Cellpack

Abstract

To prevent interference with the contents. [Solution] The cell pack comprises multiple cells, a pack case, a lid, a busbar module, a harness assembly 80, and a cover 40. Multiple busbars are incorporated into the busbar module. The harness assembly 80 bundles the cables 80a connected to each busbar. The cover 40 is placed over the busbar module. The cover 40 has a cover body 41, a passage opening 42, and a harness cover portion 43. The cover body 41 is placed over the busbar module. The passage opening 42 is formed in the cover body 41. The harness assembly 80 passes through the passage opening 42. The harness cover portion 43 is integrally provided with the cover body 41. The harness cover portion 43 covers the passage opening 42.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-026428 discloses a harness protection structure for a battery pack. In the harness protection structure disclosed in this publication, a flexible sheet-like protection member is disposed between the inner wall surface of the battery pack and a harness disposed along this inner wall surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to increase the energy density, the cell pack has its contents arranged in the pack case as closely as possible without gaps. There is a concern that the wiring in the pack case may interfere with the pack case or the contents in the pack case.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The cell pack disclosed herein comprises a pack case, a plurality of cells, a lid, a busbar module, a harness assembly, and a cover. The pack case has a pair of opposing side walls and an opening that opens upward. Each of the plurality of cells consists of an energy storage device. The plurality of cells are arranged between the pair of side walls of the pack case. The lid covers the opening and is fitted onto the pack case. The busbar module incorporates a plurality of busbars that connect the plurality of cells housed in the pack case in series. The harness assembly bundles the cables connected to each busbar. The cover is placed over the busbar module. The cover has a cover body, a passage opening, and a harness cover section. The cover body is placed over the busbar module. The passage opening is formed in the cover body. The harness assembly passes through the passage opening. The harness cover section is integrally provided with the cover body. The harness cover section covers the passage opening. With such a cell pack, concerns about interference between wiring and the pack case, etc., are reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of Cellpack 100. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of Cellpack 100. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of cell 10. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the busbar module 30. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a part of the cover 40. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a part of the cover 40. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] 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.

[0008] Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the cell pack 100. Figure 1 shows the pack case 50 with the lid 60 attached. Figure 2 shows the pack case 50 with the lid 60 removed. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cell 10. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the busbar module 30. Figures 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams of parts of the cover 40. Figures 5 and 6 schematically show the part of the cover 40 where the harness cover portion 43 is provided. In Figure 5, the harness assembly 80 passing through the passage 42 is shown, and the outline of the harness cover portion 43 is virtually shown by a dashed line.

[0009] <Cellpack 100> The cell pack 100 comprises multiple cells 10, a pack case 50, a lid 60, a busbar module 30, a harness assembly 80, and a cover 40. The cell pack 100 also includes a substrate unit 72. As shown in Figure 2, 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.

[0010] 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 cells that are electrically connected. Compared to a cell pack with a Cell-to-Pack structure, fewer components (e.g., bind bars) are needed to house the pack case. This allows for more cells to 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 may be improved. However, in a Cell-to-Pack structure, cells are placed close to the side walls of the pack case. Also, in order to improve the energy density of the cell pack, it is desirable to reduce the excess space within the pack case.

[0011] For example, in the configuration shown in Figure 2, the junction box 70 is located on one side of the pack case 50 along the long side direction Y. Within the pack case 50, a cell arrangement space 50a is provided in the portion of the pack case 50 excluding the side where the junction box 70 is located, where multiple cells 10 are arranged in a line.

[0012] As shown in Figure 4, in the cell arrangement space 50a of the pack case 50 (see Figure 2), cells 10 are arranged in three rows along the long side direction Y, and in each row, cells 10 are arranged along the width direction X. The cells 10 in each row arranged along the width direction X are electrically connected in sequence. As shown in Figure 2, the cell arrangement space 50a is provided with a cover 40 (40a, 40b, 40c) at the top. Inside the side walls 52, 53 in the width direction X above the cover 40 (40a, 40b, 40c), inter-row busbars 36a, 36b and total terminal busbars 37a, 37b are provided, respectively. A temperature detection cable 97 is routed on the top surface of the cover 40 (40a, 40b, 40c). A harness assembly 80 is located in the center of the top of the cover 40 (40a, 40b, 40c).

