Battery module and connection structure between battery module and external device

Abstract

To prevent water infiltration from a connector at electrical connection between a flexible printed board and external equipment, such as an electronic control unit, while suppressing increase in cost.SOLUTION: A battery module 1 has: a bus bar plate 10 attached to a power storage element group in which a plurality of power storage elements each having a positive and negative electrode terminals are arranged, and configured to hold a plurality of bus bars for connecting between the electrode terminals; a planar flexible printed board 11 that has a main body part held by the bus bar plate 10, and an extending part 12 extending from an end part of the main body part, and that is provided with a detection line connected with the bus bars to detect a state of the power storage elements; and a connector part 13 provided at an extending direction end part of the extending part 12 so as to be connected with an electronic control unit 2 (external equipment). The connector part 13 is configured so that the extending part 12 is led out from a lower surface side of the connector part 13 in a state crossing the extending direction when the connector part 13 is connected with the electronic control unit 2 in the extending direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module and a connection structure between a battery module and an external device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, for example, hybrid cars, electric cars, etc. are increasingly appearing on the market, replacing gasoline cars and diesel cars. Hybrid cars, electric cars, etc. use external devices such as electronic control units (ECUs for short) and battery modules connected to the external devices. As a conventional technique, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a battery module that can be connected to an external device such as an electronic control unit by an extension made of a flexible printed circuit (FPC for short). Note that, in addition to battery modules, a conventional technique for a connection structure between a flexible printed circuit and a mating connector is, for example, Patent Document 2. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-98032 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2006-324109 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the conventional battery module disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is unclear whether measures have been taken to prevent water droplets from penetrating into the connector at the end when water droplets are generated on the flexible printed circuit board due to condensation or the like. In particular, water droplets may enter the area where the flexible printed circuit board is led out from the connector. As a countermeasure, it is possible to use a waterproof connector, but waterproof connectors are relatively expensive, which leads to increased costs.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery module that can prevent water from entering through a connector when a flexible printed circuit board is electrically connected to an external device such as an electronic control unit in an automobile such as a hybrid automobile or an electric automobile, while minimizing increases in cost, and a connection structure between such a battery module and an external device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The battery module of the present invention is attached to a storage element group in which a plurality of storage elements having positive and negative electrode terminals are arranged, and comprises a bus bar plate which holds a plurality of bus bars connecting the electrode terminals, a main body portion held by the bus bar plate, and an extension portion extending from an end of the main body portion, the battery module comprising: a planar flexible printed circuit board which is connected to the bus bars and has detection lines formed thereon for detecting the state of the storage elements; and a connector portion which is provided at an end in the extension direction of the extension portion and which connects to an external device, and which is characterized in that when the connector portion is connected to the external device in the extension direction, the extension portion is led out from its underside in a state in which it intersects with the extension direction. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided a battery module that can prevent water from entering through a connector when a flexible printed circuit board is electrically connected to an external device such as an electronic control unit in an automobile such as a hybrid automobile or an electric automobile, while minimizing increases in cost, and a connection structure between such a battery module and an external device is provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a connection structure between a battery module and an electronic control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged side view of part A in FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation and effect when a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to an electronic control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a battery module 1 of the present embodiment is used by being electrically connected to an electronic control unit 2 (external device).

[0010] The battery module 1 includes a bus bar plate 10 and a flexible printed circuit board 11, as shown in FIGS.

[0011] The bus bar plate 10 is attached to an energy storage element group in which a plurality of energy storage elements having positive and negative electrode terminals are arranged, and extends in the arrangement direction of the energy storage elements so as to cover the energy storage element group. The bus bar plate 10 holds a plurality of bus bars that connect the electrode terminals.

[0012] The flexible printed circuit board 11 is planar and has detection lines formed thereon that are connected to the bus bars and detect the state of the energy storage elements. The flexible printed circuit board 11 includes a main body portion and an extension portion 12. The main body portion extends along the bus bar plate 10 in the arrangement direction of the energy storage elements and is held by the bus bar plate 10. The extension portion 12 extends from an end of the main body portion and is not held by the bus bar plate 10. Therefore, the extension portion 12 can bend freely in the planar direction.

[0013] The extension 12 is a waterproof flexible printed circuit board that has a sheet-like conductor therein connected to the circuit in the flexible printed circuit board 11 and is double-sided covered with a waterproof cover film so that both sides of the sheet-like conductor are covered with the waterproof cover film. Furthermore, a connector portion 13 for connecting to the electronic control unit 2 is provided at the tip of the extension 12. The connector portion 13 is provided with a male terminal 14 including a male portion 14a.

[0014] The electronic control unit 2 to which the battery module 1 is connected includes, as shown in FIG. 1, an electronic control unit main body 20 and an electronic control device 22 provided within the electronic control unit main body.

[0015] The electronic control unit body 20 incorporates an electronic control device 22 such as a board required according to the type of electronic control unit 2. For example, when the electronic control unit 2 is an electronic control unit for charging, the electronic control device 22 required for charging is incorporated.

[0016] The electronic control device 22 is provided with a female terminal 15 having a female portion 15a that can be mated with a male portion 14a of a male terminal 14 provided in the connector portion 13 of the battery module 1. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the male terminal 14 of the connector portion 13 and the female terminal 15 of the electronic control unit main body 20 are fitted together in the direction in which the extension portion 12 extends. That is, the connection surface is vertical. On the other hand, the flexible printed circuit board 11 in the battery module 1 extends on a horizontal plane. The extension direction of the extension portion 12 is the direction in which the extension portion 12 extends when not curved.

