Device

Abstract

To provide a device that can suppress a large drop in a voltage between the terminals of a battery when not used for a long period of time, and can supply power from the battery and operate normally when the device is used.SOLUTION: A power supply 10 includes a battery 1, a circuit portion 2 through which a current from the battery flows, and a housing 3 that houses the battery and the circuit portion, and further includes a first connector 7 connected to the battery via a power cord 6 and through which a terminal voltage of the battery appears, and a second connector 8 that is connected to the first connector detachably. The circuit portion is electrically connected to the second connector, is in a state in which a current from the battery flows in a state in which the first and second connectors are connected, and the first connector and the second connector are attached and detached through an opening 3a that the housing has in a cover member 17 of a front case 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, a device incorporating a battery. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a control device for a vehicle power supply that prevents the battery from running out by installing a keep relay between the battery and an electronic control device that requires the dark current to be cut off, and cutting off the keep relay if the ignition switch is not turned on for a long period of time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2003-40050 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The vehicle power supply control device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is installed as a separate device between the vehicle battery and the electronic control device installed in the vehicle, and is a technology in which dark current flowing in the electronic control device separate from the battery causes the battery voltage to drop, resulting in a dead battery.

[0005] For example, in a device that has a built-in battery other than the vehicle battery and has a circuit through which a dark current flows, when the device is not used for a long period of time, the above-mentioned conventional technology cannot be used as is. In other words, since the battery and the circuit through which the dark current flows are present in the same device, the overall configuration is different from that of the control device in Patent Document 1, and the technology that monitors the state of the ignition switch to block the dark current cannot be used as is. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A device comprising a battery, a circuit section through which current from the battery flows, and a housing for housing the battery and the circuit section, the device having a first connector that outputs a voltage based on the terminal voltage of the battery, and a second connector that is detachable from the first connector, the circuit section being electrically conductive with the second connector, such that when the first connector and the second connector are connected, the current flows from the battery, and the first connector and the second connector can be detached from each other through an opening in the housing.

[0007] The battery may be, for example, a primary battery, but may be a secondary battery. The circuit section may include, for example, a circuit having a portion that stabilizes the voltage from the battery to a voltage that is output to the outside, a circuit that monitors the voltage of the battery, and, for example, a circuit that charges the secondary battery if the battery is a secondary battery. The housing is for housing the battery and the circuit section, and is also called a container or case. For example, the whole may be configured by combining a plurality of parts, and in particular, the portion housing the battery may be, for example, a cylindrical shape that surrounds the periphery of the battery. Conduction is, for example, a state in which a current can flow through at least a part of the circuit section when the first connector and the second connector are connected and power is supplied from the battery. The power cord may be, for example, a lead wire. If the power cord is a lead wire, it is preferable because it can be easily handled by using a lead wire of a corresponding thickness even if the battery is made large-capacity. In particular, it is preferable not to provide a switch that cuts off the power supply from the battery between the battery and the circuit section. In this way, the space required for installing the switch is not required, and the device can be made smaller.

[0008] In the present invention, the flow of current from the battery to the circuit section is interrupted by disconnecting the first connector and the second connector. Therefore, for example, when the device is not in use, by disconnecting the first connector and the second connector, the amount of reduction in battery capacity caused by current flowing from the battery to the circuit section while the device is not in use is reduced, and when the user actually tries to use the device, the device operates normally.

[0009] For example, the first connector is integrated with the battery, and the second connector is connected to the circuit section so as to be conductive. For example, even if the first connector and the second connector are disconnected, the first connector and the second connector will not be lost, and the user will not lose track of the connectors, and the user can easily connect the first connector and the second connector the next time they are used without having to search for them. In addition, the user can easily visually check whether the first connector and the second connector are connected or disconnected, and if they are not in the desired state, the battery will be protected / used appropriately by performing a connection / disconnection process.

[0010] The number of circuit parts may be one or more. For example, if the battery is a secondary battery, the number of circuit parts may be a charging circuit that charges the secondary battery, a voltage monitoring circuit that monitors the battery voltage, a power output circuit that supplies power to an external device, etc. When there are multiple circuit parts, the current flow from the battery is stopped when the first connector and the second connector are disconnected, and although it is preferable to have all of the circuit parts as the reduction in the remaining capacity of the battery can be more effectively suppressed.

[0011] For example, the first connector and the second connector housed in the housing may be exposed through an opening. This is advantageous because it makes it easier to connect and disconnect the first connector and the second connector. In particular, the first connector and the second connector housed in the housing may be exposed through an opening. When a user looks at the opening, the first connector and the second connector are exposed, so the user can easily recognize that they can be connected and disconnected. Furthermore, since the first connector and the second connector are exposed, the user can easily perform plugging and other operations.

[0012] (2) A cover member that covers at least a part of the opening may be provided, and the first and second connectors may be prevented from going outside the housing when at least a part of the opening is covered with the cover member. The configuration for preventing the connectors from going outside the housing may be, for example, a width and dimension of an area of ​​the opening that is not covered by the cover member and is open that the first and second connectors in the connected state cannot pass through. By covering the connector with the cover member, for example, the first and second connectors in the connected state are prevented from going outside the housing when the device is in use, and the user can be prevented from accidentally touching the first and second connectors and disconnecting them. In addition, the first and second connectors may be prevented from going outside the housing when the opening is not covered with the cover member, but it is preferable that at least one of the first and second connectors can be positioned outside the housing when the cover member is not covered. In this way, at least one of the connectors can be positioned outside the housing when the cover member is removed from the opening and the opening is not covered, which is preferable because it makes it easier to attach and detach the connectors. As a configuration that allows the connectors to be positioned outside the housing, for example, the length of the lines other than the wiring pattern connected to the connector such as the power cord may be increased, and the first connector and the second connector may be positioned outside the housing. In this way, for example, a user can easily perform the operation of attaching and detaching the first connector and the second connector with the connector positioned outside the housing, and after the operation of attaching and detaching the first connector and the second connector, the user can store the first connector and the second connector inside the housing.

[0013] The cover member is configured to cover at least a portion of the opening, but it is better to cover the entire opening in this manner, which is advantageous because it prevents, for example, dust, dirt, and other foreign matter from entering the housing, and because the opening is neatly closed, improving the appearance.

[0014] In the embodiment, the cover member is formed integrally with the housing, but it may be formed as a separate member and attached to and detached from the housing. It is preferable to form the cover member integrally with the housing as in the embodiment, because the cover member will not be lost. For example, if the cover member is a separate member, the user will remove the cover member from the housing to attach or detach the connector, and then attach the removed cover member to the opening, but there is a possibility that the cover member will be lost or lost when it is removed and placed in the vicinity. In particular, the cover member should be sized according to the dimensions and shape of the opening, and in this way, it tends to be small and easy to lose. In addition, as in the embodiment, the device is preferably for vehicle mounting, and the installation position of such a vehicle-mounted device is preferably, for example, below the floor inside the vehicle. In such a case where the device is installed in a location where it is difficult to attach or detach the connector, such as below, the user may be so focused on attaching and detaching the connector that he or she may temporarily be unable to find the cover member that was placed in the vicinity or other places. Furthermore, for example, if the size of the cover member becomes smaller in accordance with the size of the opening, the work of attaching and detaching the cover member from the housing, which is a separate member, becomes complicated. Therefore, in consideration of this point, it is preferable to construct the cover member as a single unit with the housing.

[0015] (3) The opening may be configured to be large enough for a user's finger to enter and to allow the first connector and the second connector to be connected and disconnected. In this way, the user can connect and disconnect the first connector and the second connector with his / her finger without using a special jig or tool. Therefore, for example, when the device is not expected to be used for a relatively long period of time, the first connector and the second connector can be easily and casually disconnected, which is preferable because it can suppress battery consumption when the device is not used as much as possible. On the other hand, if the first connector and the second connector cannot be easily and casually connected and disconnected, for example, when the period of non-use is not expected to be very long, the user may find it troublesome to disconnect the first connector and the second connector, and may hesitate to disconnect them, leaving them connected. Then, for example, if such a situation occurs repeatedly, the user may notice that the remaining capacity of the battery has decreased more than necessary. Since the first connector and the second connector can be easily and casually connected and disconnected, for example, the user may easily get used to disconnecting the first connector and the second connector casually, which is preferable because it can suppress the occurrence of such a situation as much as possible.

[0016] The housing may be formed of a single surface, but it is preferable that the housing has multiple surfaces. In order to allow a person's finger to enter the opening, for example, one surface of the housing having multiple surfaces may be opened large or opened three-dimensionally. The three-dimensional opening may be configured to allow the insertion of fingers from different directions, for example. In particular, by opening three-dimensionally as in the embodiment, even if the opening area of ​​one surface is small, fingers can be inserted from different directions, which is preferable because it allows efficient attachment and detachment of the first connector and the second connector.

[0017] (4) The circuit unit may be provided on a substrate, and the second connector may be directly connected to a portion of the substrate having a wiring pattern that is electrically connected to the circuit unit and that can be exposed to the outside through the opening. In the embodiment, the substrate on which the circuit unit is mounted and the substrate to which the second connector is connected are the same substrate, but they may be different substrates. Using the same substrate is preferable because it has a simpler structure and can be easily installed in the housing.

[0018] In this way, since the second connector is fixed to the board, the user can easily insert and remove the first connector by holding it, and for example, the user can easily remove the first connector and the second connector to protect the battery. Furthermore, the orientation of the second connector is specified by fixing the second connector to the board. Therefore, for example, if the second connector is oriented so that it can be inserted from the opening direction, the connector can be easily attached and removed, and the user can easily habitually remove the first connector and the second connector when the device is not in use. In particular, if the direction of insertion and removal of the first connector is along the plane of the board, the first connector can be moved along the board when attaching and detaching the connector, which is preferable because it improves operability. Furthermore, if the first connector is configured to move in contact with the board and be attached and detached from the second connector, the user can attach and detach the connector by, for example, pressing the first connector against the board and moving it on the board. In this case, it is preferable to provide the opening described in (3) above three-dimensionally and to make the opening surface include at least the surface facing the board, since this improves operability when pressing the first connector against the board, for example by ensuring space for finger movement.