[0013] Thus, in order to increase the energy density of the cell pack 100, the contents are arranged without any gaps within the pack case. The area above the cell arrangement space 50a is no exception, and various components are densely packed there. In such a cell pack 100, the harness assembly 80 is located above the cell arrangement space 50a. The harness assembly 80 extends toward the junction box arrangement space 50b and is connected to the junction box 70 via the circuit board unit 72. However, from the viewpoint of increasing the energy density of the cell pack 100, the distance between the cell 10 and the lid 60 (see Figure 1) is also set to the minimum.

[0014] The following provides a more detailed explanation of each element of Cellpack 100.

[0015] <Pack Case 50> The pack case 50 is an enclosure that houses the components constituting the cell pack 100, and has internal storage spaces 50a and 50b. 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 to 55. The side walls 52 to 55 rise from the ends of the bottom wall 51.

[0016] 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 comprises 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 to 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. External connection terminals, etc., may be provided on the side walls 52 to 55.

[0017] The pack case 50 has an opening 56 that opens upward. The opening 56 is a part that opens at the upper parts of the side walls 52 to 55. The opening 56 is covered by a lid body 60 (see FIG. 1) attached to the pack case 50. The lid body 60 has a shape corresponding to the opening 56. The pack case 50 is closed by the lid body 60. In this embodiment, the lid body 60 is in the shape of a substantially rectangular plate so that it can be attached to the upper ends of the side walls 52 to 55 of the pack case 50. Inside the pack case 50 covered by the lid body 60, a space for arranging various contents is provided.

[0018] The pack case 50 includes a cell arrangement space 50a and a junction box arrangement space 50b. The cell arrangement space 50a is a space where a plurality of cells 10 are arranged. The junction box arrangement space 50b is a space where the junction box 70 is arranged. The cell arrangement space 50a is provided above the rear part 51a of the bottom wall 51. The junction box arrangement space 50b is provided 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 provided offset to one side (in this embodiment, the rear side) in the direction along the pair of side walls 52, 53 in the pack case 50. The junction box arrangement space 50b is provided on the opposite side (in this embodiment, the front side) of the cell arrangement space 50a in the direction along the pair of side walls 52, 53 in the pack case 50.

[0019] Here, the side where the junction box 70 is provided along the long side direction Y of the pack case 50 is the front, and the opposite side is the back. The plurality of cells 10 are arranged in three rows along the long side direction Y, and a predetermined number of cells are arranged in each row along the width direction X. The plurality of cells 10 are connected in series for each row. Between each row, they are connected in series by inter-row bus bars 36a, 36b. Further, at the back side and the front side of the cell arrangement space 50a, total terminals 13a, 15a (see FIG. 4) of the plurality of cells 10 arranged in the cell arrangement space 50a are provided respectively. The total terminals 13a, 15a are connected to the junction box 70 by total terminal bus bars 37a, 37b.

[0020] In the form shown in FIG. 2, in order to connect the cells 10 of each row along the long side direction Y, at both ends in the width direction X of the pack case 50, inter-row bus bars 36a, 36b and total terminal bus bars 37a, 37b are provided along the inner surfaces of the side walls 52, 53 respectively. The inter-row bus bars 36a, 36b and the total terminal bus bars 37a, 37b are provided on the upper part of the cover 40 (40a, 40b, 40c). The total terminal bus bar 37a extends from the total terminal 13a on the front side of the cell arrangement space 50a to the junction box 70 at one end in the width direction X of the pack case 50.

[0021] The pack case 50 may be provided with a structure for cooling the cells 10. Inside the bottom wall 51, a refrigerant flow path 90 through which the refrigerant flows may be provided. The cells 10 can be cooled from below through the bottom wall 51.