[0017] 2, when the male terminals 14 of the connector portion 13 and the female terminals 15 of the electronic control unit main body 20 are engaged with each other, the extension portion 12 is adapted to be led out from the lower surface side of the connector portion 13. At this time, the surface of the planar extension portion 12 intersects with the extension direction, i.e., the connection direction, and the extension portion 12 can be easily curved in the vertical direction.

[0018] Further, extension portion 12 has a length such that it curves downward between the end portion on the flexible printed circuit board 11 side and the end portion on the connector portion 13 side. In other words, the end portion on the flexible printed circuit board 11 side and the end portion on the connector portion 13 side are located higher than the lowest portion of extension portion 12.

[0019] According to the battery module 1 of the present embodiment and the connection structure between the battery module and an external device, when the battery module is electrically connected to the electronic control unit 12 and is mounted on an automobile such as a hybrid automobile or an electric automobile and electrically connected to the electronic control unit 2, even if a relative vibration occurs due to shaking while the automobile is running, the planar extension portion 12 that is curved and hangs down in an arch shape as a whole is deformed and absorbs the vibration, so that the vibration can be mitigated and reduced. Furthermore, even when water droplets 16,... are generated due to condensation, as shown in FIG. 3, the surface of the planar extension portion 12 that is curved and hangs down in an arch shape as a whole guides the water droplets 16,... and is discharged downward to the outside. In addition, since the extension portion 12 is led out from the lower surface side of the connector portion 13, the water droplets 16 do not enter from the lead-out portion of the extension portion 12 of the connector portion 13. Therefore, the connector portion 13 does not need to be a relatively expensive waterproof type connector that has been widely used in the past, and the cost can be reduced.

[0020] In the battery module 1 of this embodiment and the connection structure between the battery module and an external device, the connector portion 13 connected to the tip of the extension portion 12 in the flexible printed circuit board 11 for connecting to the electronic control unit 2 has a relatively simple structure, so that the connection portion between the battery module 1 and the electronic control unit 2 can be protected from adverse environments such as surrounding moisture and heat, and from physical impacts, while reducing costs.

[0021] In the battery module 1 of this embodiment and the connection structure between the battery module and an external device, the male terminal 14 at the tip of the extension portion 12 in the flexible printed circuit board 11 is assembled from below the connector portion 13, and when the tip of the extension portion 12 is bent upward, the male portion 14a, which is a connection portion with the female portion 15a of the female terminal 15, which is the connected portion of the electronic control unit 2, is protruded on the inner side facing the electronic control unit 2. Due to this configuration, in the battery module 1 of this embodiment and the connection structure between the battery module and an external device, a space for bending the tip side of the extension portion 12 in the flexible printed circuit board 11 can be easily secured below the connector portion 13. Furthermore, in the battery module 1 of this embodiment, since the tip of the extension portion 12 faces upward, the degree of bending (bending R) of the extension portion 12 can be set small so that a large stress is not applied to the extension portion 12 so that it is bent.

[0022] In the battery module 1 and the connection structure between the battery module and an external device of this embodiment, the connector portion 13 is configured to be connected to the electronic control unit 2 such that the entire extension portion 12 of the flexible printed circuit board 11 is curved in an arch shape drooping along the surface direction of the upper portion of the bus bar plate 10. Due to this configuration, in the battery module 1 and the connection structure between the battery module and an external device of this embodiment, even if the extension portion 12 is further curved, excessive stress (e.g., stress in the torsional direction) that would cause the extension portion 12 to bend is unlikely to act, thereby reducing the risk of the conductor inside the extension portion 12 being damaged.

[0023] In the battery module 1 of this embodiment and the connection structure between the battery module and an external device, the waterproof extension 12 in the flexible printed circuit board 11 is a flexible printed circuit board that is double-sided covered with a waterproof cover film so that both the front and back sides of the sheet-shaped conductor are covered with a waterproof cover film. Due to this configuration, in the battery module 1 of this embodiment and the connection structure between the battery module and an external device, the extension 12 can be easily made waterproof.

[0024] The above describes in detail one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0025] For example, in the above-described embodiment, it has been described that the battery module 1 and the electronic control unit 2 are particularly suitable when mounted on automobiles such as hybrid automobiles and electric automobiles, but of course, this is not limited to this and the battery module 1 and the electronic control unit 2 may be mounted on other objects.

[0026] In the above embodiment, the external device to which the battery module 1 is connected is the electronic control unit 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the battery module 1 may be connected to another external device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1 Battery Module 10 Busbar Plate 2 Electronic control unit (external device) 11 Flexible printed circuit board (main body) 12 Extension 13 Connector part

Claims

[Claim 1] a bus bar plate attached to an energy storage element group in which a plurality of energy storage elements having positive and negative electrode terminals are arranged, the bus bar plate holding a plurality of bus bars connecting the electrode terminals; a planar flexible printed circuit board having a main body portion held by the bus bar plate and an extension portion extending from an end of the main body portion, the planar flexible printed circuit board having detection lines connected to the bus bars and for detecting a state of the energy storage element; a connector portion provided at an end portion in an extension direction of the extension portion; an external device connected to the connector portion in a horizontal direction; The extension portion is led out from a lower surface side of the connector portion, A connection structure between a battery module and an external device, characterized in that the extension portion is curved downward between the external device and the connector portion and the external device are connected at a position higher than the lowest point of the extension portion.

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