35a1 is connected to the negative terminal 15a of the leftmost cell 10 in cell row 20a. End busbar 35a2 is connected to the positive terminal 13 of the rightmost cell 10 in cell row 20a. End busbar 35b1 is connected to the positive terminal 13 of the leftmost cell 10 in cell row 20b. End busbar 35b2 is connected to the negative terminal 15 of the rightmost cell 10 in cell row 20b. End busbar 35c1 is connected to the negative terminal 15 of the leftmost cell 10 in cell row 20c. An end busbar 35c2 is connected to the positive terminal 13a of the rightmost cell 10 in cell row 20c. The positive terminal 13a is the first total terminal, which is the electrical connection point for multiple cells 10 connected in series. The negative terminal 15a is the second total terminal, which is the electrical connection point for multiple cells 10 connected in series. The end busbar 35c2 constitutes part of the first total terminal busbar. The end busbar 35a1 constitutes part of the second total terminal busbar.

[0024] The busbar module 30 is placed on top of the multiple cells 10 after they have been arranged in the pack case 50. The multiple cells 10 are electrically connected by the busbars 33 contained in the busbar module 30. There may be as many busbar modules 30 as there are cell rows 20 (3 in this embodiment). Each of the cell rows 20a to 20c is provided with a busbar module 30a to 30c. The busbar modules 30a to 30c are placed on the top surface of each of the cell rows 20a to 20c (in this embodiment, the surface on which the positive terminal 13 and negative terminal 15 are provided). After the multiple cells 10 in the same row are electrically connected, the busbar module 30 is covered by a cover 39.

[0025] <Cover 39> As shown in Figure 1, the cover 39 is provided above the multiple cells 10, flanking the busbar module 30. The cover 39 is a roughly rectangular plate. The planar shape of the cover 39 is substantially the same as the outer shape of the insulating plate 40. The cover 39 is substantially parallel to the bottom wall 51. The cover 39 covers the upper surface of the insulating plate 40. The cover 39 covers the busbars 33 and end busbars 35 attached to the upper surface of the insulating plate 40. Therefore, the busbars 33 and end busbars 35 are less likely to interfere with the contents, wiring, etc. inside the pack case 50.

[0026] The end busbars 35a2 and 35b2 (see Figure 3) are connected by an inter-row busbar 36a that passes outside the cover 39. The end busbars 35b1 and 35c1 (see Figure 3) are connected by an inter-row busbar 36b that passes outside the cover 39. As a result, the cells 10 included in cell rows 20a to 20c are connected in series. Here, the inter-row busbars 36a and 36b extend along the long side direction Y on the outside (above) of the cover 39. One end of each cell 10 included in cell rows 20a to 20c is provided with a first total terminal 13a, and the other end is provided with a second total terminal 15a.

[0027] <First general terminal 13a, second general terminal 15a> The first total terminal 13a is a terminal provided at one end of a plurality of cells 10 connected in series. The second total terminal 15a is a terminal provided at the other end of a plurality of cells 10 connected in series. The first total terminal 13a and the second total terminal 15a are terminals with opposite poles. The first total terminal 13a is connected to the junction box 70 via the first total terminal busbar 37a, which includes the end busbar 35c2. The second total terminal 15a is connected to the junction box 70 via the second total terminal busbar 37b, which includes the end busbar 35a1.

[0028] <First general terminal busbar 37a, second general terminal busbar 37b> The first total terminal busbar 37a and the second total terminal busbar 37b, like the end busbar 35, are conductive metal components. Highly electrically conductive metals such as aluminum and copper can be used for the first total terminal busbar 37a and the second total terminal busbar 37b. The first total terminal busbar 37a and the second total terminal busbar 37b are connected to the junction box 70, passing through the boundary between the cell arrangement space 50a and the junction box arrangement space 50b.