[0019] In particular, the substrate is preferably fixed so as not to move when the first connector and the second connector are connected or disconnected, and is particularly preferably fixed to the housing.

[0020] (5) The circuit portion other than the wiring pattern may be configured not to be exposed from the opening, which advantageously prevents a user from accidentally touching components or elements of the circuit portion or from introducing foreign matter when attaching or detaching the first connector and the second connector.

[0021] (6) The power cord may be routed along the side of the battery and disposed in the space between the side of the battery and the inner surface of the housing along the side of the battery. The side of the battery may be the circumferential surface in the case of a cylindrical battery, or may be the side of the outermost cell or a surface on which no electrodes are visible in the case of a battery pack made up of a plurality of cells. In this way, the power cord is routed along the side of the battery, so the space for the power cord does not bulge outward from the battery. The space between the side of the battery along which the power cord is routed and the inner surface of the housing along the side of the battery may be narrow, as long as there is a gap for the power cord. This allows the space inside the housing to be small, and it is advantageous that, for example, the shape of the space for storing the battery in the housing may be close to the outer shape of the battery to make the entire device compact.

[0022] (7) The opening may be provided on the end of the housing on the space side where the circuit unit of the housing is stored. By providing the opening on the end of the housing, a working space including the external space of the housing can be secured when the user attaches and detaches the first connector and the second connector. In addition, since the first connector and the second connector are arranged on the space side where the circuit unit is stored, not on the side where the battery is stored, it is preferable that the storage space is easily secured. In particular, when the opening is made to allow a person's finger to enter as in the invention described in (3), it is preferable to provide an opening on the end of the housing so that, for example, the opening is opened three-dimensionally as in the embodiment, since the space inside and outside the housing are connected and a large working space can be secured. In addition, when combined with the invention described in (6), the end of the end housing may be provided on the same side that is connected to the inner side of the housing where the power cord is placed.

[0023] (8) The housing may include a case body having a storage section for storing the battery, and a first case covering one side of the case body, the circuit section being mounted in a space surrounded by the case body and the first case, and the one side of the case body may include a partition wall for separating the storage section from the space in which the circuit section is mounted. In the embodiment, the one side of the case body corresponds to the front surface 11a. The case body may be configured to sandwich the battery between a plurality of parts, such as upper and lower parts, but it is better to configure it as a cylindrical one-piece. For example, a cylindrical one-piece is preferable because it can securely store and hold the battery. As the cylindrical one-piece, for example, a part surrounding the entire circumference of the battery may be one-piece, and for example, as in the embodiment, it is preferable to configure it as a shape having an outlet for making the battery replaceable and removing it from the case body.

[0024] The battery storage section and the space in which the circuit section is mounted are separated by a partition wall. Some batteries, for example, have a lower output as the surrounding temperature rises, and some are configured with elements and components that generate heat when electricity is applied to the circuit section. Therefore, for example, even if the current from the battery flows into the circuit section during use of the device and generates heat, causing the temperature of the space around the circuit section to rise, the space and the battery storage section are separated by a partition wall, so that the heat is not immediately transmitted to the storage section side, suppressing the temperature rise and suppressing the deterioration of the battery's performance. In addition, it is more preferable to arrange a cooling member such as a heat sink on the partition wall to dissipate heat or to diffuse heat to suppress partial overheating.

[0025] (9) An opening for interfacing with the outside and the opening may be provided on a surface of the first case facing the storage section. In the embodiment, the surface facing the storage section corresponds to the front wall 12a of the front case 12. The interface with the outside includes, for example, an interface for connecting with external devices and equipment, and a man-machine interface for a user. In the embodiment, the interface for connecting with various devices and equipment corresponds to a power output terminal or input terminal. Also, in the embodiment, the man-machine interface corresponds to a light-emitting unit such as an LED, a setting switch, and the like. Since the interface with the outside and the opening are arranged on the same surface, usability for the user is improved.

[0026] (10) The partition wall is formed at a position recessed from the tip of one side of the case body, and the circuit board is mounted in a tip side space surrounded by the partition wall and the peripheral wall protruding toward the one side of the case body, and the surface of the circuit board is located near the tip of the peripheral wall. In the embodiment, the one side corresponds to the front surface 11a. In this manner, the board can be stored in the tip side space, and when the first case is removed and the one side of the case body is open, the board is accommodated in the tip side space. In addition, since the surface of the board is located near the tip of the peripheral wall, it is not recessed from the tip, and for example, the distance between the surface of the board and the surface facing the storage unit of the first case can be reduced. Then, for example, when various interfaces with the outside are mounted on the surface of the board, even if a member with a low height is used for the interface, the interface can be located near the surface facing the storage unit of the first case. Furthermore, particularly when combined with (4), since the surface of the board is located near the tip of the peripheral wall portion, when a second connector is attached to the board, the first connector can be easily inserted and removed even if the direction of insertion and removal of the second connector is along the surface of the board.

[0027] (11) A light-emitting section may be provided on the surface of the first case facing the storage section, and the area of ​​the surface of the first case facing the storage section where the light-emitting section is provided may be located closer to the partition wall than a reference position of the surface of the first case facing the storage section. For example, the light-emitting section may guide light emitted from a light-emitting source such as an LED attached to a board to the light-emitting section and emit it to the outside. By bringing the area where the light-emitting section is provided closer to the partition wall, the light guide path that guides light from the light-emitting source to the light-emitting section may be shortened.

[0028] (12) The setting switch can be operated from an opening provided on the surface of the first case facing the storage unit, and the area where the opening is provided on the surface of the first case facing the storage unit may be located closer to the partition wall than a reference position of the surface of the first case facing the storage unit, and the area where the opening is provided may be configured to reach a surface intersecting with the surface facing the storage unit. In this way, the operating surface of the setting switch is located closer to the partition wall than the reference position, so that it is possible to prevent the setting from being changed by accidentally touching the setting switch. On the other hand, if only the setting switch is formed in a position closer to the partition wall than the reference position, it becomes cumbersome to position a finger or the like near the setting switch and operate the switch when making a regular setting. Since the area where the setting switch is provided is located on the partition wall side and reaches a surface intersecting with the surface facing the storage unit, the user can, for example, position his / her finger near the operating surface of the setting switch and move his / her finger out of the first case from the intersecting surface side, making the setting operation easy. For example, as in the embodiment, if the surface to be reached is arranged to be the upper side when the housing is placed down, it is advantageous because the user can carry out setting operations while the housing is placed down.

[0029] (13) The circuit section may have a plurality of substrates, the plurality of substrates being stacked with spacers interposed therebetween, and the spacers may be made of a material having good thermal conductivity. In this way, the plurality of substrates can be stacked with a desired distance between them by interposing the spacers, and the spacers have the function of dissipating heat and diffusing heat to prevent localized high temperatures.

[0030] (14) The circuit board may have a plurality of boards, the plurality of boards being stacked with spacers between them, a magnetic field source may be disposed on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the plurality of boards, the spacer member may be disposed so as to surround the magnetic field source, and the spacer member may be made of a magnetic material. In this way, it is possible to provide magnetic shielding while exerting the spacer function. The surroundings may be all around on all four sides, or may be around the sides.

[0031] (15) It is preferable that the storage section for storing the battery in the housing does not include any circuit boards other than the power cord and components for outputting the power of the battery. By not arranging a circuit board in the storage section, the heat source in the storage section is eliminated, and the deterioration of the battery performance due to heat can be suppressed. In addition, by eliminating components other than the battery as much as possible in the storage section, the space of the storage section can be made neat. For example, when the housing is subjected to external vibration or acceleration, even if the vibration is large and the battery is displaced relative to the housing, the circuit board will not come into contact with it and be damaged.

[0032] (16) The inner shape of the storage section that stores the battery in the housing may be sized and shaped according to the outer shape of the battery, and at least a part of the inner circumferential surface of the storage section may contact and hold the battery. For example, the inner circumferential surface of the storage section may directly contact the battery, or may indirectly contact the battery via another member. For example, a cushion may be interposed as in the embodiment. This is preferable because the battery can be held down more firmly. Since at least a part of the battery is in contact, it is not essential that the inner shape of the storage section is approximately equal to the outer shape of the battery. For example, the battery may be held down by the top and bottom surfaces of the housing in the use state as in the embodiment, the length of the storage section in the left and right width direction is longer than the length of the battery, and a space may be secured between both the left and right ends of the battery and the inner circumferential surface of the storage section, or in the case of indirect contact via a cushion made of an elastic material as in the embodiment, the battery is in contact at the cushion and not in contact at other parts, but the configuration includes such a configuration because the battery is in contact with the cushion.

[0033] According to this invention, the battery can be held in place by the storage section, i.e., the housing, and no special fasteners are required to secure the battery, making it possible to hold the battery with a simple structure. In particular, when combined with the invention of (9), the storage section does not have a circuit board, and the arrangement of components other than the battery is minimized as much as possible, so that, for example, the internal shape of the storage section can be made approximately the same as the external shape of the battery, making it possible to hold the battery as a whole, which is preferable.