[0022] 〈Refrigerant Flow Path 90〉 The refrigerant flow path 90 is provided so as to allow the refrigerant to flow through a predetermined path on the bottom wall 51 directly below the cell arrangement space 50a. The refrigerant flow path 90 is provided at least on the rear part 51a of the bottom wall 51 (the surface on which the plurality of cells 10 are arranged). The bottom wall 51 on the cell arrangement space 50a side is cooled by the refrigerant, and the plurality of cells 10 are cooled from the bottom surface side. The refrigerant flow path can be provided so as to meander inside the bottom wall 51. At one end of the refrigerant flow path 90, an inlet 91 and an outlet 92 are provided.

[0023] The bottom wall 51 extends outward in the width direction X than the side walls 52 and 53. An inlet 91 and an outlet 92 are provided in the portion 51c of the bottom wall 51 that extends outward than the side walls 52. The refrigerant inlet 91 and outlet 92 are provided on one side of the pack case 50 in order to shorten the piping (not shown) of the device that supplies the refrigerant connected to the inlet 91 and outlet 92. The arrangement of the inlet 91 and outlet 92 is not particularly limited.

[0024] Multiple cells 10 are arranged on the upper surface of the rear 51a of the bottom wall 51 through which the refrigerant flows.

[0025] <Multiple cells 10> Each of the multiple cells 10 is an energy storage device. As shown in Figure 3, 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.

[0026] In this specification, "cell" refers to the smallest unit of an energy storage device. "Energy storage device" is a term referring to a device that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. Energy storage devices include secondary batteries such as lithium-ion secondary batteries and nickel-metal hydride batteries. Energy storage devices also include capacitors such as lithium-ion capacitors and electric double-layer capacitors. Energy storage devices may use either an electrolyte or a solid electrolyte. For example, an energy storage device may be a secondary battery using a so-called liquid electrolyte, or a so-called all-solid-state battery using a solid electrolyte.

[0027] As shown in Figure 2, multiple cells 10 are arranged in a row between a pair of side walls 52, 53 of the pack case 50 at predetermined intervals, forming a cell row 20. From the viewpoint of improving the energy density of the cell pack 100, as many cells 10 as possible can be arranged between the pair of side walls 52, 53. The spacing between the pair of side walls 52, 53 corresponds to the dimensions of the multiple cells 10 in the direction in which the pair of side walls 52, 53 face each other. The spacing between the side walls 52, 53 and the length of the cell row 20 (the dimension in the cell stacking direction X) are approximately the same.

[0028] In cell row 20, the cells 10 are arranged with the positions of the positive terminal 13 and the negative terminal 15 alternating. Therefore, in cell row 20, the positive terminal 13 and the negative terminal 15 are arranged alternately in the direction in which the cells 10 are stacked. The number of cell rows 20 and the number of cells 10 contained in one cell row 20 are not particularly limited. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the cell pack 100 includes three cell rows 20a to 20c. The cells 10 contained in the cell row 20 are electrically connected by a busbar module 30 provided with busbars 33.

[0029] <Busba Module 30> The busbar module 30 incorporates multiple busbars 33. The busbar module 30 comprises an insulating plate 31, busbars 33, and end busbars 35.

[0030] <Insulating board 31> The insulating plate 31 is a plate-shaped member made of an insulating resin material. The insulating plate 31 is placed on the upper surface of a plurality of cells 10. The insulating plate 31 is substantially rectangular in plan view. The insulating plate 31 covers the upper surface of a plurality of cells 10 included in the cell row 20. The insulating plate 31 is substantially parallel to the bottom wall 51. A plurality of openings 31a are formed in the insulating plate 31. The openings 31a 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 31 so as to connect the plurality of openings 31a.

[0031] <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.

[0032] 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 31. In this way, the busbar 33 is held by the insulating plate 31. 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.

[0033] <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 31. 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.

[0034] 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 the cover 40.