[0029] Voltage detection cables are connected to busbars 33, end busbars 35, first total terminal busbar 37a, and second total terminal busbar 37b. The voltage detection cables connected to the busbars of cells 10 in cell rows 20a to 20c are bundled together for each cell row 20a to 20c to form a harness assembly 74. The harness assembly 74 may also include the cable 64 for the thermistor 60, which will be described later. The harness assembly 74 is located in the space above the multiple cells 10 in the cell arrangement space 50a. Here, the harness assembly 74 extends from between the insulating plate 40 and the cover 39, above the cover 39. The harness assembly 74 is connected to the junction box 70 via a board unit 72.

[0030] <Junction Box 70> The first total terminal 13a and the second total terminal 15a are connected to the junction box 70. It is a box that controls charging and discharging and incorporates protection circuits such as relays and fuses. The junction box 70 is electrically connected to the circuit board unit 72, and the protection circuits are controlled by control signals sent from the circuit board unit 72. The junction box 70 is located in the junction box placement space 50b at the front of the pack case 50.

[0031] The substrate unit 72 is provided with a control circuit board (not shown) for controlling multiple cells 10. The control circuit board includes a temperature measurement board. A cable 64 (see Figure 4) for the thermistor 60 is connected to the temperature measurement board.

[0032] Incidentally, the cell pack 100 is equipped with a thermistor 60 that measures the temperature at a predetermined location among the multiple cells 10. In this embodiment, the thermistor 60 is attached to the insulating plate 40 of the busbar module 30.

[0033] <Thermistor 60> Figure 4 is a perspective view of the thermistor 60. As shown in Figure 4, the thermistor 60 has a base 61, a projection 62, a detection unit 63, and a cable 64. The base 61 and projection 62 may be made of ceramic, synthetic resin, etc. The detection unit 63 is provided with a resistor (element) used for temperature detection. The cable 64 is connected to the detection unit 63. The cable 64 extends from the detection unit 63, through the projection 62 and the base 61, and from a base end 61f provided on one side of the base 61. As the thermistor 60, an NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) thermistor, in which the resistance value decreases as the temperature rises, or a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) thermistor, in which the resistance value increases as the temperature rises, may be used. The shape and configuration of the thermistor 60 are not particularly limited.

[0034] In this embodiment, the base portion 61 is plate-shaped. The base portion 61 is rectangular in shape and substantially rectangular in plan view from above. The base portion 61 has a first surface 61a, a second surface 61b, a pair of side portions 61c and 61d, a tip portion 61e, and a base end portion 61f. The first surface 61a is the surface that is placed on the insulating plate 40. The first surface 61a and the second surface 61b are rectangular except for recesses 61c1 and 61d1 formed on the long side. The first surface 61a is the surface on which the projection 62 is provided. The second surface 61b is the surface opposite to the first surface 61a. The pair of side portions 61c and 61d, the tip portion 61e, and the base end portion 61f connect the first surface 61a and the second surface 61b, respectively. The pair of side portions 61c and 61d each constitute the long side of the substantially rectangular base portion 61. Recesses 61c1 and 61d1 are formed in the pair of side portions 61c and 61d, respectively. The recesses 61c1 and 61d1 are recessed portions in the shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. The recesses 61c1 and 61d1 are formed at the same position in the direction of the long side of the base portion 61. The tip portion 61e and the base end portion 61f constitute the short side of the substantially rectangular base portion 61.

[0035] The projection 62 is a portion that protrudes from a part of the first surface 61a of the base 61. The projection 62 protrudes in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In the direction from which the projection 62 protrudes, the planar shape of the projection 62 is substantially rectangular. The projection 62 is attached to the insulating plate 40 so as to protrude from the base 61 (see Figure 6). In this embodiment, the projection 62 protrudes downward from the base 61. The projection 62 is located approximately in the center in the short-side direction of the base 61. The projection 62 is located on the tip side 61e rather than the center in the long-side direction of the base 61. The projection 62 is located at positions corresponding to the recesses 61c1 and 61d1 of a pair of side portions 61c and 61d. The side surface 62b of the projection 62 in the short-side direction of the base 61 is connected to the bottom surface of the recesses 61c1 and 61d1, respectively. In other words, the side surface 62b of the projection 62 and the bottom surfaces of the recesses 61c1 and 61d1 lie on the same plane from the second surface 61b of the base 61 to the tip 62a of the projection 62. The tip 62a is a roughly rectangular flat surface. A detection unit 63 is provided at the tip 62a of the projection 62.

