Power storage device

Abstract

A power storage device (1) is provided with a power storage element unit (24) having at least one power storage element (20), an electrical device (60a) electrically connected to the power storage element unit (24), electrical wires (51), and a regulation part (55a). The electrical wires (51) are connected to the electrical device (60a) via a connector (52a). The regulation part (55a) regulates the orientation of the projecting portions (51a) of the electrical wires (51), which are the portions of the electrical wires (51) projecting from the connector (52a), so as to incline downward from the connector (52a).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electricity storage device including an electric device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a battery module including a plurality of battery cells. The battery module includes a metal lead having a plate-shaped portion and an erected portion fixed between the terminals of two adjacent battery cells, and a wiring board on which a wiring pattern is provided and which extends from an insertion hole into which the erected portion of the metal lead is inserted. The erected portion of the metal lead is provided with a reinforcing portion that contacts the lower surface of the wiring board to support the wiring board, and at least a part of a fuse is disposed above the position where the reinforcing portion of the metal lead supports the wiring board. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-123280 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a rigid metal body is used as a conductive member connected to an electrical device such as a wiring board as in the above-mentioned conventional battery module, a structure is possible in which the conductive member is used to support the electrical device. However, in this case, the conductive member becomes relatively large or thick, and the weight becomes relatively large. Furthermore, one of the two components connected by the conductive member is easily affected by the movement of the other. The electrical devices included in the power storage device include a control device and a relay, and these electrical devices need to be provided with a plurality of conductive paths for electrically connecting with other components. Therefore, as a member for forming these conductive paths, an electric wire coated with an electrically insulating resin may be used. Specifically, a connector (also called a connector plug or a plug) is provided at the end of the electric wire, and the electrical device is electrically connected to other electrical devices by inserting the connector into a socket provided on the electrical device.

[0005] In this case, the electric wire is relatively light and highly flexible, and therefore has a high degree of freedom in its position. Therefore, the electric wire imposes a small mechanical load on the electrical device connected via the connector. On the other hand, because the electric wire is highly flexible, the part close to the connector (the part protruding from the connector) can assume various positions. Therefore, for example, if condensation occurs on the electric wire, the water droplets may run down the electric wire and enter the connector, which may cause a malfunction of the electrical device.

[0006] The present invention was made by the inventors of the present application by focusing on the above-mentioned problem, and has an object to provide a power storage device including an electric device, which has improved reliability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An energy storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an energy storage element unit having at least one energy storage element, an electrical device electrically connected to the energy storage element unit, an electric wire connected to the electrical device via a connector, and a regulating portion that regulates the posture of a protruding portion of the electric wire that protrudes from the connector to a posture that tilts downward from the connector. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a power storage device including an electric device, which has improved reliability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a power storage device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing each component of the electricity storage device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connection unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a structural relationship between an electric device and an electric wire according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a side view showing the posture of the electric wire connected to the electric device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a restricting portion according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view showing the posture of an electric wire connected to an electric device according to a modified example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] An energy storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an energy storage element unit having at least one energy storage element, an electrical device electrically connected to the energy storage element unit, an electric wire connected to the electrical device via a connector, and a regulating portion that regulates the posture of a protruding portion of the electric wire that protrudes from the connector to a posture that tilts downward from the connector.

[0011] According to this configuration, the protruding portion of the electric wire connected to the electric device can be tilted downward from the connector. As a result, even if condensation occurs in the electric storage device and the water droplets adhere to the electric wire, the water droplets are unlikely to reach the connector. As a result, the possibility of malfunction caused by water entering the connector is reduced. In this way, the electric storage device according to this embodiment is an electric storage device with improved reliability.

[0012] A plurality of the electric wires may be connected to the electrical device via the connector, and the regulating portion may regulate the posture of the protruding portion of each of the plurality of the electric wires to a posture inclined downward collectively.

[0013] With this configuration, when condensation occurs inside the power storage device, water droplets that tend to become large due to the concentration of electric wires can be prevented from traveling down the electric wires and approaching the connector. Therefore, with a simple configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility of problems caused by condensation when multiple electric wires are connected to one connector.

[0014] A non-metallic water receiving portion may be disposed below an end of the protruding portion of the electric wire opposite the connector.