[0035] A harness assembly 80 (see Figure 5) extends from the busbar module 30. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, a cable 80a (see Figure 5) is connected to the busbar 33. Cables 80a are bundled together in groups of cell rows 20a to 20c and connected as the harness assembly 80 to a circuit board unit 72 located outside the busbar module 30 (see Figure 2).

[0036] <Harness Assembly 80> As shown in Figure 5, the harness assembly 80 is composed of bundled cables 80a connected to the busbar 33 (see Figure 4). The cables 80a are composed of conductive wires covered with an insulator. The wires may be made of, for example, copper or aluminum. The insulator may be made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, urethane, fluororesin, silicone rubber, or fluororubber. In this embodiment, the harness assembly 80 is a bundle of voltage detection cables connected to the busbar 33 that connects the cells 10. The cables constituting the harness assembly 80 are not limited to voltage detection cables. The harness assembly 80 may include, for example, a cable for detecting the temperature of the cells. One end of the harness assembly 80 is provided with a harness connector 83 (see Figure 2) that is connected to the board unit 72. Therefore, one end of the cables 80a constituting the harness assembly 80 is connected to the busbar 33, and the other end is connected to the harness connector 83.

[0037] Cable 80a is bundled for each cell row 20a to 20c (see Figure 4). The harness assembly 80 is located in the space above multiple cells 10 within the cell arrangement space 50a. The harness assembly 80 is connected to the junction box 70 via the board unit 72 (see Figure 2).

[0038] Part of the harness assembly 80 is covered by a cover 40 attached to the busbar module 30.

[0039] <Cover 40> The cover 40 is a component that is placed over the busbar module 30 (see Figure 4). As shown in Figure 2, the cover 40 is provided above the multiple cells 10, with the busbar module 30 in between. The cover 40 has a cover body 41, a passage opening 42, and a harness cover portion 43. The cover 40 also has a communication opening 44.

[0040] <Cover body 41> The cover body 41 is superimposed on the busbar module 30. The cover body 41 is a roughly rectangular plate. The planar shape of the cover body 41 is roughly the same as the outer shape of the insulating plate 31 (see Figure 4). The cover body 41 is attached to the insulating plate 31, covering its upper surface. The cover body 41 is made of an insulating material. The cover body 41 may be made of the same resin material as the insulating plate 31. The cover body 41 covers the busbar 33 and the end busbar 35 (see Figure 4) attached to the upper surface of the insulating plate 31. Therefore, the busbar 33 and the end busbar 35 are less likely to interfere with the contents, wiring, etc. inside the pack case 50. As shown in Figure 5, a passage opening 42 is formed in the cover body 41.

[0041] <Passing port 42> The passage opening 42 is an opening through which the harness assembly 80 passes. The passage opening 42 is a through hole formed in the plate-shaped cover body 41. The passage opening 42 is approximately L-shaped. The passage opening 42 has a first opening 42a that opens along the stacking direction X of the cell 10 and a second opening 42b that opens along the long side direction Y of the pack case 50. The first opening 42a and the second opening 42b are connected by an approximately straight edge 42c and an approximately arc-shaped edge 42d. Because the first opening 42a is along the stacking direction X, the angle at which the cable 80a extending from the busbars 33 aligned along the stacking direction X is bent can be reduced. As a result, the load on the cable 80a can be reduced. Also, because the second opening 42b is along the long side direction Y, the cable 80a is easily extended forward.

[0042] The passage opening 42 is covered by a harness cover portion 43 which is integrally provided with the cover body 41. After passing through the passage opening 42, the harness assembly 80 passes through the space between the passage opening 42 and the harness cover portion 43 and extends along the wiring path (in this embodiment, toward the front where the circuit board unit 72 is provided).