[0036] The thermistor 60 is positioned to detect the temperature at predetermined locations in multiple cells 10. Although not shown in the figures, the cell pack 100 may be provided with multiple thermistors 60 to measure the temperature of multiple cells 10. The thermistors 60 may be arranged, for example, at predetermined intervals along the direction in which the multiple cells 10 are arranged. Here, as an example, the mounting mechanism for the thermistor 60 (see Figure 3) that detects the temperature of a cell 10 located at the left end of cell row 20b to the insulating plate 40 will be described.

[0037] Figures 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams of the portion of the insulating plate 40 to which the thermistor 60 is attached. Figure 5 schematically shows a top view of the portion. In Figure 5, the position of the thermistor 60 attached to the insulating plate 40 is indicated by a dashed line. Figure 6 schematically shows a cross-section of the portion viewed from the side. In Figure 6, the thermistor 60 attached to the insulating plate 40 is indicated by a solid line. In Figure 6, the process of attaching the thermistor 60 to the insulating plate 40 is indicated by a dashed line. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the thermistor 60 attached to the insulating plate 40.

[0038] As shown in Figure 5, the insulating plate 40 comprises a bottom plate 41, a through hole 49, a pair of side walls 42, 43, and a second side wall 44. The insulating plate 40 also comprises a first retaining portion 45, a second retaining portion 46, and a third retaining portion 47.

[0039] <Through hole 49> The through-hole 49 is formed in the bottom plate 41. The through-hole 49 is formed in a position opposite to predetermined positions on multiple cells 10 (see Figures 1 to 3). The projection 62 of the thermistor 60 is inserted into the through-hole 49. Here, the through-hole 49 is positioned opposite to the upper surface of a cell 10 (see Figure 3) located at the left end of the cell row 20b. The through-hole 49 is formed to a size that allows the projection 62 of the thermistor 60 to pass through. In this embodiment, the through-hole 49 is a roughly rectangular hole that is slightly larger than the roughly rectangular projection 62 in a plan view. Except for the right side in Figure 5, the through-hole 49 is surrounded by a pair of side walls 42, 43 and a second side wall 44.

[0040] The shape of the through-hole 49 is not particularly limited, as long as the projection 62 of the thermistor 60 can be inserted through it. In this embodiment, an edge 41a is provided between the through-hole 49 and the side walls 42, 43 on which the long side end of the base 61 of the thermistor 60 rests. The edge 41a is provided along the pair of side walls 42, 43, except for the position where it overlaps with the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46, which will be described later. An edge 41b is provided between the through-hole 49 and the second side wall 44 on which one of the short side ends of the base 61 rests. The edge 41b is provided along the second side wall 44, except for the position where it overlaps with the third retaining portion 47.

[0041] An arc-shaped rounded portion 41a1 is formed at the corner of the edge portion 41a. An arc-shaped rounded portion 41b1 is formed along the through hole 49 on the edge portion 41b. The presence of the rounded portions 41a1 and 41b1 makes the thermistor 60 less susceptible to damage.

[0042] A pair of slits 49a are formed in the bottom plate 41 of the insulating plate 40. The pair of slits 49a are formed in the area on which the base 61 of the thermistor 60 is placed. The pair of slits 49a extend from one end of the through hole 49. In this embodiment, the pair of slits 49a extend from the through hole 49 in the direction opposite to the third holding portion 47. The length of the pair of slits 49a is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the pair of slits 49a protrude from the position on which the base end portion 61f of the thermistor 60 is placed. An edge portion 41a is provided between the pair of slits 49a and the side walls 42, 43.

[0043] Because a pair of slits 49a are formed in the insulating plate 40, the intermediate portion 41c between the pair of slits 49a is made more flexible. The intermediate portion 41c gradually thins towards the tip to facilitate guidance of the protrusion 62 of the thermistor 60 (see Figure 6).

