Battery monitoring module

Abstract

We provide a battery monitoring module that can reduce the workspace required. [Solution] A battery monitoring module comprising an FPC 100 having a main body 110A and a branched portion 110B branching off from the main body 110A, a busbar 130 in the branched portion 110B connected to wiring 112 provided on the FPC 100 and welded to the electrodes of a cell 11, and a cover 200 protecting the FPC 100, wherein the cover 200 integrally comprises a first cover portion 210 covering the main body 110A and a second cover portion 220 covering the branched portion 110B, and the second cover portion 220 is configured such that, while the first cover portion 210 is covering the main body 110A, the end opposite to the first cover portion 210 rotates toward the first cover portion 210 to open the area where the busbar 130 is located.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery monitoring module.

Background Art

[0002] In an in-vehicle battery mounted in an electric vehicle or the like, a battery monitoring module is provided to measure the voltages of a plurality of cells constituting the battery. A flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as "FPC") is used for this battery monitoring module. This FPC has a trunk portion and a branched portion branched from the trunk portion. And in the battery monitoring module, at the branched portion, a bus bar is provided which is connected to the wiring provided in the FPC and welded to the electrode of the cell.

[0003] Also, generally, the battery monitoring module includes a cover covering the trunk portion and a cover portion covering the branched portion. The former is attached before welding the bus bar and the electrode, and plays a role of protecting the trunk portion of the FPC during welding. The latter is attached after welding and plays a role of preventing the user from touching the electrode.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of integrally providing a cover covering the trunk portion and a cover portion covering the branched portion for the purpose of reducing the number of parts. However, in this technique, since the cover portion covering the branched portion is configured to open outside the region where a plurality of cells are arranged, it is necessary to secure a wide space when performing operations such as welding. Therefore, there is still room for improvement.

[0005] The above problems can occur not only in the battery monitoring module used for in-vehicle batteries but also in battery monitoring modules used in various devices.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-45825 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The objective of the present invention is to provide a battery monitoring module that can reduce the workspace required. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means.

[0009] In other words, the battery monitoring module of the present invention is A flexible printed circuit board having a main body and branched parts that branch off from the main body, In the branched portion, a busbar is connected to the wiring provided on the flexible printed circuit board and welded to the electrodes of the cell, A cover to protect the flexible printed circuit board, A battery monitoring module comprising, The cover integrally comprises a first cover portion that covers the main trunk and a second cover portion that covers the branching portion. The second cover portion is formed while the first cover portion is covering the trunk, and the second cover portion is formed with the first cover portion. The opposite end is configured to rotate toward the first cover portion, thereby opening the area where the busbar is located.

[0010] According to the present invention, when opening the area where the busbars are located, the second cover portion is rotated so that the end opposite to the first cover portion approaches the first cover portion. In other words, the second cover portion is configured to open inward to the area where multiple cells are located. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the space required for work.

[0011] The first cover and the second cover should be constructed as a single unit.

[0012] This allows for a reduction in the number of parts.

[0013] It is preferable that a retaining structure is provided to hold the second cover portion in an open state, with the area where the busbar is located open.

[0014] In other words, when the first cover and the second cover are integrally constructed, rotating the second cover will cause it to return to its original state due to its elastic restoring force. Therefore, by providing the above-described holding structure, it is possible to prevent the second cover from closing during welding or other operations, thereby preventing a decrease in work efficiency.

[0015] The second cover portion is positioned on both sides of the first cover portion, and it is preferable that the ends of this pair of second cover portions opposite to the first cover portion are engaged with each other.

[0016] This allows the ends of the pair of second cover portions to engage with each other, thereby holding the second cover portion in an open state, leaving the area where the busbar is located open.

[0017] The first cover portion and the second cover portion are made of separate components, and it is preferable that the second cover portion is rotatably connected to the first cover portion.

[0018] As a result, unlike when the first and second cover parts are integrally constructed, when the second cover part is rotated, the second cover part will not attempt to return to its original state due to an elastic restoring force.

[0019] The second cover section is, The second cover part and the main body part, With the second cover part main body covering the area where the bus bar is arranged, an end portion on the side opposite to the second cover part main body rotates in a direction approaching the second cover part main body, and a small cover part is configured to be able to open a part of the area where the bus bar is arranged. It is preferably integrally provided with

[0020] Thereby, depending on the usage, when it is desired to open only a part of the area where the bus bar is arranged, instead of opening the entire second cover part, it is possible to open only the small cover part to open the said part. And since the small cover part opens inside the area where a plurality of cells are arranged, there is no need to widen the working space.