[0043] In the embodiment described above, the cell pack 100 comprises a plurality of cells 10, a pack case 50, a lid 60, a busbar module 30, a harness assembly 80, and a cover 40. The pack case 50 has a pair of opposing side walls 52, 53 and an opening 56 that opens upward. The plurality of cells 10 are arranged in the pack case 50 between the pair of side walls 52, 53. The lid 60 covers the opening 56 and is attached to the pack case 50. The busbar module 30 incorporates a plurality of busbars 33 that connect the plurality of cells 10 housed in the pack case 50 in series. The harness assembly 80 bundles the cables 80a connected to each busbar 33. The cover 40 is placed over the busbar module 30. The cover 40 has a cover body 41, a passage opening 42, and a harness cover portion 43. The cover body 41 is placed over the busbar module 30. The passage opening 42 is formed in the cover body 41. The harness assembly 80 passes through the passage opening 42. The harness cover portion 43 is integrally provided with the cover body 41. The harness cover portion 43 covers the passage opening 42.

[0044] In this cell pack 100, the harness assembly 80 is routed through the pass-through opening 42 inside the pack case 50. Here, the pass-through opening 42 formed in the cover body 41 is covered by the harness cover portion 43. Because the harness cover portion 43 is provided between the lid 60 and the pass-through opening 42, the harness assembly 80 is less likely to interfere with the lid 60.

[0045] The configuration of the harness cover portion 43 is not particularly limited, as long as it covers the passage opening 42. An example of the harness cover portion 43 will be described below.

[0046] <Harness cover section 43> The harness cover portion 43 is a part integrally provided with the cover body 41, as shown in Figure 6. The harness cover portion 43 is located in a position that overlaps with the passage opening 42 in a plan view from above. The harness cover portion 43 has substantially the same shape as the passage opening 42 in a plan view from above. The harness cover portion 43 protrudes upward from the cover body 41. The harness cover portion 43 comprises upper surfaces 43a to 43c and side surfaces 43d to 43g. The thickness of the upper surfaces 43a to 43c and side surfaces 43d to 43g may be substantially the same as the thickness of the cover body 41, or it may be different.

[0047] The upper portions 43a to 43c constitute the upper surface of the harness cover portion 43. The upper portions 43a to 43c overlap with the passage opening 42 in the vertical direction Z. The upper portion 43a covers the right side to the center of the first opening 42a of the passage opening 42. The upper portion 43b covers the center of the first opening 42a of the passage opening 42. The upper portion 43c covers the left side of the first opening 42a and the second opening 42b.

[0048] The upper surface portion 43a is roughly rectangular in shape. The upper surface portion 43a extends along the left-right direction X. The upper surface portion 43a is positioned slightly higher than the cover body 41. The upper surface portion 43a is roughly parallel to the cover body 41. The upper surface portion 43b is continuous with the left end of the upper surface portion 43a. The upper surface portion 43b is roughly rectangular in shape. The upper surface portion 43b slopes upward as it extends to the left. The upper surface portion 43c is continuous with the left end of the upper surface portion 43b. The upper surface portion 43c is roughly L-shaped, corresponding to the passage opening 42. The upper surface portion 43c extends to the left, and then extends forward. The upper surfaces 43a to 43c become higher as they move from the right end to the left end. Therefore, the space provided below the upper surfaces 43a to 43c widens as it moves from the right end to the left end. This makes it easier to guide the harness assembly 80 from right to left. The cover body 41 and the top sections 43a to 43c are connected by the side sections 43d to 43g.

[0049] The side sections 43d to 43g are the parts that connect the cover body 41 and the top sections 43a to 43c. The side sections 43d to 43g rise upward from the edge of the passage opening 42. Side section 43d rises upward from the rear edge of the first opening 42a of the passage opening 42. Side section 43f rises upward from the front edge of the first opening 42a of the passage opening 42. Side sections 43d and 43f extend along the left-right direction X. The height of side sections 43d and 43f corresponds to the height of the top sections 43a to 43c, and they become higher towards the left. The left end of side section 43d is connected to side section 43e. Side section 43e rises upward from a substantially straight edge 42c (see Figure 5). Side section 43e is inclined with respect to the front-back direction Y and the left-right direction X. The side portion 43f rises upward from the right edge of the second opening 42b of the passage opening 42. The side portion 43f extends along the front-rear direction Y. The side portion 43g is connected to the side portion 43f. The side portions 43g and 43f are connected along a substantially arc-shaped edge portion 42d.