[0044] <A pair of side walls 42, 43> The pair of side walls 42 and 43 rise from both sides of the base 61 of the thermistor 60, as shown in Figure 7. The pair of side walls 42 and 43 rise almost perpendicularly from the bottom plate 41. The side walls 42 and 43 are located slightly away from the through hole 49, except for the positions where the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46, which will be described later, are provided. The height of the pair of side walls 42 and 43 is greater than the thickness of the base 61 (see Figures 6 and 7). The pair of side walls 42 and 43 are almost parallel and face each other in the short-side direction of the base 61. Side wall 42 faces one side 61c of the base 61 of the thermistor 60. Side wall 43 faces the other side 61d of the base 61 of the thermistor 60. The spacing between the pair of side walls 42 and 43 may be set to be slightly larger than the width of the base 61 of the thermistor 60 (the dimension in the short-side direction of the base 61). This makes it easier to position the projection 62 when inserting it into the through hole 49, and also makes it difficult for the thermistor 60 to move after the projection 62 has been inserted.

[0045] Of the pair of side walls 42 and 43, one side wall 42 is provided with a first retaining portion 45. The other side wall 43 is provided with a second retaining portion 46. The first retaining portion 45 is located above one of the sides of the base 61 of the thermistor 60 (in this embodiment, the side 61c side). The second retaining portion 46 is located above the other side of the base 61 of the thermistor 60 (in this embodiment, the side 61d side). The first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46 are provided at the upper ends of the side walls 42 and 43. The first retaining portion 45 protrudes from the upper end of the side wall 42 toward the side wall 43. The second retaining portion 46 protrudes from the upper end of the side wall 43 toward the side wall 42. The first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46 are provided on the base end 61f side of the long side direction of the base portion 61, from the viewpoint of insertability of the projection 62, than the position where the projection 62 is positioned when the thermistor 60 is attached to the insulating plate 40. The pair of side walls 42 and 43 are connected by the second side wall 44.

[0046] A pair of recesses 42a are formed in the side wall 42. A pair of recesses 43a are formed in the side wall 43. The pair of recesses 42a each recess downward from both ends in the width direction of the first retaining portion 45. The pair of recesses 43a each recess downward from both ends in the width direction of the second retaining portion 46 (see Figures 6 and 7). In other words, the first retaining portion 45 is provided between the pair of recesses 42a provided in the side wall 42. The second retaining portion 46 is provided between the pair of recesses 43a provided in the side wall 43. As a result, the first retaining portion 45 rises upward from the side wall 42. The second retaining portion 46 rises upward from the side wall 43. In this embodiment, the recesses 42a and 43a extend from the upper ends of the side walls 42 and 43 to a height of approximately half the thickness of the base portion 61. Because recesses 42a and 43a are provided in the side walls 42 and 43, the portion of the side walls 42 and 43 where the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46 are provided (the portion sandwiched between the pair of recesses 42a and 43a) is prone to bending along the thickness direction of the side walls 42 and 43.

[0047] The side walls 42 and 43 may be provided with retaining portions 42b and 43b for holding other components, wiring, etc., to the insulating plate 40. The retaining portions 42b and 43b may protrude in the direction opposite to the direction in which the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46 protrude.

[0048] <Second side wall 44> The second side wall 44 connects the pair of side walls 42 and 43 above the end (tip 61e) opposite to the base end 61f of the thermistor 60. The second side wall 44 is substantially perpendicular to the pair of side walls 42 and 43. The second side wall 44 rises substantially perpendicularly from the base plate 41. The second side wall 44 is provided at a position slightly away from the through hole 49, except for the position where the third holding portion 47, described later, is provided. In this embodiment, the height of the second side wall 44 is substantially the same as the pair of side walls 42 and 43, and greater than the thickness of the base portion 61 (see Figures 6 and 7). Note that the height of the second side wall 44 may be the same as the height of the side walls 42 and 43, or it may be a different height. The second side wall 44 faces the tip 61e of the base portion 61. The length of the second side wall 44 connecting the pair of side walls 42 and 43 may be set to be slightly larger than the width of the base 61 of the thermistor 60. This makes it easier to position the projection 62 when inserting it into the through hole 49, and also makes it difficult for the thermistor 60 to move after the projection 62 has been inserted.

