Battery device and method for assembling battery device

Abstract

To provide a battery device and an assembling method for the same capable of properly housing battery cells.SOLUTION: The battery device includes a battery cell, a housing case, and an elastic member. The housing case accommodates the battery cell so as to cover at least a part of the outer circumference of the battery cell, and a first opening is formed at a position opposing the outer circumference of the battery cell. The elastic member is arranged outside the housing case and a first protrusion is formed protruding from the first opening of the housing case toward the inside of the housing case.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery device and a method for assembling a battery device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a battery device including battery cells such as lithium ion secondary batteries, various techniques have been proposed for housing the battery cells in a case or the like (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-009585 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned battery cell includes an element in which a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator are stacked, and a cell case that houses the element. In such a battery cell, gas may be generated inside the cell case and expand due to usage conditions such as use in a high-temperature environment or repeated charging and discharging, and a clearance may be generated between the element and the cell case. When such a clearance is generated, the restraining force of the element by the cell case decreases. Therefore, for example, when the battery cell is exposed to vibration, the element may shake more against the cell case, which may affect the performance of the battery cell. Thus, the conventional technology has room for improvement in terms of appropriately housing a battery cell that may expand.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide a battery device that can properly accommodate battery cells, and a method for assembling the battery device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention provides a battery device comprising a battery cell, a storage case, and an elastic member. The storage case stores the battery cell so as to cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the battery cell, and has a first opening formed at a position facing the outer peripheral surface of the battery cell. The elastic member is disposed outside the storage case, and has a first protrusion formed therein that protrudes from the first opening of the storage case toward the inside of the storage case. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the battery cells can be appropriately accommodated. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the battery cell. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the storage case. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a front view of the elastic member. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a front view of the intermediate member. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the housing. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing an example of an assembly procedure for the battery device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a battery device and a method for assembling a battery device disclosed in the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a battery device according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery device, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 1. Figs. 1 to 3 and the figures shown in Fig. 4 and subsequent figures described later are all schematic views.

[0011] For convenience of explanation, FIG. 1 and other figures show a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system defined by mutually orthogonal X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. Such Cartesian coordinate system may also be shown in other drawings used in the following explanation. In the Cartesian coordinate system, the X-axis is the left-right direction (width direction) of the battery device 1, the Y-axis is the front-rear direction (depth direction) of the battery device 1, and the Z-axis is the up-down direction (height direction; thickness direction) of the battery device 1. In the following explanation, the positive X-axis direction is referred to as the "right direction," the negative X-axis direction is referred to as the "left direction," the positive Y-axis direction is referred to as the "rear," the negative Y-axis direction is referred to as the "front," the positive Z-axis direction is referred to as the "upward," and the negative Z-axis direction is referred to as the "downward," but these expressions mean the "right direction" and "left direction" when the battery device 1 is in the state shown in the figure, and do not limit the directions.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a battery device 1 according to this embodiment includes a battery cell 10, a storage case 20, an elastic member 30, an intermediate member 40 (not visible in FIG. 1), and a housing 50.

[0013] Specifically, the battery device 1 is a battery pack in which, from the top, an elastic member 30, a storage case 20 in which the battery cells 10 are housed, an intermediate member 40, and a storage case 20 in which the battery cells 10 are housed are stacked in this order, and the stacked storage cases 20 and the like are housed in a housing 50. Note that, for ease of understanding, in Fig. 1 and other figures, an illustration of a lid portion attached to the housing 50 and covering the storage case 20 and the like is omitted.

[0014] The battery device 1 is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) and can supply power to various in-vehicle devices. In the above description, the battery device 1 is mounted on a vehicle, but is not limited to this and may be mounted on any device, for example.

[0015] The battery cells 10 and the like that make up the battery device 1 will be described in detail below. The battery cells 10 are, for example, lithium ion secondary batteries, and there are a plurality of battery cells 10 (for example, four). In the example of FIG. 1, a plurality of battery cells 10 (two cells in this case) are arranged in a plurality of rows (two rows in this case) in the left-right direction (X-axis direction). The battery cells 10 are also stacked in a plurality of stages (two stages in this case) in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction). Note that, although the battery cells 10 are described above as being in two rows in the left-right direction and two rows in the up-down direction, this is merely an example and is not limiting, and the number of rows and stages of the battery cells 10 can be set as desired.

[0016] The battery cell 10 will now be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a plan view of the battery cell 10, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in Figure 4.

[0017] 4 and 5, the battery cell 10 is formed, for example, in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Also, as shown in FIG.

[0018] The element 11 is an electrode body, and includes, for example, a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator (not shown). The element 11 is formed into a flat shape by being spirally wound with a separator between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, for example. In FIG. 5, for the sake of simplicity, the positive electrode plate, the negative electrode plate, the separator, and the like included in the element 11 are omitted, and the element 11 is shown shaded with diagonal lines.