[0015] With this configuration, when water droplets adhere to the protruding portion of the electric wire near the connector and move along the downwardly tilted protruding portion and fall off the electric wire, the water droplets are received by the non-metallic water receiver. This reduces the possibility of corrosion of metallic members inside the energy storage device due to water droplets, which also contributes to improving the reliability of the energy storage device.

[0016] The energy storage device may further include a cover member that covers the electrical equipment and the electric wire from above, and the regulating portion may be arranged on the cover member and press the protruding portion of the electric wire from above, thereby regulating the posture of the protruding portion to a downwardly tilted posture.

[0017] According to this configuration, the position of the protruding portion of the electric wire is restricted to a position inclined downward by the operation of arranging the cover member. In other words, by simply arranging the cover member, which is, for example, a lid for the exterior body, it is possible to obtain the effect of suppressing the occurrence of problems caused by condensation inside the energy storage device.

[0018] The energy storage device may further include a plate-shaped member arranged to separate the electrical equipment and the energy storage element unit, and an opening cover formed in the plate-shaped member to cover an opening exposing a portion of the energy storage element unit, and the regulating portion may be arranged on the surface of the opening cover facing the electrical equipment.

[0019] According to this configuration, since the restricting portion is provided on the opening cover, the restricting portion can be stably fixed inside the energy storage device. The joining operation of the bus bar to the electrode terminal can be performed through the opening provided in the plate-shaped member, and further, the space used during the joining operation can be used to arrange the electric wires that are restricted in a posture that suppresses malfunctions.

[0020] The power storage device may include a plurality of the electric devices, and the electric wire may be arranged to connect two of the plurality of the electric devices.

[0021] According to this configuration, the position of the electric wire connecting at least two electric devices to each other is regulated by the regulating portion. In other words, one regulating portion can prevent water droplets from reaching the connectors connected to the at least two electric devices. Therefore, the connectors and electric devices can be efficiently protected from water droplets with a simple configuration.

[0022] Hereinafter, a description will be given of an energy storage device according to an embodiment (including modified examples) of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement positions and connection forms of the components shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. In each drawing, dimensions are not strictly illustrated.

[0023] In the following description and drawings, the X-axis direction is defined as the arrangement direction of multiple energy storage elements, the direction in which the long sides of the container of the energy storage elements face each other, or the thickness direction of the container. The Y-axis direction is defined as the arrangement direction of the electrode terminals of one energy storage element, or the direction in which the short sides of the container of the energy storage element face each other. The Z-axis direction is defined as the arrangement direction of the main body and the lid in the exterior body of the energy storage device, the arrangement direction of the energy storage elements and the bus bars, or the up-down direction. The X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction intersect with each other (orthogonal in the following embodiments and their modifications). Depending on the mode of use, the Z-axis direction may not be the up-down direction, but for convenience of explanation, the following description will be given assuming that the Z-axis direction is the up-down direction.

[0024] In the following embodiments, expressions indicating relative directions or attitudes, such as parallel and perpendicular, may be used, but these expressions may not strictly refer to the directions or attitudes. For example, "two directions are perpendicular" does not only mean that the angle between the two directions is 90°, but also means that the directions are substantially perpendicular, that is, that the difference is, for example, about several percent. In the following description, for example, the positive side of the X-axis direction refers to the side of the arrow direction of the X-axis, and the negative side of the X-axis direction refers to the side opposite to the positive side of the X-axis. The same applies to the Y-axis and Z-axis directions.

[0025] (Embodiment) [1. General description of the power storage device] First, an overall description of a power storage device 1 according to an embodiment will be given with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the power storage device 1 according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing each component when the power storage device 1 according to the embodiment is disassembled.

[0026] The power storage device 1 is a device that can be charged with electricity from the outside and can discharge electricity to the outside, and in this embodiment, has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The power storage device 1 is a battery module (battery pack) used for power storage or power supply. Specifically, the power storage device 1 is used as a battery for driving or starting an engine of a moving body such as an automobile, a motorcycle, a watercraft, a ship, a snowmobile, an agricultural machine, a construction machine, or a railway vehicle for an electric railway. Examples of the automobile include an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), and a gasoline-powered vehicle. Examples of the railway vehicle for the electric railway include a train, a monorail, and a linear motor car. The power storage device 1 can also be used as a stationary battery for home use or for a power generator.