[0050] The side sections 43d to 43g connect the cover body 41 to the upper sections 43a to 43c, except for the front end 43c1 and left end 43c2 of the upper section 43c. The area between the front end 43c1 and left end 43c2 of the upper section 43c and the cover body 41 is not covered by the side sections 43d to 43g and is open. This open area functions as a communication port 44.

[0051] <Communication port 44> The communication port 44 is an opening formed between the cover body 41 and the harness cover portion 43, opening to the side. The communication port 44 communicates with the passage port 42. In this embodiment, the communication port 44 corresponds to the front end portion 43c1 and the left end portion 43c2 of the upper surface portion 43c, and opens to the front and left. However, the direction in which the communication port 44 opens is not limited to this configuration. The harness assembly 80 that has passed through the passage port 42 and the communication port 44 is connected to the circuit board unit 72 (see Figure 2).

[0052] The harness assembly 80 passes through a passage opening 42 formed in the cover body 41, and then through a communication opening 44 that opens to the side between the cover body 41 and the harness cover portion 43. After extending upward to pass through the passage opening 42, the harness assembly 80 is easily guided in the direction (to the left and forward in this embodiment) where the communication opening 44 is formed in the space between the passage opening 42 and the harness cover portion 43. This can suppress the lifting of the harness assembly 80 after passing through the passage opening 42. As a result, the wiring space of the harness assembly 80 can be reduced.

[0053] In this embodiment, the communication opening 44 has a first communication opening 44a and a second communication opening 44b. The first communication opening 44a opens in a first direction (forward) toward the substrate unit 72. The second communication opening 44b opens in a second direction (leftward) intersecting the first direction. The second communication opening 44b is continuous with the first communication opening 44a. Here, the first communication opening 44a and the second communication opening 44b are continuous at the left end of the first communication opening 44a and the front end of the second communication opening 44b. Since the cover 40 has a communication opening 44 with openings in two intersecting directions, the harness assembly 80 is easily passed through the communication opening 44. Also, compared to the case where it is inserted through a communication opening with an opening in one direction, the angle at which the harness assembly 80 bends can be increased. As a result, the load on the harness assembly 80 is easily reduced.

[0054] In this embodiment, a radius is formed at the left front corner 43c3 of the upper surface portion 43c (the boundary between the front end portion 43c1 and the left end portion 43c2). In other words, a radius is formed at the portion of the harness cover portion 43 between the first communication opening 44a and the second communication opening 44b (the left front corner 43c3 of the upper surface portion 43c). Because a radius is formed at the corner where the harness assembly 80 passes through, the harness assembly 80 is less likely to get caught in the harness cover portion 43. As a result, damage to the harness assembly 80 can be reduced.

[0055] The configuration of the harness assembly 80 is not particularly limited. The harness assembly 80 may have a first part 81 and a second part 82, as shown in Figure 5.

[0056] The first part 81 is the portion covered by an insulating member 81a that bundles the cables (voltage detection cables in this embodiment) 80a. The second part 82 is the portion not covered by the insulating member 81a. The insulating member 81a is not particularly limited as long as it is a member that can bundle and cover the cables 80a. For example, the insulating member 81a may be made of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, urethane, fluororesin, silicone rubber, or fluororubber. In the second part 82, each cable 80a may be exposed inside the pack case 50. Also, in the second part 82, each cable 80a may be bent individually. For this reason, the second part 82, which is composed of bundles of individual cables 80a, is more easily bent than the first part 81, where the bundles of cables 80a are further covered by an insulating member 81a. The second part 82 may be the portion of the harness assembly 80 where the cables 80a need to be bent significantly.