[0019] The cell case 12 accommodates the element 11. For example, the cell case 12 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and includes an upper wall portion 13a, a lower wall portion 13b, two side walls 13c, a front wall portion 13d, and a rear wall portion 13e. In the cell case 12, the element 11 is accommodated together with an electrolyte in an internal space formed by the upper wall portion 13a, the lower wall portion 13b, the side walls 13c, the front wall portion 13d, and the rear wall portion 13e. In addition, a positive electrode terminal 14a and a negative electrode terminal 14b are provided on the front wall portion 13d, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0020] Here, since the cell case 12 is the exterior of the battery cell 10, the outer peripheral surface of the cell case 12 is the outer peripheral surface of the battery cell 10. Hereinafter, the outer peripheral surface (upper surface) 13a1 of the upper wall portion 13a of the cell case 12 may be referred to as the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10, and the outer peripheral surface (lower surface) 13b1 of the lower wall portion 13b may be referred to as the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10. The outer peripheral surfaces 13a1 and 13b1 of the battery cell 10 have the largest area among the six outer peripheral surfaces of the battery cell 10, and therefore can also be said to be the main surfaces of the battery cell 10.

[0021] Moreover, the battery cell 10 is formed so that the outer peripheral surfaces 13a1, 13b1 have a concave shape recessed inwardly of the battery cell 10 (specifically, the cell case 12), in other words, so as to have a curved shape.

[0022] Incidentally, in the above-mentioned battery cell 10, as shown by imaginary lines in FIG. 5, the outer peripheral surfaces 13a1 and 13b1 may bulge outward. In detail, in the battery cell 10, gas may be generated inside the cell case 12 and the battery cell 10 may expand due to usage conditions such as use in a high-temperature environment or repeated charging and discharging. More specifically, the outer peripheral surfaces 13a1 and 13b1 may bulge outward. When the outer peripheral surfaces 13a1 and 13b1 of the battery cell 10 bulge outward, a clearance is generated between the element 11 and the cell case 12, and the binding force of the element 11 by the cell case 12 decreases. Therefore, for example, when the vibration of the vehicle is transmitted to the battery cell 10, the swing of the element 11 with respect to the cell case 12 becomes larger than before the binding force was reduced, and as a result, there is a risk of an effect such as a decrease in the performance of the battery cell 10 occurring. Therefore, in the battery device 1 according to this embodiment, a configuration is provided that can appropriately accommodate the battery cell 10 that may expand.

[0023] More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the storage case 20 of the battery device 1 is made of, for example, resin, and stores the battery cells 10 therein.

[0024] Furthermore, there are a plurality of storage cases 20 (for example, two). For example, the storage cases 20 are stacked in a plurality of tiers (for example, two tiers) in the vertical direction. Hereinafter, the storage case 20 arranged in the upper tier may be referred to as the "upper tier storage case 20a" and the storage case 20 arranged in the lower tier may be referred to as the "lower tier storage case 20b," but when there is no particular distinction between them, they will be referred to as "storage case 20."

[0025] In the above description, two storage cases 20 are provided in two vertical tiers, but this is merely an example and is not limiting, and the number of storage cases 20 and the number of tiers can be set as desired.

[0026] Here, the storage case 20 will be described with reference to Figures 6, 7, etc. Figure 6 is a plan view of the storage case 20, and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Figure 6. Note that in Figure 7, for ease of understanding, the battery cells 10 stored in the storage case 20 are shown by imaginary lines.

[0027] 6 and 7 is the upper storage case 20a, but since the upper storage case 20a and the lower storage case 20b have substantially the same shape, the following description also generally applies to the lower storage case 20b.

[0028] 6 and 7, the storage case 20 includes a storage section 21. There are a plurality of storage sections 21 (for example, two). For example, the storage sections 21 are arranged in a plurality of rows (two rows here) in the left-right direction. Note that, although two storage sections 21 are arranged in two rows in the left-right direction in the above description, this is merely an example and is not limiting, and the number of storage sections 21 and the number of rows can be set arbitrarily.

[0029] The storage section 21 is formed in a box shape and includes an upper wall portion 21a, a lower wall portion 21b, two side wall portions 21c, and a rear wall portion 21d. The storage section 21 also includes an insertion opening 22 (see FIG. 2) formed by the upper wall portion 21a, the lower wall portion 21b, and the two side wall portions 21c. The insertion opening 22 is an opening that opens toward the front of the storage section 21 (Y-axis negative direction), and the battery cell 10 is inserted from the insertion opening 22, whereby the battery cell 10 is accommodated in the storage case 20 (more precisely, the storage section 21). In more detail, the battery cell 10 is inserted from the insertion opening 22 with the rear wall portion 13e (see FIG. 4) at the top, and is accommodated in the storage case 20.