[0049] A third retaining portion 47 is provided on the second side wall 44. The third retaining portion 47 is located above the end of the thermistor 60 opposite to the base end 61f (in this embodiment, the tip end 61e). The third retaining portion 47 is provided on the second side wall 44 approximately midway between the pair of side walls 42 and 43. The third retaining portion 47 protrudes from the second side wall 44 above the base 61 of the thermistor 60. In this embodiment, the third retaining portion 47 protrudes from the upper end of the second side wall 44, similar to the side walls 42 and 43. Note that the first retaining portion 45 to the third retaining portion 47 do not necessarily have to be provided at the upper ends of the side walls 42 and 43 or the second side wall 44. The positions where the first retaining portion 45 to the third retaining portion 47 are provided can be set according to the thickness of the base 61 of the thermistor 60. The first retaining portion 45 to the third retaining portion 47 may be positioned slightly higher (for example, about 1 mm to 3 mm) than the thickness of the base portion 61 of the thermistor 60.

[0050] As shown in Figure 7, the second side wall 44 is continuous between the third retaining portion 47 and the pair of side walls 42 and 43. In other words, the ends of the third retaining portion 47 do not have slits like those provided at the ends of the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46. For this reason, the third retaining portion 47 is less prone to bending than the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46. Note that slits may be formed on both sides of the third retaining portion 47, similar to the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46.

[0051] The thermistor 60 can be mounted on the insulating plate 40 in the following manner. As shown in Figure 6, the tip 61e of the thermistor 60 is placed against the second side wall 44. At this time, the position of the tip 61e of the thermistor 60 may be determined by the second surface 61b of the thermistor 60 touching the lower surface of the third retaining portion 47. The thermistor 60 is lowered so that the base 61 of the thermistor 60 rests on the bottom plate 41. At this time, the base 61 pushes the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46 outward. When the base 61 is below the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46, the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46 return to their original positions. With the position of the tip 61e of the thermistor 60 determined, the projection 62 is inserted through the through hole 49. At this time, the projection 62 may strike the tip of the intermediate portion 41c sandwiched in the slit 49a. The projection 62 is inserted through the through hole 49 while pushing down the intermediate portion 41c with the projection 62. After the projection 62 is inserted, the intermediate portion 41c returns to a nearly horizontal position. The base portion 61 is placed on the bottom plate 41 of the insulating plate 40, and the detection portion 63 of the thermistor 60 is pressed against the upper surface of the cell 10 (see Figure 1) located below the through hole 49.

[0052] After the thermistor 60 is attached to the insulating plate 40, a cover 39 (see Figure 1) is placed on the insulating plate 40. In this embodiment, the thermistor 60 is mounted on the cover 39 (see Figure 1), and a sponge 39a is provided on the surface of the cover 39 (see Figure 1) facing the insulating plate 40. The sponge 39a is pressed against the second surface 61b of the base 61 at a position corresponding to the protrusion 62. The sponge 39a presses the thermistor 60 downward, causing the detection unit 63 to be pressed against the cell 10. The embodiment is not limited to this configuration, and the thermistor 60 may be pressed downward by other members such as a leaf spring.