[0034] (17) It is preferable that an elastic material is attached to the inner surface of the upper side of the housing in the use state, and the inner surface is in contact with the battery via the elastic material. In the embodiment, the elastic material corresponds to the cushion 22. The elastic material has elasticity and can hold the battery firmly, and is preferable because it can more reliably prevent the relative movement of the battery in the storage section even if vibration or the like is applied to the battery from the outside. By arranging the elastic material on the upper side, the weight of the battery is not applied to the elastic material, and it is possible to prevent the elastic material from becoming worn down with long-term use, and it is preferable because it can be held for a long time. In addition, for example, the housing is preferably made of a material that is flexible and elastic. In this way, for example, even if the external dimensions of the battery are somewhat large, the housing can bend to allow the battery to be stored. The housing is preferably made of, for example, plastic, resin, etc.

[0035] (18) The battery is preferably removable from the housing, and a switch for turning the power supply from the battery on and off is preferably not provided. In the case of a battery that is removable from the housing, it is necessary to disconnect the battery from the circuitry inside the housing when the battery is removed, and in order to facilitate disconnection, it is preferable to use a battery having a connector connected to a power cord. By using a connector that is originally required for this purpose as a first connector for cutting off the current flowing from the battery to the circuitry when the device is not in use, it is possible to eliminate the need for a switch, and to achieve size reduction with a simple configuration.

[0036] (19) It is preferable to leave the first connector and the second connector disconnected at the time of shipment. By disconnecting both connectors at the time of shipment in this way, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the battery even before the device is delivered to the user. In addition, for example, if the first connector is integrated with the battery and the second connector is connected so as to be conductive to the circuit section, even if the first connector and the second connector are disconnected, the first connector and the second connector will not be lost before the user acquires the device, and the user who acquires the device can connect the first connector and the second connector to use the device.

[0037] (20) It is preferable that the device has a power output function for supplying the power of the battery to an external device.

[0038] (21) The battery is a secondary battery, and a charging circuit is provided that receives power from an external power source to charge the secondary battery, and power can be supplied to the external device based on the power supply from the external power source even when the first connector and the second connector are not connected. In particular, even when the first connector and the second connector are not connected, power can be supplied to the external device based on the power supply from the external power source. In this way, even if the first connector and the second connector are disconnected and forgotten to be connected when using, power can be supplied to the external device, which is advantageous. Also, for example, the charging circuit for the secondary battery has a protection circuit, and some secondary batteries cannot be charged if the voltage of the secondary battery drops below a reference value. However, by disconnecting the first connector and the second connector when not in use, the voltage drop of the secondary battery is suppressed as much as possible, which is advantageous in that it can suppress the situation where the secondary battery cannot be charged.

[0039] The above-mentioned inventions (1) to (21) can be arbitrarily combined. For example, it is possible to have any of the other configurations (2) to (22) without all or part of (1). However, it is particularly preferable to have the configuration of (1) and to combine it with any of the configurations described in (2) to (21). Any of the components of the inventions (1) to (21) may be extracted and combined with other components. Effect of the Invention

[0040] According to the present invention, a large drop in the terminal voltage of the battery can be prevented, for example, when the device is not used for a long period of time, and when the device is to be used, power can be supplied from the battery, ensuring normal operation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0041] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, and FIGS. [Diagram 2]This is a front view. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover member is open. [Figure 10] This is a front view. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the front case is not shown. [Figure 15] This is a front view. [Figure 16] FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a case main body and a rear case. [Figure 21] This is a front view. [Figure 22] FIG. [Figure 23] FIG. [Figure 24] FIG. [Diagram 25] This is a perspective view. [Figure 26] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the rear case is removed. [Figure 27] FIG. [Figure 28] FIG. [Figure 29] FIG. 4 is a rear view showing a state in which the rear case is not shown. [Diagram 30] 30 is a rear view showing the state of FIG. 29 with the battery omitted. FIG. [Diagram 31] This is a perspective view. [Diagram 32] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along a horizontal line at the center in the up-down direction in the perspective view of FIG. 1. [Diagram 33] 33 is a rear view showing the state of FIG. 32 with the battery omitted. FIG. [Diagram 34] FIG. [Diagram 35] FIG. [Diagram 36] This is a side view. [Figure 37] This is a perspective view. [Figure 38] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a connection state with the outside. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. These drawings are used to explain technical features that the present invention can employ. The configurations and shapes of the devices described are merely illustrative examples, and the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited thereto. Various changes, modifications, and improvements can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0043] As a preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention, an example in which the device is applied to a power supply device will be described. The power supply device 10 of this embodiment comprises a battery 1, a circuit section 2, and a housing 3 that houses them. This power supply device 10 is connected to a device outside the power supply device 10, such as an electric device or electronic device, and is capable of supplying power to the device from the battery 1 built into the housing 3. Being able to supply power means that, for example, when the power supply of the device is ON, the power supply device 10 supplies power to the device from the battery 1, etc.

[0044] The battery 1 is, for example, a rechargeable secondary battery. In this embodiment, the secondary battery is a nickel-metal hydride battery, and as shown in FIG. 34 and subsequent figures, for example, a plurality of cylindrical single cells 4 are used, and the single cells 4 are arranged in a single row in the radial direction in an S-arrangement, and the assembled battery is packed in a heat-shrink tube 5. The S-arrangement results in a flat shape. As described later, the device to which power is supplied by the power supply device 10 of this embodiment is, for example, an in-vehicle device. In accordance with the output voltage of the vehicle battery of 12V, 12 single cells 4 of 1.2V are used, and the terminal voltage of the battery 1 is 12V when fully charged. The battery 1 also has a power cord 6, and a first connector 7 is provided at the tip of the power cord 6. The terminal voltage of the battery 1 appears at the first connector 7. The first connector 7 is a male connector.

[0045] The circuit section 2 includes, for example, a charging circuit that charges the battery 1, which is a secondary battery, a voltage monitoring circuit that monitors the voltage of the battery 1, and a power output circuit that supplies power to an external device. The charging circuit may be configured using, for example, a management IC. The management IC has a function of monitoring the voltage of the battery 1 and charging when the voltage drops. Furthermore, when the voltage of the battery 1 falls below a reference value, the management IC cannot recognize the presence of the battery 1, and does not execute charging even if a chargeable voltage is applied from the outside. The voltage monitoring circuit includes, for example, a microcomputer, and biases the terminal voltage of the battery 1 with a resistor to detect it at 5V or less that can be detected by the microcomputer. Furthermore, since the microcomputer is used in this way, a circuit is provided that creates and supplies a power supply voltage (for example, 5V) for driving the microcomputer. The circuit for the power supply voltage of the microcomputer includes, for example, a 5V regulator to stably output 5V. Even when the device is turned off and not receiving power, leakage currents occur in the management IC and 5V regulator, and currents flow through the bias resistors for voltage monitoring. These currents consume power and gradually reduce the remaining capacity of battery 1.

[0046] The housing 3 has a flat shape that matches the external shape of the battery 1. The housing 3 includes a case body 11, a front case 12, and a rear case 13. The case body 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the front face 11a and the rear face 11b are each open when the power supply device 10 is installed (see Figures 20, 31, etc.). The front case 12 is attached to the front face 11a side of the case body 11 and closes the opening of the front face 11a. The rear case 13 is attached to the rear face 11b side of the case body 11 and closes the opening of the rear face 11b.

[0047] The space surrounded by the front side inside case body 11 and front case 12 constitutes circuit mounting section 15 for mounting circuit section 2. The space surrounded by the rear side of case body 11 and rear case 13 constitutes storage section 16 for storing a battery (see Figures 32, 33, etc.).

[0048] A cover member 17 is provided on one longitudinal end of the front case 12. In this embodiment, the end on which the cover member 17 is provided is the left side. The cover member 17 is formed integrally with the front case 12, and rotates forward and backward about a hinge portion 18 to open and close.

[0049] The cover member 17 covers the opening 3a provided in the housing 3. The opening 3a is a portion that is opened and exposed when the cover member 17 is opened, and in this embodiment, is formed on multiple surfaces such as the front surface, the top surface, the bottom surface, and the left side surface when the power supply device is in an installed state, forming a three-dimensional opening 3a.

[0050] The first connector 7 exists in the internal space surrounded by the cover member 17 when the cover member 17 is closed. As shown in Fig. 1(b) and other figures, when the cover member 17 is open, the first connector 7 exists in the open space and is configured to be exposed to the outside. In the internal space surrounded by the cover member 17 in the closed state, the first connector 7 and the detachable second connector 8 are disposed.

[0051] When the cover member 17 is open, the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 are present within the three-dimensional opening 3a surrounded by the cover member 17, and the opening 3a becomes open, allowing a user to insert and position their fingers within the opening 3a, thereby enabling the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 to be attached and detached.

[0052] The circuit section 2 is electrically connected to the second connector 8. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1(d), when the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 are connected, the current from the battery 1 flows to the circuit section 2 even when the power supply of the device is OFF, and the circuit section 2 consumes power. Therefore, if this state continues without charging the battery 1, the remaining capacity of the battery 1 decreases, and the voltage between the terminals of the battery 1 drops. As a result, if the time until the next use of the device is long, the remaining capacity of the battery 1 may be insufficient when the device is used, and the device may not operate normally. In this case, the device may not operate normally when the voltage drop is large and the voltage required to operate the device cannot be obtained, and the device cannot be driven. In this embodiment, the battery 1 is a secondary battery, and therefore the device may not operate normally when the terminal voltage of the battery 1 falls below a reference value, and the management IC cannot recognize the presence of the battery 1 and cannot charge the battery.