[0021] The second cover part main body and the small cover part are preferably integrally formed.

[0022] Thereby, the number of parts can be reduced.

[0023] A small cover holding structure for holding the small cover part in a state where a part of the area where the bus bar is arranged is opened is preferably provided.

[0024] Thereby, it is possible to suppress a decrease in workability.

[0025] The second cover part main body and the small cover part are constituted by separate members, and the small cover part is preferably rotatably connected to the second cover part main body.

[0026] Thereby, when the small cover part is rotated, the small cover part will not try to return to its original state due to elastic restoring force.

[0027] In addition, the above configurations can be adopted in combination as much as possible.

Advantages of the Invention

[0028] As described above, according to the present invention, the working space can be narrowed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the components constituting the battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the assembly procedure of a battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the cover according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing example of a retaining structure 1. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing example 2 of the retaining structure. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing example 3 of the retaining structure. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing example 4 of the retaining structure. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing example 5 of the retaining structure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] The embodiments for carrying out this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings, based on examples. However, unless otherwise specifically stated, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this invention to those components alone.

[0031] (Example 1) A battery monitoring module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the components constituting the battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view showing the cells arranged in the battery case, (b) is a plan view of the flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as "FPC"), and (c) is a plan view of the cover. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the assembly procedure of the battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view showing the state in which the FPC is installed in the battery case, (b) is a plan view showing the state in which the cover is installed in the battery case, and (c) is a plan view showing the state in which the second cover is opened for welding work. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, where (a) is a rear view of the cover, (b) is a cross-sectional view of the cover (cross-sectional view AA in Figure 1(c)), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the cover showing the state in which the second cover is opened.

[0032] <Battery Module> In particular, the battery module according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. The remodule comprises a battery 10 having multiple cells 11, and a battery monitoring module attached to the battery 10 for measuring the voltage and temperature of the multiple cells 11.

[0033] The battery 10 comprises multiple cells 11 and a battery case 12 that houses the multiple cells 11. The multiple cells 11 are arranged so that the positive electrode 11a and negative electrode 11b are adjacent to each other. Furthermore, these multiple cells 11 are configured to be connected in series by electrically connecting adjacent positive electrode 11a and negative electrode 11b via a busbar 130 provided in the battery monitoring module. For the sake of explanation, the illustrated example shows a battery 10 consisting of 11 cells 11. However, batteries installed in electric vehicles and the like are generally composed of more cells.

[0034] The battery monitoring module comprises an FPC 110, a connector 120 attached to the tip of the FPC 110, a busbar 130 fixed to the electrodes (positive electrode 11a and negative electrode 11b) of the cell 11 by welding, and a cover 200 protecting the FPC 110. The connector 120 is connected to a measuring device (not shown) that measures the voltage and temperature of the cell 11 constituting the battery 10 and performs various controls.

[0035] Since the FPC110 itself is publicly known technology, a detailed explanation will be omitted, and its structure will be briefly described. The FPC110 comprises a base film 111, wiring 112 made of copper foil or the like provided on the surface of the base film 111, and a cover film that protects the wiring 112. In each figure, the wiring 112 is shown transparently as appropriate. In addition to single-sided FPCs in which wiring and cover film are provided only on one side of the base film, and double-sided FPCs in which wiring and cover film are provided on both sides of the base film, the present invention is also applicable to FPCs with a more multilayer structure. The FPC110 according to this embodiment has a main body 110A and branched parts 110B that branch off from the main body 110A. Multiple branched parts 110B are provided. At the branched parts 110B, the busbar 130 described above is connected to the wiring 112 provided on the FPC110. The FPC110 also has a thermistor 140 attached to it for measuring the temperature of cell 11.

[0036] <Battery Module Assembly Procedure> In particular, the assembly procedure for the battery module according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. First, multiple cells 11 are arranged inside the battery case 12 (see Figure 1(a)). Generally, partitions are provided between adjacent cells 11, but this explanation will be omitted here. Next, an FPC 110, with a connector 120 and busbar 130 pre-attached, is mounted on top of the battery 10 consisting of multiple cells 11 (see Figure 2(a)). Generally, the FPC 110 is mounted in a case that supports it, and the FPC 110 is mounted on top of the battery together with the case, but since the case is a well-known technology, its explanation will be omitted. Also, the case is omitted in each figure to make the configuration of each part easier to understand.