[0030] 3, the storage case 20 stores the battery cells 10 so as to cover part of the outer circumferential surface of the battery cells 10. Specifically, the storage case 20 stores the battery cells 10 while covering the upper surface (outer circumferential surface 13a1) of the upper wall portion 13a of the battery cells 10, the lower surface (outer circumferential surface 13b1) of the lower wall portion 13b, the side surface of the side wall portion 13c, and the rear surface of the rear wall portion 13e, while exposing the front surface of the front wall portion 13d.

[0031] In the above description, the storage case 20 stores the battery cell 10 so as to cover a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the battery cell 10, but this is not limited thereto, and for example, the storage case 20 may store the battery cell 10 so as to cover the entire outer peripheral surface of the battery cell 10.

[0032] 2 and 3, openings 23 and 25a are formed in the storage section 21 of the upper storage case 20a. For example, the opening 23 is formed in the upper wall section 21a of the storage section 21 of the upper storage case 20a, and the opening 25a is formed in the lower wall section 21b of the storage section 21 of the upper storage case 20a.

[0033] Furthermore, openings 25b and 24 are formed in the storage section 21 of the lower storage case 20b. For example, the opening 25b is formed in the upper wall section 21a of the storage section 21 of the lower storage case 20b, and the opening 24 is formed in the lower wall section 21b of the storage section 21 of the lower storage case 20b.

[0034] Hereinafter, the opening 23 formed in the upper wall 21a of the storage section 21 of the upper storage case 20a may be referred to as the "first opening 23", the opening 24 formed in the lower wall 21b of the storage section 21 of the lower storage case 20b may be referred to as the "second opening 24", and the opening 25a formed in the upper wall 21a of the storage section 21 of the upper storage case 20a and the opening 25b formed in the upper wall 21a of the storage section 21 of the lower storage case 20b may be referred to as the "third openings 25a, 25b".

[0035] The first opening 23, the second opening 24, and the third openings 25a, 25b are formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view. In the above description, the first opening 23, the second opening 24, and the third openings 25a, 25b are rectangular, but this is merely an example and is not limiting, and they may be other types of shapes such as circular or elliptical.

[0036] The first opening 23 is formed at a position facing the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 housed in the upper housing case 20a. In detail, the first opening 23 is formed at a position facing near the center of the upper surface of the upper wall portion 13a of the battery cell 10 housed in the upper housing case 20a.

[0037] The second opening 24 is formed at a position facing the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 housed in the lower housing case 20b. In detail, the second opening 24 is formed at a position facing near the center of the lower surface of the lower wall portion 13b of the battery cell 10 housed in the lower housing case 20b.

[0038] The third opening 25a is formed at a position facing the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 housed in the upper housing case 20a. In detail, the third opening 25a is formed at a position facing near the center of the lower surface of the lower wall portion 13b of the battery cell 10 housed in the upper housing case 20a.

[0039] The third opening 25b is formed at a position facing the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 housed in the lower housing case 20b. In detail, the third opening 25b is formed at a position facing near the center of the upper surface of the upper wall portion 13a of the battery cell 10 housed in the lower housing case 20b.

[0040] Here, the members arranged in the up-down direction of the upper accommodating case 20a and the lower accommodating case 20b will be described. An elastic member 30 is arranged above the upper accommodating case 20a. An intermediate member 40 is arranged (inserted) between the upper accommodating case 20a and the lower accommodating case 20b. A bottom portion 51a of a housing 50 is arranged below the lower accommodating case 20b.

[0041] Therefore, the first opening 23 is formed in the upper accommodating case 20a at a position corresponding to the elastic member 30. The second opening 24 is formed in the lower accommodating case 20b at a position corresponding to the bottom 51a of the housing 50. The third opening 25a is formed in the upper accommodating case 20a at a position corresponding to the intermediate member 40. The third opening 25b is formed in the lower accommodating case 20b at a position corresponding to the intermediate member 40. The openings 23, 24, 25a, 25b have corresponding protrusions 32, 52, 42a, 42b (see FIG. 3) located therein, which will be described later.

[0042] As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the storage case 20 further includes a seating surface portion 26 and mounting portions 27 to 29. The seating surface portion 26 is formed between two storage portions 21 that are lined up in the left-right direction. The seating surface portion 26 is provided at a position that corresponds to the center of gravity G in a plan view of the storage case 20 in which the battery cell 10 is stored. In other words, the area in which the seating surface portion 26 is provided in a plan view includes the center of gravity G of the storage case 20 in which the battery cell 10 is stored. An insertion hole 26a is formed in the seating surface portion 26, and a screw (not shown) that fixes the storage case 20 to the housing 50 is inserted therethrough. Furthermore, the head of the screw inserted into the insertion hole 26a is seated on the seating surface portion 26.

[0043] The attachment portion 27 is formed between two storage portions 21 arranged side by side in the left-right direction. An insertion hole 27a is formed in the attachment portion 27, and a screw (not shown) for fixing the elastic member 30 to the storage case 20 (to be precise, the upper storage case 20a) is inserted therethrough.