[0053] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1(c), when the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 are disconnected, the current from the battery 1 to the circuit unit 2 is cut off. Therefore, for example, when the device connected to the power supply device is not used, opening the cover member 17 and disconnecting the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 reduces the amount of current flowing through the circuit unit 2 while the device is not being used and the capacity of the battery 1 is reduced. This reduces as much as possible the risk that the remaining capacity of the battery 1 will be insufficient and the device will not operate normally when the device is next used. Therefore, when the user predicts that the device will not be used for a long time, for example, the user may open the cover member 17 and disconnect the first connector 7 and the second connector 8. In this way, the consumption of the battery 1 is reduced as much as possible, and the voltage of the battery 1 will be reduced and the device will not operate normally when the device is next used.

[0054] In this embodiment, the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 are configured not to come out of the housing when the opening 3a is covered with the cover member 17. By covering with the cover member, for example, the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 in a connected state are prevented from coming out of the housing 3 when the power supply device 10 is in use, and a user is prevented from accidentally touching the first connector 7 or the second connector 8 and disconnecting them.

[0055] In this embodiment, the cover member 17 covers the entire opening 3a, which is advantageous in that it can prevent, for example, dust, dirt, and other foreign matter from entering the housing 3, and the appearance is improved by neatly covering the opening 3a.

[0056] In this embodiment, the openings 3a are formed on a plurality of adjacent surfaces, and when the cover member 17 is open, a person's fingers can enter the space of the openings 3a, and the operation of attaching and detaching the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 can be performed without using, for example, a special jig or tool. Therefore, for example, when it is planned not to use the device for a relatively long period of time, the user can simply and easily detach the first connector 7 and the second connector 8, which is advantageous because it can minimize consumption of the battery 1 when the power supply device 10 is not being used.

[0057] The power supply device 10 has an input terminal section 20 and an output terminal section 21 on the front surface of the front case 12. The input terminal section 20 is connected to the vehicle's battery to receive power. The output terminal section 21 is connected to an equipment and supplies power to the equipment. The charging circuit of the circuit section 2 receives power from the vehicle's battery and charges the battery 1. When receiving power from the vehicle's battery, for example, the power output circuit of the circuit section 2 supplies the battery's power to the equipment as is, and when not receiving power from the battery, supplies the battery 1's power to the equipment.

[0058] [Specific configuration] As described above, the power supply device 10 of this embodiment has the function of blocking the path through which current flows from the battery 1 to the circuit section 2 by disconnecting the first connector 7 and the second connector 8, thereby suppressing a decrease in the remaining capacity of the battery 1. A more specific configuration of the power supply device 10 with this function is as follows.

[0059] [Specific configuration of battery 1] As described above, the battery 1 is composed of an S-arranged battery pack, and has a flat overall shape. The battery pack is surrounded by heat-shrink tubing 5, so that the battery 1 has a flat external shape overall with arc-shaped left and right side surfaces 1a. One end of the power cord 6 that connects to the battery 1 is covered with heat-shrink tubing 5 and is pulled out through a slit 5a in the heat-shrink tubing 5. If the heat-shrink tubing 5 on the external surface is arranged to go around the front-to-rear direction of the battery 1 electrodes, for example, the open ends of the shrunk heat-shrink tubing 5 will become the arc-shaped left and right side surfaces 1a of the battery 1. By appropriately setting the length of the heat-shrink tubing 5, both ends of the heat-shrink tubing 5 will overlap the periphery of the side surfaces 1a of the battery 1, and the center of the side surfaces 1a of the battery 1 will be free of the heat-shrink tubing 5. For example, if a heat-shrink tube 5 with a different wrapping direction is placed inside the heat-shrink tube 5 located on the outer surface, the inner heat-shrink tube 5 will be present in both left and right side surfaces 1a of the battery 1 in areas where there is no heat-shrink tube 5 located on the outer surface, and the single cells will not be exposed, which is preferable.

[0060] Both end edges of the heat shrink tube 5 located on the outer surface form slits 5a, and the power cord 6 is pulled out from the slits 5a. In this embodiment, the power cord 6 is placed inside the heat shrink tube 5 along one end face 1b of the battery 1 in the front-to-rear direction, and when it reaches one (for example, the left) side face 1a, it is pulled out from the slit 5a at the end edges of the heat shrink tube 5. When the heat shrink tube 5 heat-shrinks, it shrinks to fit the surface shape of the battery 1, and at the boundary between one end face 1b of the battery 1 and the adjacent side face 1a, it shrinks into a shape that wraps around both sides. Therefore, the portion of the power cord 6 located at that boundary is bent towards the side face 1a as the heat shrink tube 5 thermally shrinks.

[0061] The power cord 6 pulled out to the outside of the heat shrink tube 5 is positioned so as to follow one side surface 1a of the battery 1, and the first connector 7 protrudes beyond the other front-to-rear end surface 1c of the battery 1. When the battery 1 is installed in the storage section 16, the other front-to-rear end surface 1c of the battery 1 is positioned on the front case 12 side, and the power cord 6 is positioned in the space between the side surface 1a of the battery 1 and the inner surface of the housing 3 facing that side surface 1a (see FIG. 32, etc.).

[0062] In this embodiment, the battery 1 has a rated output of, for example, 12V and a large capacity of, for example, 4000mAh, so the power cord 6 is also configured using, for example, lead wires, and the lead wires used are, for example, relatively thick, hard, and difficult to bend. The power cord 6 is pulled out and guided slightly toward the other end face 1c in the front-rear direction by the heat shrink tube 5 as described above. Even when the power cord 6 is placed along the side face 1a of the battery 1, excessive load is not applied to the bent portion, and this portion is not damaged, which is preferable. In addition, the power cord 6 is bent slightly toward the other end face 1c in the front-rear direction of the battery 1 by the heat shrink tube 5, so it can be placed along the side face 1a in a state close to it.

[0063] In contrast, for example, if the battery 1 in the storage section 16 is reversed and one end face 1b of the battery 1 in the front-rear direction is located on the front case side, the part of the power cord 6 pulled out from the heat shrink tube 5 will also be on the front case 12 side, so the distance between the two will be shorter, and the length of the power cord 6 may be shortened. However, as described above, the power cord 6 is pulled out toward the other end face 1c, so the power cord 6 is folded back 180 degrees in the opposite direction from the direction in which it is pulled out. In this embodiment, the power cord 6 is relatively stiff, so it needs to be pulled in a loop that bulges outward in order to be folded back, and a large gap needs to be opened between the side face 1a of the battery 1 and the inner face of the housing 3 / case main body 11 facing it, which results in a large size and shape, so it is preferable to arrange it as in this embodiment. In addition, if it is folded back 180 degrees in the opposite direction, excessive load is applied to the power cord 6, which may hasten its deterioration over time, so in view of this point, it is preferable to arrange it as in this embodiment.

[0064] Furthermore, when attaching the first connector 7 to the second connector 8, the power cord 6 should be relatively long to facilitate the work. However, the power cord 6 needs to be stored inside the housing 3 with the cover member 17 closed, and if the power cord 6 is long, it will not fit inside the space where the cover member 17 is closed. Therefore, as in the embodiment, it is preferable to set the power cord 6 to a length such that a small part of the power cord 6 protrudes toward the opening 3a and the first connector 7 reaches the second connector 8.

[0065] [Specific configuration of case 3] *Battery storage structure, etc. The external shape of the housing 3 corresponds to the external shape of the battery 1, being a flat rectangular body with arc-shaped left and right sides. Furthermore, the storage section 16 that stores the battery 1 inside the housing 3 is designed not to accommodate circuit boards or the like other than the power cord 6 and components for outputting power from the battery 1. By not arranging a circuit board in the storage section, a heat source within the storage section 16 is eliminated, and deterioration of the performance of the battery 1 due to heat can be suppressed.

[0066] Furthermore, by eliminating as many components as possible other than the battery in the storage section 16, the space of the storage section 16 can be made neat and tidy. For example, when the housing 3 is subjected to external vibration or acceleration, even if the vibration is so great that the battery 1 shifts relative to the housing 3, the circuit board will not come into contact with it and be damaged.

[0067] In order to separate the storage section 16 for the battery 1 in the housing 3 from the space for storing the circuit section 2, a partition wall 14 is provided inside the case body 11, as shown in Figures 32, 33, etc. The partition wall 14 is provided on the front surface 11a side inside the case body 11, and a large space is formed on the rear surface 11b side of the partition wall 14. The space surrounded by the front side of the partition wall 14 of the case body 11 and the front case 12 constitutes a circuit mounting section 15 for mounting the circuit section 2. In addition, the space surrounded by the rear side of the partition wall 14 of the case body 11 and the rear case 13 constitutes a storage section 16 for storing the battery.

[0068] A communication hole 14a is formed at the left end of the partition wall 14. The front and rear spaces formed on either side of the partition wall 14 are connected to each other, the power cord 6 is disposed so as to pass through the communication hole 14a, and the first connector 7 is located on the front side of the partition wall 14.

[0069] In this embodiment, the storage section 16 for the battery 1 and the space in which the circuit section 2 is mounted are separated by a partition wall 14. As described above, some batteries 1 have a reduced output with an increase in the surrounding temperature, and some circuit sections 2 are configured to include elements and components that generate heat when current is applied. For example, even if the current from the battery 1 flows through the circuit section 2 during use of the power supply device 10, generating heat, and the temperature of the space around the circuit section 2 rises, the space and the storage section 16 for the battery 1 are separated by the partition wall 14, so that the heat is not immediately transmitted to the storage section 16 side, suppressing the temperature rise and suppressing the deterioration of the battery's performance. The partition wall 14 has a minimum necessary communication hole 14a for passing the power cord 6 through, but the rest is closed. The battery 1 also has a protection circuit that stops charging when the temperature becomes high, so providing the partition wall 14 suppresses the occurrence of such a situation.