[0037] After the FPC 110 is installed inside the battery case 12, the cover 200 is installed. Figure 2(b) shows the state after the cover 200 is installed but before welding is performed, and the state after the welding is completed and the cover 200 is completely closed. Figure 2(c) shows the state during the welding process.

[0038] <Cover> Let's describe the cover 200 in more detail. The cover 200 integrally comprises a first cover portion 210 that covers the main body 110A and a second cover portion 220 that covers the branched portion 110B. The second cover portion 220 is positioned on both sides of the first cover portion 210. The first cover portion 210 and the second cover portion 220 are connected by a thin-walled portion 230. This thin-walled portion 230 functions as a hinge to allow the second cover portion 220 to rotate relative to the first cover portion 210. As a result, the second cover portion 220 is configured to rotate so that, while the first cover portion 210 remains covering the trunk 110A, the end opposite to the first cover portion 210 (corresponding to the upper and lower ends in Figures 2(b) and 3(a), and the left and right ends in Figure 3(b)) moves toward the first cover portion 210, thereby opening the area where the busbar 130 is located (see Figures 2(c) and 3(c)). Figure 3(c) shows the state in which the pair of second cover portions 220 are opened in the AA cross-section of Figure 1(c). As shown in this figure, in Figure 3(b), the second cover portion 220 on the left rotates clockwise around the thin-walled portion 230, while the second cover portion 220 on the right rotates counterclockwise around the thin-walled portion 230.

[0039] The cover 200 in this embodiment is a molded resin product, which can be obtained by die molding, and the first cover portion 210, the second cover portion 220, and the thin-walled portion 230 are integrally formed. In other words, the cover 200 is made of a single component.

[0040] The first cover portion 210 is composed of a flat plate-shaped portion. The second cover portion 220 includes a first side wall portion 221 and a second side wall portion 222 that serve as a partition between the joint between the electrodes of the cell 11 and the busbar 130 and the battery case 12.

[0041] With the cover 200 configured as described above, welding can be performed between the electrodes of the cell 11 (positive electrode 11a and negative electrode 11b) and the busbar 130 with the second cover portion 220 open, as shown in Figures 2(c) and 3(c). After the welding is complete, the second cover portion 220 can be closed, as shown in Figure 2(b), to prevent the user from touching the electrodes.

[0042] <Advantages of the battery monitoring module according to this embodiment> In this embodiment, the second cover portion 220 is configured to rotate so that the end opposite to the first cover portion 210 moves toward the first cover portion 210 while the first cover portion 210 is covering the main body 110A, thereby opening the area where the busbar 130 is located. Therefore, when opening the area where the busbar 130 is located, the second cover portion 220 is in a state where the end opposite to the first cover portion 210 moves toward the first cover portion 210. In other words, since the second cover portion 220 is configured to open inward to the area where the multiple cells 11 are located, there is no need to widen the space when performing welding work. Furthermore, when performing welding work, the main body 110A is protected by the first cover portion 210, so damage caused by welding work is suppressed.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first cover portion 210 and the second cover portion 220 are integrally constructed, thus reducing the number of parts.

[0044] (Example 2) Figure 4 shows Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This embodiment shows a configuration in which the second cover portion differs from that of Embodiment 1. The basic configuration and operation are the same as in Embodiment 1, so the same reference numerals are used for the same components, and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0045] The components other than the cover (battery, FPC, etc.) are as described in Example 1, so their explanation will be omitted. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the cover according to Example 2 of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view of the cover, (b) is a rear view of the cover, and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the cover (the BB cross-sectional view in Figure 4(a), with the depth line omitted).

[0046] The cover 200X according to this embodiment integrally comprises a first cover portion 210 that covers the trunk and second cover portions 220 and 240 that cover the branched portions. The first cover portion 210 and the second cover portions 220 and 240 are connected by a thin-walled portion 230. This thin-walled portion 230 functions as a hinge that allows the second cover portions 220 and 240 to rotate relative to the first cover portion 210. As a result, similar to Embodiment 1, the second cover portions 220 and 240 are configured to rotate in a direction that brings the end opposite to the first cover portion 210 closer to the first cover portion 210, while the first cover portion 210 remains covering the trunk, thereby opening the area where the busbar is located.

[0047] In this embodiment, the cover 200X is also a molded resin product, which can be obtained by mold molding, and the first cover portion 210, the second cover portions 220, 240 and the thin-walled portion 230 are integrally formed. In other words, the cover 200X is made from a single component.