[0044] The mounting parts 28, 29 are formed on side wall parts 21c located in the left-right direction of the storage case 20. An insertion hole 28a is formed in the mounting part 28, and a screw (not shown) for fixing the elastic member 30 to the storage case 20 (to be precise, the upper storage case 20a) is inserted therethrough. Also, an insertion hole 29a is formed in the mounting part 29, and a screw (not shown) for fixing the storage case 20 to the housing 50 is inserted therethrough.

[0045] Next, the elastic member 30 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3 and 8. Figure 8 is a front view of the elastic member 30, and more specifically, a view of the elastic member 30 as viewed from the front side (Y-axis negative side) toward the rear (Y-axis positive direction).

[0046] 2, 3 and 8, the elastic member 30 includes a plate portion 31, a first protruding portion 32, a notch portion 34, and an insertion hole 35, and is disposed outside the storage case 20. More specifically, the elastic member 30 is disposed above the upper storage case 20a.

[0047] A leaf spring made of metal (e.g., sheet metal) can be used as the elastic member 30. Note that, although the elastic member 30 is described above as a leaf spring, this is not limited thereto, and other types of elastic members, such as disc springs or coil springs, may be used as long as they are elastically deformed so as to generate a force pressing against the battery cells 10 as described below. Also, although the elastic member 30 is made of metal, this is not limited thereto, and the elastic member 30 may be made of a non-metallic material, such as rubber.

[0048] The plate portion 31 is a plate-like portion and is an elongated portion extending in the left-right direction. As shown in Fig. 3, the plate portion 31 is formed so as to cover the first opening 23 of the above-mentioned storage case 20 (more precisely, the upper storage case 20a).

[0049] There are a plurality of first protrusions 32 (for example, two), and each protrudes downward (in the negative direction of the Z axis) from the plate portion 31. Specifically, the first protrusions 32 are formed so as to protrude downward from a position facing the first opening 23 on the plate portion 31.

[0050] In addition, since the first protrusions 32 correspond to the first openings 23, in the above description, one first protrusion 32 is provided for one first opening 23, but this is not limited to this. In other words, for example, a plurality of first protrusions 32 may be provided for one first opening 23.

[0051] 2 and 8, the notches 34 are formed at the left and right ends of the plate portion 31. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the notches 34 are formed at positions corresponding to the insertion holes 28a of the mounting portion 28 of the accommodating case 20. Then, screws (not shown) that fix the elastic member 30 to the accommodating case 20 (to be precise, the upper accommodating case 20a) are inserted into the notches 34.

[0052] 2 and 8, the insertion hole 35 is formed near the center in the left-right direction of the plate portion 31. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the insertion hole 35 is formed at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 27a of the attachment portion 27 of the accommodating case 20. Then, a screw (not shown) that fixes the elastic member 30 to the accommodating case 20 (to be precise, the upper accommodating case 20a) is inserted into the insertion hole 35.

[0053] When the elastic member 30 is attached and fixed to the accommodating case 20 by the above-mentioned screws, the first protrusion 32 protrudes from the first opening 23 of the accommodating case 20 (to be precise, the upper accommodating case 20a) toward the inside of the accommodating case 20, as shown in Fig. 3. In other words, the first protrusion 32 is formed so that the tip 32a is located inside the accommodating case 20 (upper accommodating case 20a). This makes it possible to properly accommodate the battery cell 10 in this embodiment.

[0054] That is, the battery cell 10 may expand depending on the usage conditions as described above. In Fig. 3, the expanded battery cell 10 is shown by an imaginary line. In this embodiment, for example, at an early stage when the battery cell 10 starts to expand, the tip portion 32a of the first protrusion 32 comes into contact with the battery cell 10. That is, as shown by arrow A, the first protrusion 32 of the elastic member 30 presses the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 when the battery cell 10 expands.

[0055] The pressure from the first protrusion 32 described above makes it difficult for the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 to bulge outward (here, upward), thereby making it possible to suppress the expansion of the battery cell 10. In this way, by suppressing the expansion of the battery cell 10, a clearance is unlikely to occur between the element 11 and the cell case 12 (see FIG. 5 for both), making it possible to suppress a decrease in the binding force of the element 11 by the cell case 12. Therefore, even in a case where, for example, vehicle vibrations or the like are transmitted to the battery cell 10, the element 11 is unlikely to swing significantly relative to the cell case 12, and as a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of effects such as a decrease in the performance of the battery cell 10, and the battery cell 10 can be properly housed.

[0056] As described above, in this embodiment, the seating surface portion 26 (see FIG. 6) for fixing the storage case 20 to the housing 50 is provided at a position corresponding to the center of gravity G of the storage case 20 in which the battery cell 10 is housed, and therefore, when the battery cell 10 expands, the decrease in the pressing force of the elastic member 30 can be suppressed. That is, when the battery cell 10 expands, the storage case 20 rises up from the housing 50, and the elastic member 30 also rises up from the storage case 20, which may result in a decrease in the pressing force on the battery cell 10. However, since the seating surface portion 26 for fixing the storage case 20 to the housing 50 is provided at the above-mentioned position, the storage case 20 can be reliably fixed to the housing 50, and therefore, even when the battery cell 10 expands, the storage case 20 itself does not rise up from the housing 50. Therefore, the elastic member 30 is also less likely to rise up, and therefore, the decrease in the pressing force of the elastic member 30 on the battery cell 10 can be suppressed.