[0053] In the embodiment described above, as shown in Figures 4 to 7, the thermistor 60 has a plate-shaped base 61, a projection 62, a detection part 63, and a cable 64. The projection 62 protrudes from the base 61. The detection part 63 is provided at the tip 62a of the projection 62. The cable 64 extends from the base end 61f of the base 61. The insulating plate 40 has a through hole 49, a pair of side walls 42, 43, a first holding part 45, a second holding part 46, and a third holding part 47. The through hole 49 is formed at a position opposite to a predetermined position of the plurality of cells 10. The projection 62 of the thermistor 60 is inserted into the through hole 49. The pair of side walls 42, 43 rise on both sides of the base 61 of the thermistor 60. The first retaining portion 45 is located above one of the sides of the base portion 61 (side portion 61c). The second retaining portion 46 is located above the other side of the base portion 61 (side portion 61d). The third retaining portion 47 is located above the end of the thermistor 60 opposite to the base end portion 61f (tip portion 61e). The thermistor 60 is held by the first retaining portion 45, the second retaining portion 46, and the third retaining portion 47 located above the base portion 61, with the projection 62 inserted through the through hole 49. The first retaining portion 45, the second retaining portion 46, and the third retaining portion 47 each cover the base portion 61 from different directions. Because the base portion 61 of the thermistor 60 is held at three points, the thermistor 60 is stably held on the insulating plate 40, and the positional accuracy is good.

[0054] In the embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 5, a pair of slits 49a are formed in the portion of the insulating plate 40 on which the base 61 of the thermistor 60 is placed. The pair of slits 49a are formed in the portion on which the base 61 of the thermistor 60 is placed. The pair of slits 49a extend from the through hole 49 in the direction opposite to the third holding portion 47. As a result, as shown in Figure 6, when the thermistor 60 is installed, the portion between the pair of slits 49a (intermediate portion 41c) is easily pushed downward by the protrusion 62. When the thermistor 60 is removed, the portion between the pair of slits 49a is also easily bent. Therefore, the thermistor 60 can be easily attached to and detached.

[0055] In the embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 7, the first retaining portion 45 rises upward from one side wall 42. The second retaining portion 46 rises upward from the other side wall 43. As a result, the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46 can easily bend outward when the thermistor 60 is attached to or detached. Therefore, the attachment and detachment of the thermistor 60 can be made easier.

[0056] In this embodiment, the upper surfaces of the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46 are inclined downwards towards the tip. When attaching the thermistor 60, the thermistor 60 is pressed against the inclined portions of the upper surfaces of the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46. By simply pressing the thermistor 60 from above, the first retaining portion 45 and the second retaining portion 46 flex outwards, making it easier to attach the thermistor 60.

[0057] In the embodiment described above, the insulating plate 40 is provided with a second side wall 44 that connects a pair of side walls 42 and 43 above the end opposite to the base end 61f of the thermistor 60. The third retaining portion 47 protrudes from the second side wall 44 above the base 61 of the thermistor 60. The second side wall 44 is continuous between the third retaining portion 47 and the pair of side walls 42 and 43. As a result, the second side wall 44 on which the third retaining portion 47 is provided is less likely to bend even when the thermistor 60 comes into contact with it during installation. Since the second side wall 44 facing the tip 61e of the thermistor 60 does not bend, its position is easily fixed. Furthermore, even if vibrations are applied that cause the thermistor 60 to move upward, the thermistor 60 is less likely to come off the insulating plate 40.

[0058] In this embodiment, the end of the first surface 61a of the thermistor 60 has a rounded, arc-shaped cross-section. This makes it easier to mount the thermistor 60 by preventing the base 61 from catching on the first and second retaining parts 45 and 46 when mounting the thermistor 60 from above. In contrast, the end of the second surface 61b does not have a rounded shape, and the second surface 61b and the sides 61c and 61d are approximately perpendicular. As a result, after the thermistor 60 is mounted, the base 61 is more likely to catch on the first and second retaining parts 45 and 46. This makes it difficult for the thermistor 60 to come off the insulating plate 40 after it has been mounted.

[0059] The technologies disclosed herein have been described in detail above. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and other details mentioned herein do not limit the present invention. Furthermore, the technologies disclosed herein can be modified in various ways, and each component and each process mentioned herein may be omitted or combined as appropriate, unless no particular problems arise. This specification also includes the disclosures described in the following sections.