[0057] In this embodiment, the second portion 82 of the harness assembly 80 is positioned to overlap with the harness cover portion 43 in a plan view from above. The second portion 82 is housed in the space between the passage opening 42 and the harness cover portion 43. As a result, the second portion 82, which is not bundled by the insulating member 81a and has exposed cables 80a, is less likely to interfere with the lid 60 or other contents, and the cables 80a are less likely to be damaged. Furthermore, because the second portion 82, which is more flexible than the first portion 81, is provided in the space between the passage opening 42 and the harness cover portion 43, the orientation of the harness assembly 80 can be easily adjusted within that space. By pre-adjusting the direction in which the harness assembly 80 extends within the harness cover portion 43, the wiring space of the harness assembly 80 can be easily reduced.

[0058] As shown in Figure 2, the harness assembly 80 that has passed through the passage 42 is connected to the circuit board unit 72 along the upper surface of the cover body 41 of the cover 40. This makes it easier to save space for wiring the harness assembly 80.

[0059] The harness assembly 80 may be attached to the upper surface of the cover body 41 by a fixing member 85 (see Figures 5 and 6). The fixing member 85 can be attached to the first portion 81 exposed on the upper surface of the cover body 41. As the fixing member 85, a plastic or metal band, clamp, etc., may be used. The fixing member 85 stabilizes the position of the harness assembly 80 and makes it less likely for the harness assembly 80 to interfere with other contents.

[0060] In addition to the harness assembly 80, temperature detection cables 97 and 98 are connected to the junction box 70. The temperature detection cables 97 and 98 are made of conductive wires covered with an insulating material. The temperature detection cables 97 and 98 extend from temperature sensors 95 and 96, which are located near the refrigerant flow path 90, toward the junction box 70.

[0061] <Temperature sensors 95, 96> Temperature sensors 95 and 96 are attached to the bottom wall 51 and are sensors that detect the temperature near the refrigerant flow path 90. Although not particularly limited, thermistors, thermocouples, etc., can be used as temperature sensors 95 and 96. In this embodiment, thermistors are used as temperature sensors 95 and 96. Of the temperature sensors 95 and 96, temperature sensor 95 is located on the side away from the junction box 70.

[0062] In this embodiment, the upper surface of the cover 40 is provided with a projection 49 for guiding the temperature detection cable 97. The projection 49 may have a claw that the temperature detection cable 97 can hook onto. By hooking the temperature detection cable 97 onto the claw, the temperature detection cable 97 can be stably held on the projection 49. This allows for the determination of the wiring route of the temperature detection cable 97 above the multiple cells 10.

[0063] The temperature detection cable 97 is routed along the top surface of cover 40. Initially, it extends from the left towards the approximate center at the rear of cover 40a. The temperature detection cable 97 is redirected by projection 49 and extends forward. The temperature detection cable 97 is redirected again at the top surface of cover 40b and extends towards the right end of cover 40b. The temperature detection cable 97 is routed forward near the side wall 53 and connected to the junction box 70.

[0064] The harness assembly 80 needs to be routed so as not to interfere with the temperature detection cable 97. In this embodiment, the harness assembly 80 is positioned to the left of the approximate center of the cover 40 through which the temperature detection cable 97 passes, within the covers 40a and 40b. In addition, the communication port 44 opens in a direction that does not face the temperature detection cable 97. This makes it easier for the harness assembly 80 to extend in a direction that is less likely to interfere with the temperature detection cable 97.

[0065] 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.

[0066] Section 1: A pack case having a pair of opposing side walls and an opening that opens upward, Each consists of an energy storage device, and comprises a plurality of cells arranged between the pair of side walls of the pack case, A lid that covers the opening and is attached to the pack case, A busbar module incorporating multiple busbars that connect the multiple cells housed in the aforementioned pack case in series, A harness assembly in which the cables connected to each of the aforementioned busbars are bundled, A cover that is placed over the aforementioned busbar module and Equipped with, The aforementioned cover is A cover body that is placed over the busbar module, The cover body has a passage opening formed therein for the harness assembly to pass through, A harness cover portion is integrally provided with the cover body and covers the passage opening. Cellpack, which has

[0067] Section 2: The aforementioned harness assembly is The first part is covered by an insulating member that bundles the aforementioned cables, The second portion not covered by the insulating member, It has, The cell pack described in item 1, wherein the second portion of the harness assembly is positioned to overlap with the harness cover portion in a plan view.