[0057] 3, the first protrusion 32 is configured so that a gap 33 of distance a in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) is formed between the first protrusion 32 and the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 before the battery cell 10 expands. In other words, the first protrusion 32 is configured so that the tip 32a does not come into contact with the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 before the battery cell 10 expands.

[0058] In this way, since a gap 33 is formed between the first protrusion 32 and the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10, for example, when the battery cell 10 is inserted into the accommodating case 20, the battery cell 10 does not come into contact with the first protrusion 32. Therefore, in this embodiment, the battery cell 10 can be easily inserted into the accommodating case 20 (more precisely, the upper accommodating case 20a), thereby improving the ease of assembly of the battery cell 10.

[0059] In the above description, the gap 33 is formed between the first protruding portion 32 and the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10, but this is not limited to the above. That is, although not shown in the drawings, for example, the first protruding portion 32 may be configured such that the tip portion 32a comes into contact (abuts) with the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 before expansion.

[0060] In addition, since the elastic member 30 is a leaf spring as described above, it is possible to reduce the thickness in the vertical direction compared to the intermediate member 40, etc., thereby achieving space saving of the battery device 1. In addition, since the elastic member 30 is made of sheet metal, it is possible to ensure a relatively high strength.

[0061] Next, the intermediate member 40 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 9. Figure 9 is a front view of the intermediate member 40, and more specifically, a view of the intermediate member 40 as seen from the front side (Y-axis negative side) toward the rear (Y-axis positive direction).

[0062] 2, 3 and 9, the intermediate member 40 includes a plate portion 41, third protruding portions 42a, 42b, mounting portions 44, 45, and insertion holes 46, 47, and is disposed between a plurality of stacked storage cases 20. More specifically, the intermediate member 40 is disposed between the upper storage case 20a and the lower storage case 20b.

[0063] The intermediate member 40 is made of metal and is formed by, for example, die casting. Note that, although the intermediate member 40 is made of metal in the above description, the intermediate member 40 is not limited to this and may be made of a non-metallic material such as resin.

[0064] The plate portion 41 is a plate-like portion and is an elongated portion extending in the left-right direction. As shown in Fig. 3, the plate portion 41 is formed so as to cover the third openings 25a and 25b of the above-mentioned housing case 20, more precisely, the third opening 25a of the upper housing case 20a and the third opening 25b of the lower housing case 20b.

[0065] The third protrusions 42a are provided in multiple numbers (for example, two), and are formed so as to protrude upward (in the positive direction of the Z axis) from the plate portion 41. Specifically, the third protrusions 42a are formed so as to protrude upward from a position on the plate portion 41 facing the third opening 25a.

[0066] The third protrusions 42b are provided in plurality (for example, two), and are formed so as to protrude downward (in the negative direction of the Z axis) from the plate portion 41. Specifically, the third protrusions 42b are formed so as to protrude downward from a position on the plate portion 41 facing the third opening 25b.

[0067] The third protrusion 42a corresponds to the third opening 25a, and the third protrusion 42b corresponds to the third opening 25b. Therefore, in the above, one third protrusion 42a is provided for one third opening 25a, and one third protrusion 42b is provided for one third opening 25b, but this is not limited to this. That is, for example, multiple third protrusions 42a may be provided for one third opening 25a, or multiple third protrusions 42b may be provided for one third opening 25b.

[0068] 2 and 9, the mounting portion 44 is formed on the left and right ends of the plate portion 41. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the mounting portion 44 is formed at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 28a of the mounting portion 28 of the accommodating case 20 and the notch 34 of the elastic member 30. A female thread is formed in the mounting portion 44, and a screw (not shown) that fixes the elastic member 30 to the accommodating case 20 (to be precise, the upper accommodating case 20a) is inserted and fastened.

[0069] 2 and 9, the mounting portion 45 is formed near the center in the left-right direction of the plate portion 41. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the mounting portion 45 is formed at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 27a of the mounting portion 27 of the accommodating case 20 and the insertion hole 35 of the elastic member 30. Then, a female thread is formed in the mounting portion 45, and a screw (not shown) that fixes the elastic member 30 to the accommodating case 20 (to be precise, the upper accommodating case 20a) is inserted and fastened.

[0070] 2 and 9, the insertion hole 46 is formed near the center in the left-right direction of the plate portion 41. The insertion hole 46 is formed at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 26a (see FIGS. 6 and 7) of the seat portion 26 of the storage case 20. Screws (not shown) for fixing the storage case 20 and the intermediate member 40 to the housing 50 are inserted into the insertion holes 46.