[0070] The inner shape of the storage section 16 that stores the battery 1 in the housing 3 has dimensions corresponding to the outer shape of the battery 1. At least a part of the inner circumferential surface of the storage section 16 contacts and holds the battery 1. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 29 and other figures, the upper surface 16a and the lower surface 16b of the storage section 16 contact the battery 1. The upper surface 16a contacts the battery 1 via a cushion 22 that is an elastic material, and the lower surface 16b contacts the battery 1 directly. As shown in FIG. 30 and other figures, the cushion 22 is attached to the upper surface 16a of the storage section 16 with an adhesive, double-sided adhesive tape, or the like. As shown in FIG. 30 and other figures, when the battery 1 is not stored, the cushion 22 has a predetermined thickness, and as shown in FIG. 29 and other figures, when the battery 1 is stored in the storage section 16, the cushion 22 is elastically deformed and crushed, and a force that tries to return to the original shape by an elastic restoring force acts, so that the battery 1 can be more firmly held down, which is preferable. For example, even if external vibrations or the like are applied to the battery 1, this is advantageous because it can more reliably prevent relative movement of the battery 1 within the storage section 16. Furthermore, by arranging the cushion 22 on the upper side, the weight of the battery 1 is not applied to the cushion 22 when the power supply device 10 is installed, which is advantageous because it can prevent the cushion 22 from becoming worn down over long-term use and can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0071] In this embodiment, the battery 1 can be held down by the storage section 16, i.e., the case body 11, and no special fasteners are required to secure the battery 1, allowing the battery 1 to be held with a simple configuration. Furthermore, at least the case body 11 constituting the housing 3 is preferably made of a material that is flexible and elastic. In this way, for example, even if the external dimensions of the battery 1 are somewhat large, the case body 11 can bend to allow the battery 1 to be stored, and the battery 1 can be held more reliably, which is advantageous. Such materials include, for example, plastics and resins, and it is preferable to use, for example, PP (polypropylene).

[0072] Furthermore, the storage section 16 does not have a circuit board, and the arrangement of components other than the battery 1 is eliminated as much as possible, so that, for example, the inner shape of the storage section 16 is almost the same as the outer shape of the battery 1. In particular, the battery 1 is held down by the upper and lower surfaces of the case body 11, so that the height of the case body 11 is almost equal to the height of the battery 1 and is kept low. As described below, the heights of the front case 12 and the rear case 13 are also matched to the height of the case body 11. Therefore, the vertical height of the power supply device 10 in the installed state is the height of the battery 1 plus the plate thickness of the case body 11, and the outer shape of the power supply device 10 is flat and thin. As described above, the power supply device 10 of this embodiment is, for example, a device that supplies power to in-vehicle equipment, and the installation location should be a location that does not interfere with the driver or passengers. The location that does not interfere should be, for example, the space under the driver's seat, etc. The space under the driver's seat, etc. is not very high, but the power supply device 10 of this embodiment is flat and thin, so it has a shape suitable for installation in a narrow space in the vertical direction.

[0073] The length of the storage section 16 in the left and right width direction is longer than the length of the battery 1, and a space 26 is secured between the left and right side surfaces 1a of the battery 1 and the inner surface of the storage section 16 (see Figs. 29, 32, etc.). One of the left and right spaces 26 is connected to the communication hole 14a provided in the partition wall 14. The power cord 6 is placed using this space 26, and the first connector 7 attached to the power cord 6 is positioned in the space in front of the partition wall 14. In this embodiment, the space 26 is for placing the power cord 6, so it can be narrowed as long as the battery 1 can be attached and detached, including the placement of the power cord 6. If the space 26 is narrowed in this way, the left and right widths of the case body 11 and therefore the housing 3 can be made approximately equal to the width of the battery 1, making it more compact. This is preferable because it makes it easy to install in a narrow place such as the space under the driver's seat. Furthermore, by making the width smaller in accordance with the external dimensions of the battery 1 in addition to the vertical height, it is possible to insert and install the battery in a narrow space, thereby expanding the possible locations for installation.

[0074] As described above, there is only a limited space under the seat, and if the power supply device 10 is to be mounted in this space, the thickness and height cannot be made large. In this embodiment, the battery 1 is not a thin lithium battery but a nickel-metal hydride battery, so there is a limit to how thin the battery 1 itself can be. Therefore, since it is not preferable to place the circuit unit 2 on the battery 1, in this embodiment, the layout is such that the storage unit for the circuit unit 2 is placed in front of the storage unit 16 for the battery 1. Furthermore, in a configuration in which a circuit board is placed above the battery 1, for example, the board is not large enough to be placed on the entire top surface of the battery 1, so there is a large amount of wasted space where no board or circuit components exist. In contrast, by placing the battery 1 and the circuit unit 2 in front and behind as in this embodiment, the overall dimensions can be made small and compact, and the dimensions and shape of the battery can be made to feel slightly longer.

[0075] In addition, since the power supply device 10 is installed under the seat, it does not get as hot as, for example, on the dashboard. Therefore, no temperature countermeasures are required when installing it on the dashboard. In this embodiment, the housing 3 is made of PP, so the heat resistance of PP can be used.

[0076] *Structure of the front surface 11a of the case body 11 As described above, the partition wall 14 is provided in the case body 11. The partition wall 14 is formed at a position recessed from the tip of the front surface 11a side of the case body 11. The cylindrical peripheral wall portion 11i on the front surface 11a side of the case body 11 and the tip side space surrounded by the partition wall 14 become the circuit mounting portion 15 in which the board constituting the circuit portion 2 is mounted. A thin tip peripheral wall portion 11j is formed at the front end of the peripheral wall portion 11i. The inner peripheral surface of the tip peripheral wall portion 11j is flush with and continuous with the peripheral wall portion 11i. The outer peripheral surface of the tip peripheral wall portion 11j is one step lower than the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 11i. The tip peripheral wall portion 11j matches the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 12b of the front case 12, so that when the front case 12 is attached to the case body 11, no positional deviation or the like occurs.

[0077] The tip peripheral wall 11j is formed along the peripheral wall 11i over almost the entire circumference. A notch 11k is provided on the side where the cover member 17 is attached, and the tip peripheral wall 11j is not provided in that portion. This allows the user to insert a finger or the like into the notch 11k when opening the cover member 17 to expose the opening 3a and attaching or detaching the first connector 7 and the second connector 8, making it easier for the user to attach or detach the connector.

[0078] Furthermore, a locking recess 11h for locking the cover member 17 is provided at a predetermined position on the outer surface of the tip peripheral wall 11j within the region in which the cover member 17 is disposed. A locking projection 11m for temporarily fixing the front case 12 is provided on the outer surface of the tip peripheral wall 11j near the center in the longitudinal direction.

[0079] A plate member 36 protruding further forward from the tip of the tip peripheral wall portion 11j is provided on the front surface 11a side of the case body 11. The position where this plate member 36 is provided is on the flat portions of the upper and lower surfaces, near the arc-shaped portion on the side where the cover member 17 is provided.

[0080] A boss 34 is provided on the front side of the partition wall 14. The boss 34 is arranged to stand forward on both the left and right sides in the longitudinal direction. A female screw portion 34a is provided at the tip of the boss 34. A sheet-like first heat sink 42 is arranged in the area between the left and right bosses 34 on the front side of the partition wall 14. The first heat sink 42 is fixed to the partition wall 14 with, for example, an adhesive or double-sided adhesive tape. The first heat sink 42 is made of, for example, an aluminum sheet. The first heat sink 42 is also provided with concave cutouts 42a in two places to form an area where the aluminum sheet is not present. A thermal sheet 43 is arranged in the concave cutouts 42a. A part of the thermal sheet 43 is in contact with the first heat sink 42 and is thermally connected to it. The thermal sheet 43 is fixed to the partition wall 14 and the first heat sink 42 with, for example, an adhesive or double-sided adhesive tape.

[0081] The first heat sink 42 is aligned with the position of the first heat sink 42, and the protrusions on the periphery of the first heat sink 42 are inserted into the holes 23 of the grooves 24 in the case body 11 and fixed in place. The holes 23 serve both the function of heat dissipation and fixing. Because the holes 23 in the grooves 24 and the heat sink are aligned with each other, even the parts without the protrusions for fixing function as heat dissipation holes.

[0082] *Structure of front case 12 etc. As described above, the opening on the front side of the case body 11 is closed by the front case 12. The closed front case 12 is cylindrical with a bottom, and the rear side in the front-rear direction is open. The front case 12 has a front wall 12a and a peripheral wall 12b formed so as to extend rearward from the periphery of the front wall 12a. The front wall 12a has a long and narrow rectangular region and arc-shaped regions continuing to both the left and right sides of the rectangular region. One of the arc-shaped regions becomes the top plate 17a of the cover member 17. The peripheral wall 12b is an inclined surface / tapered surface that gradually widens from the front wall 12a side toward the rear, and the size and shape are gradually increased.

[0083] The front wall 12a of the front case 12 is provided with an opening for interfacing with the outside at an appropriate position. In this embodiment, the front case 12 is provided with a first opening 12c for the input terminal section 20, a second opening 12d for the output terminal section 21, and a third opening 12e for the setting switch 27, in this order from the cover member 17 side. Above the third opening 12e, a fourth opening 12f for the light emitting section is provided. The fourth opening 12f is arranged in a line of six small circles. The first opening 12c, the second opening 12d, and the third opening 12e are left open, and the fourth opening 12f is closed by attaching a semi-transparent seal 37. By leaving the first opening 12c, the second opening 12d, and the third opening 12e open, the input terminal section 20, the output terminal section 21, and the setting switch 27 arranged in each opening can be operated from the front side of the front case 12. Since the interfaces with the outside are arranged on the same surface, the usability for the user is improved.