[0027] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the energy storage device 1 includes an energy storage element 20 and an exterior body 10 that houses the energy storage element 20. In the present embodiment, eight energy storage elements 20 are housed in the exterior body 10. The number of energy storage elements 20 included in the energy storage device 1 is not limited to eight. The energy storage device 1 only needs to include at least one energy storage element 20. In the present embodiment, one energy storage element unit 24 is configured by a plurality of energy storage elements 20 arranged in the X-axis direction and a plurality of bus bars 33 that connect the plurality of energy storage elements 20. The energy storage element unit 24 may include a spacer, an insulating film, etc., which are not shown.

[0028] The exterior body 10 has a main body 12 that houses the energy storage element unit 24, and a lid body 11 that is arranged to cover the upper part of a bus bar plate 17 that is arranged above the energy storage element unit 24. The exterior body 10 is a rectangular (box-shaped) container (module case) that forms the outer shell of the energy storage device 1. In other words, the exterior body 10 is a member that fixes the energy storage element unit 24, the bus bar plate 17, etc. in predetermined positions and protects them from impacts and the like. The exterior body 10 is formed from an insulating material such as polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS), polyphenylene ether (PPE (including modified PPE)), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether (PFA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyethersulfone (PES), ABS resin, or a composite material thereof, or a metal with an insulating coating.

[0029] The lid 11 of the exterior body 10 is a rectangular member that closes the main body opening 15 of the main body 12, and has a positive electrode side external terminal 91 and a negative electrode side external terminal 92. The external terminals 91 and 92 are electrically connected to the multiple energy storage elements 20 via the connection unit 50 and the bus bar 33, and the energy storage device 1 charges with electricity from the outside and discharges electricity to the outside via the external terminals 91 and 92. The external terminals 91 and 92 are formed of a conductive member made of metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0030] The main body 12 is a rectangular cylindrical housing (casing) with a bottom, in which a main body opening 15 for accommodating the energy storage element unit 24 is formed.

[0031] The energy storage element 20 is a secondary battery (single cell) capable of charging and discharging electricity, and more specifically, a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery. The energy storage element 20 has a flattened rectangular parallelepiped (angled) shape, and in this embodiment, eight energy storage elements 20 are arranged in the X-axis direction as described above.

[0032] The energy storage element 20 is not limited to a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and may be a secondary battery other than a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, or may be a capacitor. The energy storage element 20 may be a primary battery that can use stored electricity without the user having to charge it. The energy storage element 20 may be a battery using a solid electrolyte. In this embodiment, the energy storage element 20 having a rectangular parallelepiped (corner) shape is illustrated, but the shape of the energy storage element 20 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and may be a polygonal prism shape, a cylindrical shape, an oval cylindrical shape, or the like other than a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Furthermore, a pouch-type energy storage element may be provided in the energy storage device 1 as the energy storage element 20.

[0033] In this embodiment, the energy storage element 20 includes a metal container 21. The container 21 is a rectangular case having a pair of opposing long sides 21a and a pair of opposing short sides 21b. An electrode body, a current collector, an electrolyte, and the like are contained inside the container 21. In this embodiment, each of the multiple energy storage elements 20 is arranged in a line in the X-axis direction with the long sides 21a facing the X-axis direction (the short sides 21b are parallel to the X-axis direction).

[0034] The cover plate 21c of the container 21 is provided with metal electrode terminals 22 (positive electrode terminal and negative electrode terminal) electrically connected to the electrode body inside the container 21. The electrode terminals 22 (positive electrode terminal and negative electrode terminal) are arranged to protrude from the cover plate 21c of the container 21 toward the bus bar plate 17 (upward, that is, toward the positive side in the Z-axis direction). The cover plate 21c of the container 21 is further provided with a gas exhaust valve 23 for exhausting gas inside the container 21 to the outside.

[0035] The bus bar 33 is a rectangular plate-like member that is arranged on at least two energy storage elements 20 while being held by the bus bar plate 17, and electrically connects the electrode terminals 22 of the at least two energy storage elements 20 to each other. The material of the bus bar 33 is not particularly limited, and may be made of a metal such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, a copper alloy, stainless steel, or a combination thereof, or a conductive member other than a metal. In this embodiment, five bus bars 33 are used to connect two energy storage elements 20 in parallel to configure four sets of energy storage element groups, and the four sets of energy storage element groups are connected in series. There is no particular limit to the manner in which the eight energy storage elements 20 are electrically connected, and all of the eight energy storage elements 20 may be connected in series by seven bus bars.