[0071] The insertion holes 47 are formed at the left and right ends of the plate portion 41. The insertion holes 47 are formed at positions corresponding to the insertion holes 29a (see FIG. 7) of the attachment portion 29 of the accommodating case 20. Screws (not shown) for fixing the accommodating case 20 and the intermediate member 40 to the housing 50 are inserted into the insertion holes 47.

[0072] In a state in which the intermediate member 40 is attached and fixed to the housing 50 together with the accommodating case 20 by the above-mentioned screws, the third protrusion 42a protrudes from the third opening 25a of the accommodating case 20 (to be precise, the upper accommodating case 20a) toward the inside of the accommodating case 20, as shown in Fig. 3. In other words, the third protrusion 42a is formed so that the tip 42a1 is located inside the accommodating case 20 (upper accommodating case 20a).

[0073] This makes it possible in this embodiment to more appropriately accommodate the battery cell 10. To explain in more detail, for example, at an early stage when the battery cell 10 begins to expand, the tip portion 42a1 of the third protrusion 42a comes into contact with the battery cell 10. That is, as indicated by arrow B1, the third protrusion 42a of the intermediate member 40 presses the outer circumferential surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 when the battery cell 10 expands.

[0074] The pressure from the third protrusion 42a described above makes it difficult for the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 to bulge outward (here, downward), thereby suppressing the expansion of the battery cell 10. By suppressing the expansion of the battery cell 10 in this way, even in a case where, for example, vehicle vibrations are transmitted to the battery cell 10 as described above, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of effects such as a decrease in the performance of the battery cell 10, and the battery cell 10 can be more appropriately accommodated.

[0075] Furthermore, the third protrusion 42a is configured so that a gap 43a of distance b1 in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) is formed between the third protrusion 42a and the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 before the battery cell 10 expands. In other words, the third protrusion 42a is configured so that the tip 42a1 does not come into contact with the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 before the battery cell 10 expands.

[0076] In this way, since a gap 43a is formed between the third protrusion 42a and the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10, for example, when the battery cell 10 is inserted into the accommodating case 20, the battery cell 10 does not come into contact with the third protrusion 42a. Therefore, in this embodiment, the battery cell 10 can be easily inserted into the accommodating case 20 (more precisely, the upper accommodating case 20a), thereby improving the ease of assembly of the battery cell 10.

[0077] Next, the third protrusion 42b will be described. The third protrusion 42b protrudes from the third opening 25b of the accommodating case 20 (more precisely, the lower accommodating case 20b) toward the inside of the accommodating case 20. In other words, the third protrusion 42b is formed such that a tip 42b1 is located inside the accommodating case 20 (the lower accommodating case 20b).

[0078] This makes it possible in this embodiment to more appropriately accommodate the battery cell 10. To explain in more detail, for example, at an early stage when the battery cell 10 begins to expand, the tip portion 42b1 of the third protrusion 42b comes into contact with the battery cell 10. That is, as indicated by arrow B2, the third protrusion 42b of the intermediate member 40 presses the outer circumferential surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 when the battery cell 10 expands.

[0079] The pressure from the third protrusion 42b described above makes it difficult for the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 to bulge outward (upward in this case), thereby suppressing the expansion of the battery cell 10. By suppressing the expansion of the battery cell 10 in this way, even in a case where, for example, vehicle vibrations are transmitted to the battery cell 10 as described above, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of effects such as a decrease in the performance of the battery cell 10, and the battery cell 10 can be more appropriately accommodated.

[0080] Furthermore, the third protrusion 42b is configured so that a gap 43b of distance b2 in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) is formed between the third protrusion 42b and the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 before the battery cell 10 expands. In other words, the third protrusion 42b is configured so that the tip 42b1 does not come into contact with the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 before the battery cell 10 expands.

[0081] In this way, since a gap 43b is formed between the third protrusion 42b and the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10, for example, when the battery cell 10 is inserted into the accommodating case 20, the battery cell 10 does not come into contact with the third protrusion 42b. Therefore, in this embodiment, the battery cell 10 can be easily inserted into the accommodating case 20 (more precisely, the lower accommodating case 20b), thereby improving the ease of assembly of the battery cell 10.

[0082] In the above description, the gaps 43a, 43b are formed between the third protrusions 42a, 42b and the outer peripheral surfaces 13b1, 13a1 of the battery cell 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, although not shown in the drawings, for example, the third protrusion 42a may be configured so that the tip portion 42a1 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 before expansion, and the third protrusion 42b may be configured so that the tip portion 42b1 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface 13a1 of the battery cell 10 before expansion.

[0083] Moreover, the third protruding portions 42a, 42b are integrally formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the intermediate member 40. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced compared to a case where the third protruding portion 42a and the third protruding portion 42b are formed on separate members, and it is possible to achieve weight reduction and space saving.

[0084] Next, the housing 50 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 10. Figure 10 is a plan view of the housing 50, and more specifically, a view of the housing 50 as viewed from above (the positive side of the Z axis) toward below (the negative direction of the Z axis).