[0084] In the formation region of the first opening 12c in the front wall portion 12a, a shallow recess 12g is formed, and the first opening 12c is provided in the recess 12g. The first opening 12c is formed at a position one step lower from the reference position of the outer surface of the front wall portion 12a and closer to the case body 11. This is based on the difference in height between the input terminal portion 20 and the output terminal portion 21. As described later, in this embodiment, the input terminal portion 20 and the output terminal portion 21 are mounted on the same board and are made to face the front wall portion 12a. As a result, the input terminal portion 20 and the output terminal portion 21 have different tip height positions from the board surface. In accordance with the difference in position, the formation positions of the first opening 12c and the second opening 12d are shifted, so that the tips of the input terminal portion 20 and the output terminal portion 21 are both located at the first opening 12c and the second opening 12d.

[0085] A recess 12h is formed in the formation region of the third opening 12e of the front wall portion 12a, and the third opening 12e is provided in the recess 12h. The recess 12h is made deeper than the recess 12g. The operation surface of the setting switch 27 is located further toward the case body 11 than the surface of the front wall portion 12a, which is the reference position, so that the user or the like is prevented from accidentally touching the setting switch 27 and changing the settings as much as possible.

[0086] The recess 12h has an opening portion 12h' that opens the upper surface side of the peripheral wall portion 12b. To operate the setting switch 27, for example, the user can position his / her finger so that the finger escapes from the opening portion 12h' to the outside of the front case 12 while positioning the fingertip near the operating surface of the setting switch 27, and can easily perform the setting operation. Furthermore, since the opening portion 12h' is formed on the upper surface side of the peripheral wall portion 12b that is the upper side when the housing 3 is placed, the user can perform the setting operation while the housing 3 is placed.

[0087] In addition, a fourth opening 12f is provided in the recess 12h. As a result, the position of the light emitting part is also recessed from the reference position of the front wall part 12a, and is closer to the light emitting source such as an LED arranged inside the front case 12. The light emitting part of this embodiment is configured to guide the light emitted from the light emitting source to the light emitting part and radiate it to the outside, so that the user can see it from the outside, which is good because it can shorten the light guide path that guides the light from the light emitting source to the light emitting part. The light guide path is configured by ribs 38 formed in accordance with the arrangement pitch of the fourth opening 12f. The rib 38 is flat, and two adjacent sides are connected to the front wall part 12a and the inner surface of the peripheral wall part 12b on the side where the opening part 12h' is provided. In a state where the front case 12 is attached to the case main body 11, it is good to configure the side of the rib 38 opposite the front wall part 12a to be in contact with or close to the surface of the board on which the light emitting source such as an LED is mounted, because this can suppress the wraparound of light from the adjacent LED. In addition, by providing the recess 12h and bringing the fourth opening 12f and the light emission source closer to each other, the dimension of the rib 38 can be shortened, which is advantageous because it allows for more accurate dimensioning. In the present embodiment, the visible configuration is such that a semi-transparent seal 37 is attached to the fourth opening 12f, and the light emitted from the light emission source reaches the fourth opening 12f via a light guide path, and the light that reaches the fourth opening 12f passes through the seal 37 and is radiated to the front outside of the housing 3 and front case 12.

[0088] Furthermore, a recess 38a is provided on the connection side between the peripheral wall 12b and the side of the rib 38 opposite to the front wall 12a. When the front case 12 is attached to the case body 11, the tip of the tip peripheral wall 11j of the case body 11 fits into the recess 38a, making the connection between the case body 11 and the front case 12 stronger.

[0089] A first inner wall 31 and a second inner wall 32 are provided on the cover member 17 side inside the front case 12. The first inner wall 31 is connected to the inner surface of the front wall 12a and the peripheral wall 12b of the front case 12, and a space surrounded by the front wall 12a, the peripheral wall 12b, and the first inner wall 31 of the front case is formed. This space constitutes the space for storing the circuit unit 2. This prevents dust, foreign matter, etc. from entering the space for storing the board, regardless of whether the cover member 17 is open or closed. The first inner wall 31 is formed at a position slightly inward from the hinge portion 18. Furthermore, a recess 31a is provided on the connection side between the peripheral wall 12b and the side of the first inner wall 31 opposite to the front wall 12a. When the front case 12 is attached to the case body 11, the tip of the tip peripheral wall 11j of the case body 11 enters the recess 31a, making the connection between the case body 11 and the front case 12 stronger.

[0090] The second inner wall 32 is disposed outside the first inner wall 31, and is formed at approximately the same position as the end of the cover member 17 closest to the hinge portion 18. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 and the like, when the cover member 17 is open, the second inner wall 32 hides the inside of the front case 12. It looks neat, and fingers or the like will not touch the circuit portion 2. The second inner wall 32 is connected to the front wall portion 12a of the front case 12, and a gap 35 is formed between the second inner wall 32 and the peripheral wall portion 12b. A plate member 36 arranged upright on the front surface 11a side of the case body 11 fits into this gap 35 to close it.

[0091] Bosses 33 extending rearward are provided on both longitudinal sides of the inner surface of the front wall 12a of the front case 12. The bosses 33 are cylindrical with both ends open, and have a bottom 33a with an open center at the tip opposite the front wall 12a. When a fixing screw 39 is inserted from the opening on the front wall 12a side, the head of the fixing screw 39 comes into contact with the bottom 33a and remains there. When the front case 12 is attached to the case body 11, the boss 33 is positioned so as to face a boss 34 provided on the case body 11. When the fixing screw 39 is tightened in this state, the male thread of the fixing screw engages with the female thread 34a of the boss 34, and the case is fixed.

[0092] The boss 33 on the cover member 17 side is in contact with the first inner wall 31 and is fixed near the boundary with the cover member 17. Even if the cover member 17 is repeatedly opened and closed, the front case 12 can be kept firmly fixed to the case body 11, and the cover member 17 can be opened and closed stably by fixing it near the hinge portion 18. In addition, the boss 33 on the opposite side to the cover member 17 is formed near the center of the semicircle of the arc-shaped area. In this embodiment, the left and right sides of the housing 3 are made arc-shaped to match the external shape of the battery 1, making it difficult to arrange elements and components in those areas. The dead space where it is difficult to arrange elements and components is effectively utilized.

[0093] The inner surface of the peripheral wall 12b is provided with a slender strip-shaped rib 40 extending in the front-rear direction. The rib 40 is configured such that two adjacent sides are connected to the front wall 12a and the peripheral wall 12b, and when the front case 12 is attached to the case body 11, the side of the rib 40 opposite the front wall 12a contacts the surface of the substrate. The rib 40 is a reinforcing rib, and prevents the peripheral wall 12b from expanding or collapsing. Furthermore, a recess 40a is provided on the side of the rib 40 opposite the front wall 12a, where the rib 40 is connected to the peripheral wall 12b. When the front case 12 is attached to the case body 11, the tip of the tip peripheral wall 11j of the case body 11 fits into the recess 40a, making the connection between the case body 11 and the front case 12 stronger.

[0094] Furthermore, the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 12b is provided with a locking recess 12i. In this embodiment, one locking recess 12i is provided on each of the upper and lower surfaces. When the front case 12 is attached to the case body 11, the locking recess 12i is preferably used to fit onto the locking protrusion 11m and temporarily fix the front case 12 to the case body 11.

[0095] *Structure of cover member 17, etc. As described above, the opening 3a of the housing 3 is provided on one of the left and right side surfaces (for example, the left side) of the front case 12, and the cover member 17 that covers the opening is formed integrally with the front case 12. In this embodiment, one side surface of the front case 12 constitutes the cover member 17. The cover member 17 includes a semicircular top plate 17a and an arc-shaped peripheral wall 17b that is continuous with the outer periphery of the top plate 17a and extends rearward. The peripheral wall 17b is the same as the peripheral wall portion 12b of the front case 12. As described above, the top plate 17a and the front wall portion 12a of the front case 12 are connected via the hinge portion 18. When the cover member 17 is closed, a gap S is formed between both end edges 17b' of the peripheral wall 17b and the peripheral wall portion 12b of the front case 12. A plate member 36 is located on the back side of this gap S, and when the cover member 17 is closed, the plate member 36 functions as a screen, preventing the inside from being seen through the gap S, improving the appearance and preventing the intrusion of foreign matter such as dust.

[0096] Also, a handle portion 17f that protrudes outward is provided at the center of the free end side (the side away from the top plate 17a / rear side) of the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 17b. Furthermore, a locking protrusion 17g is provided at an appropriate position on the free end side of the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 17b. In this embodiment, two handle portions 17f are provided at positions shifted a specified distance to the left and right from the center of the peripheral wall 17b.

[0097] When the cover member 17 is in the closed state, the locking projection 17g and the locking recess 11h provided on the distal end peripheral wall portion 11j of the case body 11 fit together to keep the cover member 17 in the closed state.

[0098] As a result, when the cover member 17 is in the closed state as shown in FIG. 1(a) and the like, if the user places his / her finger on the handle portion 17f and urges it toward the top plate 17a, the locking protrusion 17g will disengage from the locking recess 11h and the opening 3a will be opened (see FIG. 1(b) and the like). On the other hand, when the opening 3a is in such an open state, the user presses an appropriate position on the cover member 17 to close the cover member 17 and block the opening 3a. Then, the locking protrusion 17g will fit into the locking recess 11h and the closed state will be maintained. When this is done, it is preferable that a sound such as a "click" is heard so that the user can confirm that it is locked.

[0099] [Specific configuration of circuit section 2] *Circuit section In this embodiment, the circuit unit 2 is configured by a printed wiring board. As shown in Fig. 22 to Fig. 25, it is formed using two boards. The circuit unit 2 is formed by interposing a spacer member 53 between a first board 51 and a second board 52, which are stacked and fixed with screws. The first board 51 and the spacer member 53 are fastened with screws 54, and the second board 52 and the spacer member 53 are fastened with screws 55.