[0036] The bus bar plate 17 is an example of a plate-like member arranged to separate an electric device from an energy storage element unit. In the present embodiment, the bus bar plate 17 is a resin member that holds the bus bars 33. More specifically, the bus bar plate 17 is a member that holds the bus bars 33, the connection unit 50, and other wirings (not shown in FIG. 2) and can regulate the positions of these members. The bus bar plate 17 is provided with a plurality of bus bar openings 17a that hold the plurality of bus bars 33 and expose a portion of each of the plurality of bus bars 33 to the side of the plurality of energy storage elements 20. The plurality of bus bars 33 are covered with bus bar covers 70 and 75. The bus bar plate 17 thus configured is fixed to the main body 12 of the exterior body 10 by a predetermined method such as adhesion or heat welding.

[0037] Each of the busbar covers 70 and 75 is an example of an opening cover, and is a resin member that covers the multiple busbars 33 from above. The busbar covers 70 and 75 serve to electrically insulate the multiple busbars 33 from the connection unit 50. As with the exterior body 10, examples of resin that is the material of the busbar plate 17 and the busbar covers 70 and 75 include PC, PP, PE, and PS.

[0038] The connection unit 50 is a unit having a plurality of bus bars and electric devices, and electrically connects the energy storage element unit 24 to external terminals 91 and 92. An electric wire through which a current for control, detection, etc. flows is connected to the electric device of the connection unit 50. The energy storage device 1 according to this embodiment has a configuration (in this embodiment, restricting portions 55a and 55b shown in FIG. 2) that restricts the electric wires connected to the electric devices to a predetermined posture when the connection unit 50 is arranged on the bus bar plate 17. Hereinafter, the configuration for controlling the posture of the electric wires in the energy storage device 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

[0039] [2. Connection unit and its peripheral configuration] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connection unit 50 according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 illustrates a state in which the connection unit 50 is disposed on the bus bar plate 17. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a structural relationship between the electric devices 60a and 60b according to the embodiment and the electric wires 51. FIG. 4 illustrates a state in which the electric wires 51 are removed from the electric devices 60a and 60b, respectively, and the bus bar cover 75 having the restricting portions 55a and 55b is moved to the negative side in the Y-axis direction, in order to clearly show the structural relationship. In FIG. 4, the approximate postures of four electric wires 51 among the multiple electric wires 51 are represented by thick dotted lines, and the connectors 52a and 52b are simply illustrated.

[0040] Fig. 5 is a side view (viewed from the X-axis direction) showing the posture of electric wire 51 connected to electric device 60a according to the embodiment. In Fig. 5, in order to clearly show the posture of electric wire 51, the configuration of electricity storage device 1 is simply and typically illustrated, and further, cross sections of bus bar plate 17 and bus bar cover 75 are illustrated. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of restriction portion 55a according to the embodiment.

[0041] 3, the connection unit 50 is composed of various members fixed on the bus bar plate 17. Specifically, the connection unit 50 has electric devices 60a and 60b, a plurality of electric wires 51 connected to the electric devices 60a and 60b, respectively, and bus bars 35 to 37. The electric device 60a is fixedly disposed on the bus bar plate 17. The electric device 60b is disposed so as to be stacked on top of the electric device 60a.

[0042] In this embodiment, the electric device 60a is, for example, a control device called a BMU (Battery Management Unit), which detects the voltage of each of the multiple storage elements 20 and the temperature of the storage element unit 24 (see FIG. 2 ), and controls the charging state of the multiple storage elements 20. To this end, the electric device 60a is connected to multiple electric wires 51 for detecting voltage and temperature. The electric device 60a is also connected to an electric wire 51 for exchanging information with a higher-level control device.