[0048] The first cover portion 210 is composed of a flat plate-shaped portion. The second cover portion 220 has the same configuration as in Embodiment 1. The second cover portion 240 in this embodiment integrally comprises a second cover portion main body portion 241 and a small cover portion 242 configured such that, while the second cover portion main body portion 241 covers the area where the busbar is located, the end opposite to the second cover portion main body portion 241 (corresponding to the left and right ends in Figures 4(a) and 4(b)) rotates toward the second cover portion main body portion 241, thereby opening a part of the area where the busbar is located. The second cover portion main body portion 241 and the small cover portion 242 are connected by a thin-walled portion 243. This thin-walled portion 243 functions as a hinge to allow the small cover portion 242 to rotate relative to the second cover portion main body portion 241. As a result, the small cover portion 242 is configured to rotate so that, while the main body portion 241 of the second cover portion covers the area where the busbar is located, the end opposite to the main body portion 241 of the second cover portion rotates toward the main body portion 241 of the second cover portion, thereby opening a portion of the area where the busbar is located. In Figure 4(c), the small cover portion 242 rotates counterclockwise around the thin-walled portion 243, thereby opening a portion of the area where the busbar is located. In this embodiment, the rotational axis of the second cover portion 240 and the rotational axis of the small cover portion 242 are configured to be perpendicular to each other.

[0049] The second cover portion main body 241 includes a side wall portion 241a that serves as a partition between the joint between the cell electrodes and the busbar and the battery case. The small cover portion 242 includes a first side wall portion 242a and a second side wall portion 242b that serve as a partition between the joint between the cell electrodes and the busbar and the battery case.

[0050] In this embodiment, the second cover body 241 and the small cover 242 are integrally constructed.

[0051] With the cover 200X configured as described above, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since a small cover portion 242 is provided, depending on the application, if it is desired to open only a part of the area where the busbars are located, it is possible to open only the small cover portion without opening the entire second cover portion, thereby opening that part. For example, when it is necessary to connect the cells and electrical wiring (wiring such as an electrical harness) separately from the FPC, it is advisable to provide small cover portions 242 at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the second cover portion main body portion 241, as shown in the figure. And since the small cover portion 242 is configured to open inward to the area where multiple cells are located, there is no need to widen the workspace.

[0053] (holding structure) In each of the above embodiments, the first cover portion 210 and the second cover portions 220, 240 are It is constructed as a single unit. In this case, when the second cover parts 220 and 240 are rotated, they tend to return to their original state due to their elastic restoring force. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the second cover parts 220 and 240 from closing during welding or other operations. For example, the second cover parts 220 and 240 can be temporarily fixed with tape or some other material, but this would require a separate material specifically for fixing. It is also conceivable to make the thin-walled part 230 as thin as possible to reduce its rigidity and thereby significantly reduce the elastic restoring force. However, in this case, the strength of the thin-walled part 230 will decrease, and there is a risk that it may tear. Similar concerns also arise in the relationship between the main body part 241 and the small cover part 242 of the second cover part in Example 2.

[0054] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a retaining structure that holds the second cover portion while leaving the area where the busbar is located open. Also, in the configuration of Embodiment 2, it is desirable to provide a small cover retaining structure that holds the small cover portion 242 while leaving a part of the area where the busbar is located open. An example of a retaining structure applicable to both and an example of a structure applicable to the former will be described below.

[0055] <Example of holding structure 1> Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing Example 1 of the retaining structure, where (a) is a plan view of the retaining structure and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the retaining structure (the CC cross-sectional view in Figure 5(a), with the depth line omitted). This retaining structure comprises a first part 311, a second part 312, and a thin-walled part 313 connecting them. For example, in Example 1, the first cover part 210 corresponds to the first part 311, the second cover part 220 corresponds to the second part 312, and the thin-walled part 230 corresponds to the thin-walled part 313. Also, in Example 2, the main body part 241 of the second cover part corresponds to the first part 311, the small cover part 242 corresponds to the second part 312, and the thin-walled part 243 corresponds to the thin-walled part 313.

[0056] In this structural example, multiple thin-walled sections 313 are provided, and through holes 314 are provided between adjacent thin-walled sections 313, which differs from the configurations in embodiments 1 and 2 described above. According to this structural example, the elastic restoring force can be reduced by lowering the rigidity of the part that functions as a hinge without making the thickness of the thin-walled section 313 too thin. As a result, even if the second section 312 is rotated around the thin-walled section 313 relative to the first section 311 (rotated counterclockwise in Figure 5(b)), it is possible to suppress the second section 312 from returning to its original state due to the elastic restoring force.