[0085] 2, 3, and 10, the housing 50 is formed in a box shape and includes a bottom 51a, two side walls 51b, a front wall 51c, a rear wall 51d, a second protrusion 52, and mounting portions 54, 55. The housing 50 is open at the top (positive direction of the Z axis), and the housing case 20 containing the battery cells 10 and the like are inserted from the open portion to accommodate the housing case 20 and the like. In more detail, the housing 50 accommodates the housing case 20 containing the battery cells 10, the intermediate member 40, and the elastic member 30.

[0086] The housing 50 is made of metal and is formed by, for example, die casting. Note that, although the housing 50 is made of metal in the above description, the housing 50 is not limited to this and may be made of a non-metal material such as resin.

[0087] The bottom 51a of the housing 50 is a plate-shaped portion. Since the housing 50 houses the storage case 20 as described above, the bottom 51a is positioned below the storage case 20 (more precisely, the lower storage case 20b). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the bottom 51a is formed so as to cover the second opening 24 of the storage case 20 (the lower storage case 20b).

[0088] The second protrusions 52 are provided in a plurality (for example, two), and are formed so as to protrude upward (in the positive direction of the Z axis) from the bottom 51a. Specifically, the second protrusions 52 are formed so as to protrude upward from a position facing the second opening 24 on the bottom 51a.

[0089] In addition, since the second protrusions 52 correspond to the second openings 24, in the above description, one second protrusion 52 is provided for one second opening 24, but this is not limited to this. In other words, for example, a plurality of second protrusions 52 may be provided for one second opening 24.

[0090] 2 and 10, the mounting portion 54 is formed near the center in the left-right direction of the bottom portion 51a at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 26a (see FIG. 7) of the seat portion 26 of the storage case 20 and the insertion hole 46 of the intermediate member 40. Then, a female thread is formed in the mounting portion 54, and a screw (not shown) for fixing the storage case 20 or the intermediate member 40 to the housing 50 is inserted and fastened.

[0091] The mounting portions 55 are formed at the left-right ends of the bottom portion 51a at positions corresponding to the insertion holes 29a of the mounting portions 29 of the storage case 20 and the insertion holes 47 of the intermediate member 40. The mounting portions 55 are formed with female threads, through which screws (not shown) for fixing the storage case 20 and the intermediate member 40 to the housing 50 are inserted and fastened.

[0092] With the above-mentioned screws, when the storage case 20 and the like are attached and fixed to the housing 50, the second protrusion 52 protrudes from the second opening 24 of the storage case 20 (more precisely, the lower storage case 20b) toward the inside of the storage case 20, as shown in Fig. 3. In other words, the second protrusion 52 is formed so that the tip 52a is located inside the storage case 20 (the lower storage case 20b).

[0093] This makes it possible in this embodiment to more appropriately accommodate the battery cell 10. To explain in more detail, for example, at an early stage when the battery cell 10 starts to expand, the tip portion 52a of the second protrusion 52 comes into contact with the battery cell 10. That is, as indicated by arrow C, the second protrusion 52 of the housing 50 presses the outer circumferential surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 when the battery cell 10 expands.

[0094] The pressure from the second protruding portion 52 described above makes it difficult for the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 to bulge outward (here, downward), thereby suppressing the expansion of the battery cell 10. By suppressing the expansion of the battery cell 10 in this way, even in a case where, for example, vehicle vibrations are transmitted to the battery cell 10 as described above, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of effects such as a decrease in the performance of the battery cell 10, and the battery cell 10 can be more appropriately accommodated.

[0095] Furthermore, the second protrusion 52 is configured so that a gap 53 of distance c in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) is formed between the second protrusion 52 and the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 before the battery cell 10 expands. In other words, the second protrusion 52 is configured so that the tip 52a does not come into contact with the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 before the battery cell 10 expands.

[0096] In this way, since a gap 53 is formed between the second protruding portion 52 and the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10, for example, when the battery cell 10 is inserted into the accommodating case 20, the battery cell 10 does not come into contact with the second protruding portion 52. Therefore, in this embodiment, the battery cell 10 can be easily inserted into the accommodating case 20 (more precisely, the lower accommodating case 20b), thereby improving the ease of assembly of the battery cell 10.

[0097] In the above description, the gap 53 is formed between the second protruding portion 52 and the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, although not shown in the drawings, for example, the second protruding portion 52 may be configured so that the tip portion 52a comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface 13b1 of the battery cell 10 before expansion.

[0098] Furthermore, the distance a of the gap 33, the distance b1 of the gap 43a, the distance b2 of the gap 43b, and the distance c of the gap 53 are set to the same or substantially the same value, but are not limited to this. That is, some or all of the distances a, b1, b2, and c may be set to different values.

[0099] In addition, the second protruding portion 52 is formed integrally with the housing 50. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the second protruding portion 52 is formed on a separate member and placed on the bottom portion 51a of the housing 50, and it is possible to achieve weight reduction and space saving.