[0043] In this embodiment, the electric device 60b is, for example, a relay unit having an electromagnetic switch, and has a function of switching on and off the charging or discharging of the power storage device 1. The electric device 60b operates according to a control signal from the electric device 60a. Therefore, a plurality of electric wires 51 for exchanging signals with the electric device 60a are connected to the electric device 60b. The positive electrode (total positive terminal) of the energy storage element unit 24 is electrically connected to a positive electrode side external terminal 91 (see FIG. 1) via the bus bar 35, the electric device 60b, and the bus bar 36. The negative electrode (total negative terminal) of the energy storage element unit 24 is electrically connected to a negative electrode side external terminal 92 (see FIG. 1) via the electric device 60a and the bus bar 37.

[0044] In the connection unit 50 configured as described above, the multiple electric wires 51 connected to the electric device 60a are connected to the electric device 60a via the connector 52a, and the multiple electric wires 51 connected to the electric device 60b are connected to the electric device 60b via the connector 52b.

[0045] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, a connector 52a is provided at the end of a plurality of electric wires 51 connected to an electric device 60a, and the connector 52a is inserted into a socket 61a provided in the electric device 60a. In this way, the plurality of electric wires 51 are electrically connected to the electric device 60a. A connector 52b is provided at the end of a plurality of electric wires 51 connected to an electric device 60b, and the connector 52b is inserted into a socket 61b provided in the electric device 60b. In this way, the plurality of electric wires 51 are electrically connected to the electric device 60b.

[0046] In this manner, the electric wire 51 is adopted as a conductive member for each of the electric devices 60a and 60b to electrically connect with other members. The electric wire 51 is a linear conductor made of copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, or the like, coated with an insulating material such as resin, and is, for example, a member called an "insulated electric wire". The electric wire 51 is highly flexible and the length can be easily adjusted, so that it is easy to arrange it in a layout according to the arrangement position and shape of the electric devices 60a and 60b and the bus bar plate 17, etc. However, because the electric wire 51 is highly flexible, the part close to the connector 52a or 52b can take various postures. Therefore, when condensation occurs on the electric wire 51 due to a change in the environmental temperature of the power storage device 1, the water droplets may run down the electric wire 51 and enter the connector 52a or 52b, which may cause a malfunction of the electric device 60a or 60b.

[0047] Therefore, in the electricity storage device 1 according to this embodiment, restricting portions 55a and 55b are provided to restrict the portion of the electric wire 51 protruding from the connector 52a to a position tilted downward from the connector 52a. The restricting portion 55b also serves to restrict the portion of the electric wire 51 protruding from the connector 52b to a position tilted downward from the connector 52a. In the following, in order to explain the configurations and effects of the restricting portions 55a and 55b, the following description will be given with a focus on the electric device 60a and the restricting portion 55a.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 5, the energy storage device 1 according to the present embodiment includes an energy storage element unit 24 having at least one energy storage element 20, an electric device 60a electrically connected to the energy storage element unit 24, an electric wire 51, and a restricting unit 55a. The electric wire 51 is connected to the electric device 60a via a connector 52a. The restricting unit 55a restricts the position of a protruding portion 51a of the electric wire 51 protruding from the connector 52a to a position inclined downward from the connector 52a. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 6, the restricting unit 55a according to the present embodiment hooks the electric wire 51 with a pair of claws facing each other with a gap therebetween through which the electric wire 51 can pass, thereby causing the position of the protruding portion 51a to be inclined downward from the connector 52a.

[0049] According to this configuration, for example, even if condensation occurs inside the power storage device 1 and the water droplets adhere to the electric wire 51, the water droplets are unlikely to reach the connector 52a. As a result, the possibility of malfunction caused by water entering the connector 52a is reduced.

[0050] Of course, it is possible to prevent water droplets running down the electric wire 51 from approaching the connector 52a by connecting the connector 52a to the electric device 60a in a position where the protruding direction of the electric wire 51 faces downward. However, such a configuration is difficult to realize considering the layout of the electric device 60a and the like inside the exterior body 10, and even if it is realized, a wasted space will increase inside the exterior body 10. In this regard, according to the storage device 1 of this embodiment, the protruding portion 51a of the electric wire 51 can be restricted to a position facing downward from the connector 52a without depending on the position of the connector 52a. Therefore, it is possible to make it difficult for water droplets running down the electric wire 51 to reach the connector 52a without changing the layout of the electric device 60a and the like. As a result, the occurrence of problems caused by condensation occurring inside the storage device 1 is suppressed. In this way, according to the storage device 1 of this embodiment, the reliability can be improved.