[0057] <Holding structure example 2> Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing Example 2 of the retaining structure, where (a) is a plan view of the retaining structure and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the retaining structure (DD cross-sectional view in Figure 6(a), with the depth lines partially omitted). This retaining structure comprises a first part 321, a second part 322, and a thin-walled part 323 connecting them. For example, in Example 1, the first cover part 210 corresponds to the first part 321, the second cover part 220 corresponds to the second part 322, and the thin-walled part 230 corresponds to the thin-walled part 323. Also, in Example 2, the main body part 241 of the second cover part corresponds to the first part 321, the small cover part 242 corresponds to the second part 322, and the thin-walled part 243 corresponds to the thin-walled part 323.

[0058] In this structural example, a three-point hinge portion 324 is provided separately from the thin-walled portion 230 which has a hinge function. This three-point hinge portion 324 is configured to operate without interference from the first portion 321 and the second portion 322 by slits 325 provided on both sides thereof. Furthermore, in the initial state when no external force is acting on the holding structure, the three-point hinge portion 324 is configured to bend downward in relation to the first portion 321 and the second portion 322 as shown in Figure 6(b). The portion 322 is connected to the thin-walled portion 324a and 324b, respectively, and the center is formed by the thin-walled portion 324c.

[0059] According to the structure example described above, the second portion 322 is rotated around the thin-walled portion 323 relative to the first portion 321 (rotated counterclockwise in Figure 6(b)), and when the second portion 322 is in a predetermined position, the three-point hinge portion 324 can hold the second portion 322 in place.

[0060] <Holding structure example 3> Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing example 3 of the retaining structure, where (a) and (b) are plan views of the retaining structure, (a) shows the state before the two members are connected, and (b) shows the state after the two members are connected. Figure 7(c) is a side view of the retaining structure (viewed in the V direction in Figure 7(b)). This retaining structure comprises a first part 331 and a second part 332. Unlike the above embodiments and examples of retaining structures, in this retaining structure, the first part 331 and the second part 332 are made of separate members. For example, in Embodiment 1, the first cover part 210 corresponds to the first part 331, and the second cover part 220 corresponds to the second part 332. Also, in Embodiment 2, the main body part 241 of the second cover part corresponds to the first part 331, and the small cover part 242 corresponds to the second part 332.

[0061] The first portion 331 is provided with an engaging portion 333 having an arc-shaped groove when viewed from the side. The second portion 332 is provided with an engaging portion 334 having an arc-shaped projection when viewed from the side. As a result, the projection of the engaging portion 334 can be fitted into the groove of the engaging portion 333, thereby allowing the second portion 332 to be rotatably connected to the first portion 331 (within a certain range).

[0062] In the structure example configured as described above, since the first part 331 and the second part 332 are made of separate components, no elastic restoring force is generated even when the second part 332 is rotated relative to the first part 331 (rotated counterclockwise in Figure 7(c)). Therefore, by setting the frictional force between the projection of the engaging part 334 and the groove of the engaged part 333 to an appropriate force, the second part 332 can be held relative to the first part 331 at any position.

[0063] <Holding structure example 4> Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing example 4 of the retaining structure, where (a) and (b) are plan views of the retaining structure, (a) shows the state before retaining, and (b) shows the state of retaining. Figure 8(c) is a cross-sectional view of the retaining structure (the EE cross-sectional view in Figure 8(b), with the depth line omitted). This retaining structure comprises a first part 411, a second part 412, and a thin-walled part 413 connecting them. For example, in Example 1, the first cover part 210 corresponds to the first part 411, the second cover part 220 corresponds to the second part 412, and the thin-walled part 230 corresponds to the thin-walled part 413.

[0064] The second portion 412 is positioned on both sides of the first portion 411, and has an engagement structure that engages the ends of the pair of second portions 412 opposite to the first portion 411 (the left and right ends in Figure 8(a)) with each other. Specifically, the left end of the second portion 412 in Figure 8(a) is provided with an engagement portion 414 having a projection, and the right end of the second portion 412 is provided with an engaged portion 415 having an engagement hole.

[0065] With the above configuration, the second portion 412 on the left side in Figure 8(a) is rotated around the thin-walled portion 413 relative to the first portion 411 (rotated clockwise in Figure 8(c)), and the second portion 412 on the right side in Figure 8(a) is rotated around the thin-walled portion 413 relative to the first portion 411 (rotated counterclockwise in Figure 8(c)), causing the projection of the engaging portion 414 to engage with the engaged portion 41 By engaging with the engagement holes 5, the pair of second parts 412 can be held.