[0100] Next, an assembly procedure for the battery device 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a flow chart showing an example of the assembly procedure for the battery device 1. The assembly procedure shown in Fig. 11 is carried out by, for example, a worker or a work robot (not shown).

[0101] First, the battery cells 10 are accommodated in the accommodating case 20 (step S10). Next, the accommodating case 20 and the intermediate member 40 are assembled (step S11). Specifically, the intermediate member 40 is inserted between the upper accommodating case 20a in which the battery cells 10 are accommodated and the lower accommodating case 20b in which the battery cells 10 are accommodated, and assembled.

[0102] Next, the storage case 20 and the like are assembled to the housing 50 (step S12). In more detail, the storage case 20 and the intermediate member 40 assembled in step S11 are attached to the housing 50 and fixed thereto.

[0103] Next, the elastic member 30 is attached to the accommodating case 20 (step S13). More specifically, the elastic member 30 is attached to the upper accommodating case 20a, and a series of operations is completed.

[0104] The above-mentioned assembly procedure is merely an example and is not limiting. That is, for example, the process of step S12 and the process of step S13 may be interchanged or performed simultaneously. Also, for example, the assembly of the elastic member 30 into the housing case 20 (step S13) may be performed before the process of step S10. Also, for example, the housing of the battery cell 10 into the housing case 20 (step S10) may be performed after the process of step S13.

[0105] As described above, the battery device 1 according to the embodiment includes the battery cell 10, the storage case 20, and the elastic member 30. The storage case 20 stores the battery cell 10 so as to cover at least a part of the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell 10, and has a first opening 23 formed at a position facing the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell 10. The elastic member 30 is disposed on the outside of the storage case 20, and has a first protrusion 32 formed therein that protrudes from the first opening 23 of the storage case 20 toward the inside of the storage case 20. This allows the battery cell 1 to be properly stored in the battery device 1.

[0106] In the above description, the second protruding portion 52 is formed on the housing 50, and the third protruding portions 42a, 42b are formed on the intermediate member 40, but this is not limited to the above. That is, depending on the specifications of the battery cell 10, for example, a configuration may be adopted in which the second protruding portion 52 and the third protruding portions 42a, 42b are partially or entirely removed.

[0107] In addition, in the above, the battery cell 10 is a lithium ion secondary battery, but this is not limited to this, and other types of battery cells may be used as long as they are, for example, battery cells that may expand depending on the usage conditions as described above.

[0108] Further advantages and modifications may readily occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1 Battery device 10 Battery Cells 20 Storage Case 23 First opening 24 Second Opening 25a,25b 3rd opening 30 Elastic member 32 1st protrusion 40 Intermediate parts 42a, 42b 3rd protrusion 50 Case 52 Second protrusion

Claims

1. A battery cell; a storage case that stores the battery cell so as to cover at least a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the battery cell and has a first opening formed at a position facing the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell; an elastic member disposed on an outer side of the storage case and having a first protruding portion formed thereon, the first protruding portion protruding from the first opening of the storage case toward an inner side of the storage case; Equipped with The first protrusion is The battery cell is configured so that a gap is formed between the battery cell and the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell before the battery cell expands. A battery device comprising:

2. The first protrusion is Pressing the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell when the battery cell expands. The battery device according to claim 1 .

3. A housing that houses at least the housing case Equipped with The storage case includes: a second opening formed at a position facing the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell; Equipped with The housing includes: a second protruding portion protruding from the second opening of the storage case toward the inside of the storage case; The battery device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

4. The second protrusion is The battery cell is configured so that a gap is formed between the battery cell and the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell before the battery cell expands.

4. The battery device according to claim 3 .

5. The second protrusion is Pressing the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell when the battery cell expands.

5. The battery device according to claim 3 or 4,

6. An intermediate member disposed between the stacked storage cases Equipped with The storage case includes: a third opening formed at a position facing an outer circumferential surface of the battery cell; Equipped with The intermediate member is a third protrusion protruding from the third opening of the storage case toward the inside of the storage case; 6. The battery device according to claim 1, further comprising:

7. The third protrusion is The battery cell is configured so that a gap is formed between the battery cell and the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell before the battery cell expands. The battery device according to claim 6 .

8. The third protrusion is Pressing the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell when the battery cell expands.

8. The battery device according to claim 6 or 7,

9. A method for assembling a battery device including a battery cell, a housing case having a first opening formed at a position facing an outer circumferential surface of the battery cell, and an elastic member having a first protrusion formed thereon, housing the battery cell in the housing case so as to cover at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell; a step of disposing the elastic member on the outside of the accommodating case, and causing the first protrusion to protrude from the first opening of the accommodating case toward the inside of the accommodating case such that a gap is formed between the first protrusion and the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell in a state before the battery cell is expanded; A method for assembling a battery device comprising:

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