[0051] In this embodiment, the protruding portion 51a is a portion of the electric wire 51 several centimeters (for example, about 1 cm to 3 cm) from the connector 52a. In other words, by restricting the position of the portion of the electric wire 51 several centimeters from the connector 52a by the restricting portion 55a, even if the electric wire 51 is oriented horizontally for example for several millimeters immediately adjacent to the connector 52a, the protruding portion 51a as a whole is inclined downward from the connector 52a. As a result, water droplets attached to the protruding portion 51a and water droplets that have traveled along the electric wire 51 from a position farther from the protruding portion 51a to the protruding portion 51a cannot substantially reach the connector 52a. This reduces the possibility of water entering the connector 52a.

[0052] In this embodiment, multiple electric wires 51 are connected to the electrical device 60a via connectors 52a, and the regulating portion 55a regulates the posture of each of the protruding portions 51a of the multiple electric wires 51 to a posture that is collectively tilted downward.

[0053] According to this configuration, when condensation occurs inside the electricity storage device 1, water droplets that tend to become large due to the gathering of electric wires 51 can be prevented from traveling along these electric wires 51 and approaching the connector 52a. Therefore, in a state in which a plurality of electric wires 51 are connected to one connector 52a, the possibility of occurrence of problems due to condensation can be reduced with a simple configuration.

[0054] 5 and 6, in this embodiment, a non-metallic water receiving portion 57 is disposed below the end of the protruding portion 51a of the electric wire 51 opposite the connector 52a. More specifically, the non-metallic water receiving portion 57 is disposed below the end of the protruding portion 51a (see FIG. 5), which is the portion of the electric wire 51 from the connector 52a to the position regulated by the regulating portion 55a, opposite the connector 52a.

[0055] According to this configuration, when water droplets adhere to protruding portion 51a of electric wire 51, move along protruding portion 51a which is tilted downward, and fall from electric wire 51, the water droplets are received by non-metallic water receiving portion 57. In other words, water droplets falling from electric wire 51 are prevented from contacting metal members such as bus bar 33 (see FIG. 2) located below restricting portion 55a. This reduces the possibility of corrosion of metal members inside electricity storage device 1 due to water droplets. This also contributes to improving the reliability of electricity storage device 1.

[0056] In this embodiment, the lower part of the portion of wire 51 whose movement is directly restricted by restricting portion 55a is part of busbar cover 75, and is a resin portion such as PC, PP, PE, or PS. That is, water receiving portion 57 according to this embodiment is formed of resin. The portion of water receiving portion 57 that comes into contact with water may be made of a nonmetallic material. For example, water receiving portion 57 may be formed of a metal member whose surface is coated with resin. Water receiving portion 57 may be provided with a water-absorbent material such as nonwoven fabric so that water droplets that fall on water receiving portion 57 do not move elsewhere. Water receiving portion 57 may be realized by a component separate from busbar cover 75.

[0057] In the present embodiment, the energy storage device 1 includes a bus bar plate 17 arranged to separate the electric device 60a and the energy storage element unit 24, and a bus bar cover 75 that covers a bus bar opening 17a formed in the bus bar plate 17 and exposing a part of the energy storage element unit 24. The restricting portion 55a is arranged on the surface of the bus bar cover 75 on the side of the electric device 60a.

[0058] According to this configuration, since the restricting portion 55a is provided on the busbar cover 75, the restricting portion 55a can be stably fixed inside the energy storage device 1. The joining operation of the busbar 33 to the electrode terminal 22 can be performed through the busbar opening 17a, and the electric wire 51 restricted in a posture for suppressing malfunctions can be arranged by utilizing the space used during the joining operation. The busbar cover 75 may be attached to the busbar plate 17 by engagement, screw fastening, or the like in a removable state, or may be attached to the busbar plate 17 by adhesion, welding, or the like in a substantially unremovable state. In other words, the busbar cover 75 may cover the busbar opening 17a in an openable / closable manner, or may cover the busbar opening 17a in an unopenable / closable manner.