[0066] <Holding structure example 5> Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing example 5 of the retaining structure, where (a) and (b) are plan views of the retaining structure, (a) shows the state before retaining, and (b) shows the state of retaining. This retaining structure includes a first part 421, a second part 422, and a thin-walled part 423 connecting them. For example, in Example 1, the first cover part 210 corresponds to the first part 421, the second cover part 220 corresponds to the second part 422, and the thin-walled part 230 corresponds to the thin-walled part 423.

[0067] The second portion 422 is positioned on both sides of the first portion 421, and has an engagement structure that engages the ends of the pair of second portions 422 opposite to the first portion 421 (the left and right ends in Figure 9(a)) with each other. Specifically, the ends of the pair of second portions 422 are provided with engagement portions 424 and 425, each having a projection.

[0068] With the above configuration, the pair of second parts 422 can be held by rotating the thin-walled portion 423 relative to the first part 421 (rotating toward the front of the paper in Figure 9), and engaging the protrusions of the engaging portion 424 and the protrusions of the engaging portion 425 with each other.

[0069] The projection of the engaging portion 424 is spherical, and the projection of the engaging portion 425 is triangular prism-shaped. In the illustrated example, a configuration is shown with engaging portions 424 and 425 having projections of different shapes at two locations, but it goes without saying that engaging portions with projections of the same shape at multiple locations may also be provided. Furthermore, the shape of the projection is not limited to the illustrated shape as long as it is a shape that can engage. It goes without saying that the number of engaging portions is also not limited. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 10: Battery 11: Cell 11a: Positive electrode 11b: Negative electrode 12: Battery Case 110: FPC 110A: Executive 110B: Branching point 111: Base film 112: Wiring 120: Connector 130: Busba 140: Thermistor 200,200X: Cover 210: First cover section 220,240: Second cover section 221: First side wall section 222: Second side wall section 230: Thin-walled section 241: Second cover part, main body part 241a: Side wall part 242: Small cover section 242a: First side wall section 242b: Second side wall section 243: Thin-walled section 311,321,331,411,421: Part 1 312,322,332,412,422: Second part 313,323,413,423: Thin-walled section 314: Through hole 324: 3-point hinge section 324a, 324b, 324c: Thin wall part 325: Slit 333: Engaged part 334: Engaging part 414: Engagement part 415: Engaged part 424,425: Engaging parts

Claims

1. A flexible printed circuit board having a main body and branched parts that branch off from the main body, In the branched portion, a busbar is connected to the wiring provided on the flexible printed circuit board and welded to the electrodes of the cell, A cover to protect the flexible printed circuit board, A battery monitoring module comprising, The cover integrally comprises a first cover portion that covers the main trunk and a second cover portion that covers the branching portion. The battery monitoring module is characterized in that the second cover portion is configured to rotate in a direction toward the first cover portion while the first cover portion is covering the main body, thereby opening the area where the busbar is located.

2. The battery monitoring module according to claim 1, characterized in that the first cover portion and the second cover portion are integrally formed.

3. The battery monitoring module according to claim 2, characterized in that it is provided with a holding structure that holds the second cover portion in an open state in which the area on which the busbar is arranged is open.

4. The battery monitoring module according to claim 3, characterized in that the second cover portion is arranged on both sides of the first cover portion, and the ends of this pair of second cover portions opposite to the first cover portion are engaged with each other by an engaging structure.

5. The battery monitoring module according to claim 1, characterized in that the first cover portion and the second cover portion are made of separate components, and the second cover portion is rotatably connected to the first cover portion.

6. The second cover section is, The second cover part and the main body part, A small cover portion is configured such that, while the main body of the second cover portion covers the area where the busbar is located, the end opposite to the main body of the second cover portion rotates toward the main body of the second cover portion, thereby opening a portion of the area where the busbar is located. A battery monitoring module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is integrally equipped with the following.

7. The battery monitoring module according to claim 6, characterized in that the second cover body and the small cover are integrally configured.

8. The battery monitoring module according to claim 7, characterized in that it is provided with a small cover holding structure that holds the small cover portion while leaving a part of the area where the busbar is located open.

9. The battery monitoring module according to claim 6, characterized in that the second cover body and the small cover are made of separate components, and the small cover is rotatably connected to the second cover body.

Images