[0060] Section 1: Multiple cells arranged in a predetermined configuration, An insulating plate is placed on the upper surface of the plurality of cells, The thermistor attached to the insulating plate and Equipped with, The thermistor mentioned above is A plate-shaped base, A projection extending from the base, A detection unit provided at the tip of the aforementioned protrusion, The cable extending from the base end of the base and It has, The insulating plate is A through hole is formed at a position opposite to a predetermined position of the plurality of cells, into which the protrusion of the thermistor is inserted, A pair of side walls rising on both sides of the base of the thermistor into which the projection is inserted through the through hole, A first retaining portion located above one of the sides of the base of the thermistor into which the projection is inserted through the through hole, A second retaining portion located above the other side of the base of the thermistor into which the projection is inserted through the through hole, A third retaining portion located above the end of the thermistor opposite to the base end, into which the projection is inserted in the through hole, Equipped with, Cellpack.

[0061] Section 2: The cell pack according to item 1, wherein a pair of slits extending from the through hole in the portion of the insulating plate on which the base of the thermistor is placed is formed, in the direction opposite to the third holding portion.

[0062] Section 3: The first retaining portion rises upward from one of the side walls, The cell pack according to item 1 or 2, wherein the second retaining portion rises upward from the other side wall.

[0063] Section 4: The insulating plate is provided with a second side wall connecting the pair of side walls above the end of the thermistor opposite to the base end, The third holding portion protrudes from the second side wall above the base of the thermistor, The cell pack according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the second side wall is continuous between the third retaining portion and the pair of side walls. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0064] 10 cells 11 cases 13 Positive terminal 13a First general terminal (positive terminal) 15 Negative terminal 15a Second general terminal (negative terminal) Cells 20, 20a~20c 30, 30a~30c Busbar Module 33 Busba 35 End busbar 36a,36b Inter-row busbar 37a First General Terminal Busbar 37b Second General Terminal Busbar 39 Cover 39a Sponge 40 Insulating board 40a opening 41 Bottom plate 41a,41b Edge 41a1, 41b1 curved section 41c middle part 42,43 side wall 42a, 43a recess 42b,43b Holding part 44 Second side wall 45 1st holding part 46 Second holding part 47 Third holding part 49 Through hole 49a Slit 50 pack case 50a Cell placement space 50b Junction box placement space 51 Bottom wall 51a rear 51b front 52~55 Side wall 60 Thermistors 61 Base 61a 1st page 61b 2nd side 61c, 61d Side 61c1, 61d1 dent 61e Tip 61f Proximal end 62 Protrusion 62a Tip 62b side 63 Detection unit 64 Cables 70 Junction Box 72 PCB Unit 74 Harness Assembly 100 Cell Pack

Claims

1. Multiple cells arranged in a predetermined configuration, An insulating plate is placed on the upper surface of the plurality of cells, The thermistor attached to the insulating plate and Equipped with, The thermistor mentioned above is A plate-shaped base, A projection extending from the base, A detection unit provided at the tip of the aforementioned protrusion, The cable extending from the base end of the base and It has, The insulating plate is A through hole is formed at a position opposite to a predetermined position of the plurality of cells, into which the protrusion of the thermistor is inserted, A pair of side walls rising on both sides of the base of the thermistor into which the projection is inserted through the through hole, A first retaining portion located above one of the sides of the base of the thermistor into which the projection is inserted through the through hole, A second retaining portion located above the other side of the base of the thermistor into which the projection is inserted through the through hole, A third retaining portion located above the end of the thermistor opposite to the base end, into which the projection is inserted in the through hole, Equipped with, Cellpack.

2. The cell pack according to claim 1, wherein a pair of slits extending from the through hole in the portion of the insulating plate on which the base of the thermistor is placed is formed, in the direction opposite to the third holding portion.

3. The first retaining portion rises upward from one of the side walls, The cell pack according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second retaining portion rises upward from the other side wall.

4. The insulating plate is provided with a second side wall connecting the pair of side walls above the end of the thermistor opposite to the base end, The third holding portion protrudes from the second side wall above the base of the thermistor, The cell pack according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second side wall is continuous between the third retaining portion and the pair of side walls.

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