[0059] In the present embodiment, the energy storage device 1 includes a plurality of electric devices, and the electric wire 51 is arranged to connect two of the plurality of electric devices. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the energy storage device 1 includes a plurality of electric devices (electric devices 60a and 60b) arranged above the energy storage element unit 24. One or more electric wires 51 out of the plurality of electric wires 51 included in the energy storage device 1 connect the electric device 60a and the electric device 60b.

[0060] According to this configuration, the attitude of the electric wire connecting the plurality of electric devices to each other is regulated by the regulating unit. In this embodiment, the electric device 60a, which is a BMU, and the electric device 60b, which is a relay unit, arranged above the energy storage element unit 24 are connected by the electric wire 51, and the attitude of the electric wire 51 is regulated by the regulating unit 55b. In other words, the single regulating unit 55b can prevent water droplets from reaching the connectors 52a and 52b connected to the two electric devices 60a and 60b, respectively. Therefore, the connectors 52a and 52b and the electric devices 60a and 60b can be efficiently protected from water droplets with a simple configuration.

[0061] Either of the two electric devices connected by the electric wire 51 may be located above the other in the vertical direction. The two electric devices may be located at the same vertical position. For example, electric devices 60a and 60b connected by one or more electric wires 51 may be arranged on the bus bar plate 17 in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction.

[0062] The above description of the power storage device 1 according to the embodiment has been given with a focus on the electric device 60a and the regulating unit 55a, but the description also applies to the regulating unit 55b and the electric device 60b. That is, the protruding portions 51a of some of the electric wires 51 among the electric wires 51 connected to the electric device 60a via the connector 52a are regulated by the regulating unit 55b to a position facing downward from the connector 52a, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Therefore, even if water droplets adhere to these electric wires 51, it is difficult for the water droplets to reach the connector 52a. The electric wire 51 is connected to the electric device 60b via the connector 52b. The regulating unit 55b can regulate the position of the protruding portion 51a of the electric wire 51, which is the portion protruding from the connector 52a, to a position inclined downward from the connector 52a. Therefore, even if water droplets adhere to the electric wire 51 connected to the electric device 60b, it is difficult for the water droplets to reach the connector 52b. Thus, in this embodiment, the protruding portions 51a of one or more electric wires 51 connected to each of the electrical devices 60a and 60b are tilted downward from the connectors 52a and 52b so as to reduce the possibility of water entering the connectors 52a and 52b.

[0063] The restricting portion 55a may be a separate part from the busbar cover 75. In this case, the restricting portion 55a may be attached to the busbar cover 75 by adhesion, welding, fitting, or the like. In the present embodiment, the restricting portions 55a and 55b restrict the position of the protruding portion 51a by hooking the electric wire 51, but the configuration for restricting the position of the protruding portion 51a is not limited thereto. For example, the restricting portion, which is an annular member, may restrict the position of the protruding portion 51a by restraining the electric wire 51 to another member such as the busbar cover 75.

[0064] The position where the restricting portion is disposed is not particularly limited, and for example, the restricting portion may be disposed above the electric device 60a. Therefore, a configuration example in which the restricting portion is provided on a member disposed above the electric device 60a will be described as a modified example of the embodiment, focusing on the differences from the above embodiment.

[0065] (Modification) Fig. 7 is a side view showing the posture of electric wires 51 connected to electric device 60a according to a modified example of the embodiment. In Fig. 7, cross sections of bus bar plate 17 and cover 11 are shown, and other members such as energy storage element unit 24 are not shown.

[0066] The electricity storage device 1a according to this modification includes a restricting portion 56 that restricts the position of the protruding portion 51a of the electric wire 51. Specifically, the electricity storage device 1a includes a lid 11 that is a cover member that covers the electric device 60a and the electric wire 51 from above. The restricting portion 56 is disposed on the lid 11, and restricts the position of the protruding portion 51a to a position that tilts downward by pressing the protruding portion 51a of the electric wire 51 from above.

[0067] According to this configuration, the positioning of the lid 11 restricts the position of the protruding portion 51a of the electric wire 51 to a position that tilts downward from the connector 52a. That is, simply by placing the lid 11 on the main body 12 that houses the energy storage element unit 24, the bus bar plate 17, the connection unit 50, etc., the position of the protruding portion 51a can be restricted to a position that reduces the possibility of water entering the connector 52a. That is, the positioning of the lid 11 has the effect of suppressing the occurrence of problems caused by condensation inside the energy storage device 1.