[0100] The first board 51 has an input terminal section 20, an output terminal section 21, a setting switch 27, an LED 56, a microcomputer 57, a second connector 8, etc. arranged on its front side. The first connector 58 and electronic components constituting various circuits are arranged on the rear side of the first board 51. The second board 52 has a front side (opposing the partition wall 14) on which a coil element 59, an IC 60, electronic components constituting various circuits, etc. arranged on its front side. The second board 52 has a second connector 61 and electronic components constituting various circuits on its rear side (opposing the first board 51). The first connector 58 and the second connector 61 have a power supply line and a communication line, and perform power supply and data transmission / reception between the circuits of the first board 51 and the circuits of the second board 52.

[0101] The spacer member is made of a material with good thermal conductivity, and in this embodiment, an aluminum plate is used. The first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52 can be arranged to be stacked with a desired distance between them by interposing the spacer member 53 between them. Furthermore, the spacer member 53 has a function of dissipating heat and diffusing heat to prevent high heat from being generated in some areas, so that the heat generated in the circuit section 2 is released and high heat is prevented from being transmitted to the storage section 16 of the battery 1.

[0102] A second heat sink 63 is disposed on the front surface side of the second substrate 52. The second heat sink 63 is made of an aluminum plate, and is arranged to cover the second substrate 52 at a predetermined distance from the front surface of the second substrate 52. The second heat sink 63 is fixed to the second substrate 52 and the spacer member 53 with screws 55.

[0103] A thermal sheet 65 is attached to the upper surface of the IC 60, and when the second heat sink 63 is attached, the surface of the thermal sheet 65 comes into contact with the second heat sink 63. As a result, heat generated in the IC 60 is transferred to the second heat sink 63 via the thermal sheet 65 and dissipated.

[0104] The second heat sink 63 is not provided on the coil element 59. In addition, when the second board 52 is mounted in the front case 12, the coil element 59 faces the concave cutout 42a of the first heat sink 42. This results in a configuration in which the first heat sink 42 and the second heat sink 63 are not located on the head of the coil element 59 (the surface opposite to the surface attached to the board). The head of the coil element 59 used in this embodiment is the surface through which the magnetic field enters and exits, so if a metal such as aluminum is placed on the head, the coil characteristics will be reduced. In this embodiment, the head is not covered with a metal such as aluminum, so that the coil element 59 can obtain the characteristics and effects that it is intended to achieve. The head of the coil element 59 comes into contact with the thermal sheet 43 provided on the partition wall 14, and heat is dissipated by thermal diffusion to the first heat sink 42 side via the thermal sheet 43. Furthermore, a cushion 66 is provided in a position adjacent to the coil element 59. This cushion 66 is provided at a position corresponding to the connection portion between the thermal sheet 43 and the first heat sink 42, and the thermal sheet 43 is brought into contact with the first heat sink 42 with a predetermined pressure by utilizing the elastic restoring force of the cushion 66. This allows the thermal sheet 43 and the first heat sink 42 to be in firm surface contact with each other, improving the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0105] Furthermore, in this embodiment, heat generated from the coil element 59 is dissipated using the first heat sink 42, and heat generated from the IC 60 and other components other than the coil element 59 is dissipated using the second heat sink 63. Since the heat generation levels of the coil element 59 and other components are different, if heat generated from the coil element 59 is also passed through the second heat sink 63, for example, a problem occurs in that the high heat is transferred to the IC 60 and other components, making it impossible to dissipate the heat appropriately. Therefore, in this embodiment, heat is dissipated separately, so that the heat generated from each component can be dissipated efficiently.

[0106] An insulating film 67 is applied to the surface of the substrate with which the spacer member 53 comes into contact. This prevents the wiring pattern from shorting out via the spacer member 53. The insulating film 67 becomes thermally resistant. Therefore, it is preferable to have the spacer member 53 face the earth pattern and directly contact the exposed part of the earth pattern to increase the efficiency of heat dissipation and heat conduction. Also, it is preferable to process the surface of the spacer member 53 so that the part facing the normal wiring pattern, rather than the earth pattern, is not in contact with it. However, since this processing is complicated, it is preferable to have it in contact with the above-mentioned earth pattern.

[0107] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a structure is used in which two substrates are stacked on top of each other, such as the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52. This allows, for example, heat-generating elements to be distributed among a plurality of substrates, thereby enabling efficient heat dissipation.

[0108] As described above, the partition wall 14 is formed at a position recessed from the tip of the front surface 11a side of the case body 11, and the first board 51 and the second board 52, which constitute the circuit unit 2, are mounted in the tip side space surrounded by the partition wall 14 and the peripheral wall portion 11i of the case body 11. In this mounted state, the surface of the first board 51 is positioned near the tip of the peripheral wall portion 11i. In this manner, the first board 51 and the second board 52 can be stored in the case body 11, and the boards are preferably accommodated in the tip side space of the case body 11.

[0109] In addition, since the surface of the first substrate 51 is located near the tip of the peripheral wall portion 11i and is not recessed from the tip, for example, the distance between the surface of the first substrate 51 and the front wall portion 12a of the front case 12 can be reduced. This makes it possible to reduce the distance between the surface of the first substrate 51 and the front wall portion 12a of the front case 12. In this way, when various interfaces with the outside are mounted on the surface of the substrate, even if a member with a low height is used for the interface, the interface can be positioned near the surface facing the storage portion of the first case.

[0110] * Second connector layout, etc. As described above, in this embodiment, the second connector 8 is directly attached to one end side in the longitudinal direction of the first board 51. The first connector 7 is inserted into and removed from the second connector 8 in a direction along the first board 51, and is inserted and removed from the top downward when the power supply device 10 is installed. The terminal pin 8a of the second connector 8 is bent into an L-shape, and the tip of the terminal pin 8a is connected to a wiring pattern that is conductive with the circuit unit 2 of the first board 51.

[0111] In this way, since the second connector 8 is fixed to the first board 51, it is not necessary to hold the second connector 8, and the user can easily hold the first connector 7 to insert and remove it. This is advantageous because, for example, the user can easily remove the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 to protect the battery 1. Furthermore, since the second connector 8 is fixed to the board, the orientation of the second connector is specified. In this embodiment, when the cover member 17 is opened, the insertion direction of the second connector 8 is also released, so that the connector can be easily attached and detached, and the user can easily get used to removing the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 when the device is not in use, for example.

[0112] Furthermore, since the direction in which first connector 7 is inserted and removed is along the surface of first substrate 51, when attaching and detaching the connector, first connector 7 only needs to be moved along first substrate 51, which is preferable as it improves operability.

[0113] In this embodiment, the tip of the tip peripheral wall portion 11j of the case body 11 and the surface of the first board 51 are almost the same, and the first board 51 is positioned slightly lower, and the first connector 7 is moved in contact with the first board 51 to be attached to and detached from the second connector 8. For example, the user can perform the attachment and detachment operation of the connector by pressing the first connector 7 against the first board 51 and moving it on the board. In this embodiment, the opening 3a of the housing 3 is three-dimensionally provided, so that fingers can be inserted from different directions, improving operability. In addition, when the cover member 17 is opened, the top plate 17a rotates around the hinge portion 18, and the surface facing the first board 51 opens, which is preferable because it is possible to ensure operability when pressing the first connector 7 against the board, for example, a space for fingers to move.

[0114] In addition, in this embodiment, since the second connector 8 is directly attached to the first board 51, the space required for storage is small, and the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 fit within the space of the cover member 17. This is because, for example, if the second connector 8 is connected to the first board 51 via a wiring cord, the size of the connector that can be used as the second connector 8 becomes larger than that of the on-board type of this embodiment. In addition, the wiring cord corresponds to the battery capacity and is thick and difficult to bend like the power cord, so a large space is required to crimp the wiring cord to the connector and to route the wiring cord. Therefore, there is a possibility that it will not fit within the space of the cover member 17 of this embodiment. In contrast, in the on-board type as in this embodiment, the terminal pins can be directly soldered to the first board 51 in a bent state, no space is required for routing the wiring cord, and the connector size can be small, so the space required for storage is small.

[0115] The circuit portion other than the wiring pattern is not arranged on the cover member 17 side, and is configured so as not to be exposed from the opening 3a even when the cover member 17 is opened. The circuit portion other than the wiring pattern is located within the space surrounded by the front wall portion 12a, the peripheral wall portion 12b and the first inner wall 31 of the front case 12. This is advantageous because it can be prevented as much as possible from the user accidentally touching the components and elements of the circuit portion 2 or from foreign matter being mixed in when attaching or detaching the first connector 7 and the second connector 8.

[0116] [Detachable structure of case body 11 and rear case 13, etc.] As shown in Figures 28 to 31, the lower left and right sides of the rear surface 11b of the case body 11 are rectangular. As described above, both the left and right sides of the case body 11 are arc-shaped to correspond to the shape of the side surface of the battery 1, and the arc shape is formed over almost the entire length in the front-rear direction. The lower side surface near the rear surface 11b is not rounded, but is formed almost straight. As a result, the outer shape of the case body 11 near the rear surface 11b has a rectangular lower half and both side surfaces of the upper half are arc-shaped like the other parts.

[0117] The straight flat portion 11c is thicker than the other side surfaces. A through hole 11d is formed in the flat portion 11c, penetrating the inside and outside of the case body 11. A recess 11e having a larger inner diameter and concentric with the through hole 11d is formed on the outer surface side of the flat portion 11c. A threaded portion of a bolt (not shown) passes through the through hole 11d, and the head of the bolt is positioned within the recess 11e.