[0068] Section 3: The busbar module includes a circuit board unit located outside of it, The cell pack according to item 1 or 2, wherein the harness assembly that has passed through the passage opening is connected to the circuit board unit along the upper surface of the cover body of the cover.

[0069] Section 4: The cover is formed to open laterally between the cover body and the harness cover portion, and has a communication opening that communicates with the passage opening. The cell pack according to item 3, wherein the harness assembly is configured to pass through the passage port and the communication port and be connected to the board unit.

[0070] Section 5: The aforementioned communication opening is, A first communication opening that opens in a first direction toward the substrate unit, A second communication opening is located in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and is continuous with the first communication opening. A cell pack as described in item 4, having the following characteristics.

[0071] Item 6: The cell pack according to item 5, wherein a radius is formed in the portion of the harness cover between the first communication opening and the second communication opening. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 10 cells 11 cases 13 Positive terminal 15 Negative terminal Cells 20, 20a~20c 30, 30a~30c Busbar Module 31 Insulating board 31a aperture 33 Busba 35 End busbar 36a,36b Inter-row busbar 37a, 37b Total terminal busbar 40, 40a, 40b, 40c cover 41 Cover body 42 Passage gate 42a 1st opening 42b 2nd opening 42c,42d Edge 43 Harness cover section 43a~43c Top part 43c1 Front end 43c2 Left end 43c3 Corner 43d~43g Side part 44 connecting ports 44a 1st communication port 44b 2nd communication port 49 Protrusion 50 pack case 50a Cell placement space 50b Junction box placement space 51 Bottom wall 51a rear 51b front 51c part 52~55 Side wall 56 Opening 60 Lid 70 Junction Box 72 PCB Unit 80 Harness Assembly 80a cable 81 Part 1 81a Insulating material 82 Part 2 83 Harness Connector 85 Fixing member 90 Refrigerant flow path 91 Inlet 92 Outlet 95,96 Temperature Sensor 97,98 Temperature detection cable 100 Cell Pack

Claims

1. A pack case having a pair of opposing side walls and an opening that opens upward, Each consists of an energy storage device, and comprises a plurality of cells arranged between the pair of side walls of the pack case, A lid that covers the opening and is attached to the pack case, A busbar module incorporating multiple busbars that connect the multiple cells housed in the aforementioned pack case in series, A harness assembly in which the cables connected to each of the aforementioned busbars are bundled, A cover that is placed over the aforementioned busbar module and Equipped with, The aforementioned cover is A cover body that is placed over the busbar module, The cover body has a passage opening formed therein for the harness assembly to pass through, A harness cover portion is integrally provided with the cover body and covers the passage opening. Cellpack, which has

2. The aforementioned harness assembly is The first part is covered by an insulating member that bundles the aforementioned cables, The second portion not covered by the insulating member, It has, The cell pack according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the harness assembly is positioned to overlap with the harness cover portion in a plan view.

3. The busbar module includes a circuit board unit located outside of it, The cell pack according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the harness assembly that has passed through the passage opening is connected to the substrate unit along the upper surface of the cover body of the cover.

4. The cover is formed to open laterally between the cover body and the harness cover portion, and has a communication opening that communicates with the passage opening. The cell pack according to claim 3, wherein the harness assembly is configured to pass through the passage port and the communication port and be connected to the substrate unit.

5. The aforementioned communication opening is, A first communication opening that opens in a first direction toward the substrate unit, A second communication opening is located in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and is continuous with the first communication opening. A cell pack according to claim 4, having the following characteristics.

6. The cell pack according to claim 5, wherein a radius is formed in the portion of the harness cover between the first communication opening and the second communication opening.

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