[0068] 7 illustrates a restricting portion 56 that restricts the position of the protruding portion 51a of the electric wire 51 connected to the connector 52a. However, the protruding portion 51a of the electric wire 51 connected to the connector 52b may also be restricted to a position facing downward from the connector 52b by a restricting portion provided on the lid 11.

[0069] (Other embodiments) The above describes the power storage device according to the present invention based on the embodiment and its modified examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and modified examples. As long as the modifications do not deviate from the spirit of the present invention, those having ordinary skill in the art who have made various modifications to the above embodiment or modified examples are also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0070] The restricting portions 55a and 55b do not need to restrict the posture of the protruding portions 51a of all the electric wires 51 connected to the electric devices 60a and 60b. Each of the restricting portions 55a and 55b may cause the protruding portion 51a of at least one electric wire 51 to be in a posture inclined downward from the connector 52a or 52b connected to the protruding portion 51a. This suppresses the occurrence of defects due to water droplets running down the electric wire 51 for at least the one electric wire 51. Only one of the restricting portions 55a and 55b may be disposed. This suppresses the occurrence of defects due to water droplets running down the one or more electric wires 51 for the one or more electric wires 51 whose postures are restricted by the restricting portion 55a or 55b.

[0071] The restricting portions 55a and 55b do not have to be provided on the bus bar cover 75. For example, the restricting portions may be provided on the bus bar plate 17. Depending on the arrangement position of the electric device 60a or 60b, it is also possible to provide the restricting portions on the main body 12 of the exterior body 10.

[0072] Although the electric devices 60a and 60b are described as a control device and a relay unit, the type of the electric devices to which the electric wires are connected via the connectors is not particularly limited. When the power storage device 1 includes a communication module for performing wireless or wired communication, the power storage device 1 may include a regulating unit that changes the position of the protruding portion of the electric wire connected to the communication module via the connector to a position facing downward from the connector. In other words, regardless of the number, type, size, position, etc. of the electric devices, when the electric wires are connected to the electric devices via connectors, the possibility of malfunction of the electric devices due to condensation is reduced by including a regulating unit that changes the position of the protruding portion of the electric wire to a position facing downward from the connector.

[0073] Any combination of the above-described components is also included within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0074] The present invention can be applied to an electricity storage device including an electricity storage element such as a lithium ion secondary battery. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1, 1a Energy storage device 11 Lid 17 Busbar plate 17a Busbar opening 20 Energy storage element 24 Energy storage element unit 33, 35, 36, 37 Busbars 50 Connection Units 51 Electric wire 51a Projecting part 52a, 52b Connectors 55a, 55b, 56 Regulatory Department 57 Water receiving part 60a, 60b Electrical equipment 61a, 61b sockets 70, 75 Busbar cover 91, 92 External terminals

Claims

1. an energy storage element unit having at least one energy storage element; an electric device electrically connected to the energy storage element unit; an electric wire connected to the electric device via a connector; a restricting portion that restricts a posture of a protruding portion of the electric wire that protrudes from the connector to a posture that is inclined downward from the connector; a cover member that covers the electrical device and the electric wires from above, The restricting portion is disposed on the cover member and restricts the orientation of the protruding portion of the electric wire to an orientation inclined downward by pressing the protruding portion from above. Energy storage device.

2. A storage element unit having at least one storage element; an electric device electrically connected to the energy storage element unit; an electric wire connected to the electric device via a connector; a restricting portion that restricts a posture of a protruding portion of the electric wire that protrudes from the connector to a posture that is inclined downward from the connector; a plate-like member arranged to separate the electric device and the energy storage element unit; an opening cover that covers an opening formed in the plate-shaped member and through which a part of the energy storage element unit is exposed; The restricting portion is disposed on a surface of the opening cover on the side of the electrical device. Energy storage device.

3. A plurality of the electric wires are connected to the electric device via the connector, and the restricting portion restricts the posture of the protruding portion of each of the plurality of the electric wires to a posture inclined downward collectively. The electricity storage device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A non-metallic water receiving portion is disposed below the end of the protruding portion of the electric wire opposite to the connector. The power storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The power storage device includes a plurality of the electric devices, The electric wire is arranged to connect two of the plurality of electric devices. The power storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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