[0118] Furthermore, protrusions 11f are formed on the upper and lower sides of the rear surface 11b of the case body 11, protruding rearward. The thickness of the protrusions 11f is thinner than the thickness of the upper and lower sides of the case body 11, for example about half, and is located on the inner peripheral surface side. The inner peripheral surface of the case body 11 and the inner surface side of the protrusions 11f are formed to be flush with each other. Accordingly, the outer surface side of the protrusions 11f is located one step lower than the outer surface of the case body 11.

[0119] On the other hand, the main body portion 13a of the rear case 13 is a cylinder with a bottom, with a front surface 13b in the front-rear direction open and a rear surface 13c closed. The main body portion 13a is a portion exposed to the outside when attached to the case body 11. Furthermore, the front surface 13b of the main body portion 13a is provided with approximately triangular protrusions 13d protruding in a direction parallel to the front surface 13b at both left and right ends below. The protrusions 13d face the flat portion 11c of the case body 11, and by providing the protrusions 13d, the outer peripheral edge of the front surface 13b of the main body portion 13a including the outer peripheral edge of the protrusions 13d has the same shape as the rear surface 11b including the flat portion 11c of the case body 11, and when the front surface 13b of the main body portion 13a of the rear case 13 and the rear surface 11b of the case body 11 are in contact with each other in a butted state, the outer peripheral surfaces are smoothly connected without any steps.

[0120] In addition, a peripheral wall portion 13e having an outer shape slightly smaller than that of the main body portion 13a is formed on the front surface 13b of the main body portion 13a so as to protrude forward. The inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 13e is connected flush with the inner peripheral surface of the main body portion 13a, and the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 13e has a size and shape that matches the inner peripheral surface of the case main body 11. When attaching the rear case 13 to the rear surface 11b of the case main body 11, the peripheral wall portion 13e is inserted into the case main body 11. As a result, the peripheral wall portion 13e fits into the case main body 11, and movement of the rear case 13 in a plane parallel to the rear surface 11b of the case main body 11 is restricted.

[0121] Furthermore, the end face of the front face 13b of the main body portion 13a is provided with a recessed groove 13h at the boundary with the outer circumferential face of the peripheral wall portion 13e. The recessed groove 13h is formed at a position facing the protrusion 11f, and is set so that the protrusion 11f is inserted into the recessed groove 13h when the rear case 13 is attached to the case main body 11. The protrusion 11f fits into the recessed groove 13h to prevent the rear face 11b side of the case main body 11 from bending in the vertical direction. The vertical width of the case main body 11 is restricted, and the battery 1 can be securely sandwiched from above and below.

[0122] The nut storage section 13f is provided below the side surface of the peripheral wall section 13e. The nut storage section 13f is installed at a position facing the flat portion 11c provided on the rear surface 11b side of the case body 11. The nut storage section 13f stores the nut 25. A through hole 13g is formed on the side surface of the nut storage section 13f. The female thread of the nut 25 stored in the nut storage section 13f is located concentrically with the through hole 13g, and the through hole 13g faces the through hole 11d formed in the flat portion 11c and is located concentrically when the rear case 13 is attached to the case body 11. In this state, a bolt is inserted into the through hole 11d and the through hole 13g from the outside of the housing 3, and the bolt and the nut 25 stored in the nut storage section 13f are fastened. This connects the case body 11 and the rear case 13. In this embodiment, the case 3 is fixed from the side, so that the connecting and fixing structure can be configured in a small space. The left and right sides of the housing 3 are arc-shaped over their entire length, and only the area secured by the bolts and nuts protrudes outward from the arc-shaped side, but it is contained within a rectangle circumscribing the arc-shaped side so as not to protrude too much. Also, the area secured by the bolts and nuts is configured so as not to protrude outward beyond the outermost position of the arc-shaped side, so that this area is not conspicuous, and from a design perspective, the arc-shaped side that follows the outline of the battery stands out, which is preferable.

[0123] In this embodiment, the rear case 13 is fixed by fastening bolts and nuts from the side of the housing 3, so that even if a large vibration occurs, the rear case 13 will not come off and the battery 1 will not pop out. The reason for adopting such a fastening structure from the side is that, for example, if the rear case 13 is to be screwed from its rear side, a long boss extending rearward from the rear side of the partition wall 14 must be disposed because the partition wall 14 is positioned on the front side 11a, and since the battery 1 is present almost entirely inside the storage section 16, it is difficult to form such a long boss. Also, for example, flanges protruding toward the outer periphery may be formed on the joint end surfaces of the case main body 11 and the rear case 13, and the flanges may be butted together and fixed in the front-rear direction by clamping the flanges with bolts and nuts, but if such a configuration is adopted, the strength of the flanges must be ensured, and the flange portion will protrude significantly, which is not desirable from a design perspective. In contrast, in this embodiment, the sides are made arcuate, making use of the unused dead space, leaving corners for the bolts and nuts, and a configuration is adopted in which the bolts are attached from the side. This makes it possible to fix without using flanges, etc., which is preferable from a design perspective, and the compact design makes it suitable for installation in narrow spaces.

[0124] As described above, the front case 12 and the case body 11 are connected by attaching a screw from the front wall portion 12a side of the front case 12. The front case 12 may be fixed from the side like the rear case 13, but since there is a cover member 17 on one side, it is difficult to adopt a structure in which the front case 12 is fixed from the left and right sides like the rear case 13, and it is also preferable in terms of design to form the same arc-shaped side as the case body 11 over the entire length to the front case 12 side, so the front case 12 is fixed from the front side as in this embodiment. In addition, fixing from the front side is more preferable because it allows fixing to the first board 51 and the second board 52 at the same time. Furthermore, since the partition wall 14 is formed on the front surface 11a side of the case body 11, the bosses 33 and 34 for screwing can be short, so there is no problem in manufacturing.

[0125] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the nut storage section 13f is open on the front surface 13i side to set the nut 25, and further, a recess 13j is formed on the bottom surface. A rib 11g protruding upward from the bottom surface side is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the case body 11 facing the nut storage section 13f. When the rear case 13 is attached to the case body 11, the rib 11g enters the nut storage section 13f from the front surface 13i side of the nut storage section 13f and matches with the recess 13j. As a result, the case body 11 and the rear case 13 are firmly connected by the engagement between the rib 11g and the recess 13j.

[0126] A number of grooves 24 extending in the left-right direction are formed on the outer surface of the upper and lower surfaces of the case body 11. Holes 23 penetrating from the inside to the outside are provided at predetermined positions in some of the grooves 24. In the region corresponding to the storage section 16, a total of two holes 23 are provided in each groove 24, one on each of the left and right ends. These holes 23 form heat dissipation ports and prevent the inside of the storage section 16 from becoming hot due to natural convection and natural heat dissipation. Holes 23 are also formed in the grooves 24 located in the region corresponding to the space for storing the circuit section 2 on the front side of the partition wall 14. The holes 23 provided in the region corresponding to the space for storing the circuit section 2 are formed at a higher density than on the storage section 16 side. Examples of configurations for forming holes at a higher density include increasing the number of holes 23 formed in one groove 24, or decreasing the arrangement pitch of the grooves 24 forming the holes 23 to increase the number of grooves 24 with holes 23 per unit length in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, both are adopted, six holes 23 are formed in one groove 24, and holes 23 are formed in all grooves 24. Since the circuit unit 2 side generates more heat, the holes 23 are arranged at a high density to enhance the heat dissipation effect and to suppress the transfer of heat generated on the circuit unit 2 side to the battery 1 as much as possible.

[0127] In addition, since the hole 23 is formed in the groove 24, it is difficult to notice that the hole 23 has been formed, and the user will not notice the existence of the hole 23, or even if they do notice it, it will not bother them much because it is deep inside the groove 24, which is advantageous.

[0128] [Power supply unit 10 fixing structure] It is preferable to attach a hook-and-loop fastener 74 to the underside of the case body 11, and to fix and install the case body 11 in a detachable manner via the hook-and-loop fastener 74. In this embodiment, the case 11 is used as an external power source for an in-vehicle device, and the installation location is the space under the driver's seat. In many vehicles, the space under the driver's seat is carpeted. The hook-and-loop fastener 74 in this embodiment is a special one having properties and structure that allows it to be attached to the carpet. The hook-and-loop fastener 74 is a hook-and-loop fastener 74 with a hook-and-loop side so that it can be attached to the carpet. The hook-and-loop fastener 74 is attached using a double-sided tape that sticks to PP, which is the material of the case body 11. It is preferable to directly connect and fix the case 11 to the carpet of the vehicle using the hook-and-loop fastener 74. In places where there is no carpet, it is preferable to attach a loop-side hook-and-loop fastener that sticks to the hook-and-loop fastener 74 to the vehicle side, and to fix the case 11 to the hook-and-loop fastener 74 in a detachable manner.

[0129] Furthermore, in this embodiment, protruding pieces 70 are formed on the lower left and right sides of the case body 11 at two locations, front and rear, respectively, protruding laterally, and through holes 71 are provided through the protruding pieces 70 in the vertical direction. The protruding pieces 70 and through holes 71 can also be used to fix the case to an installation location. For example, a bolt can be inserted into the through hole 71 and fixed using a bolt and nut. In this way, the power supply device 10 can be fixed more firmly, so that the power supply device 10 can be held in the installation location even when used in a place with a lot of vibration. The through holes 71 can also be used to fix the case with a tie wrap or the like. Using a tie wrap makes it easy to fix the case.

[0130] A vertically extending recess 72 is provided on the side surface of the case body 11 adjacent to the protruding piece 70. This recess 72 provides a space for the wrench used when tightening the bolts.

[0131] In this embodiment, the power supply device 10 is designed to supply power to in-vehicle equipment, and for such applications, the maximum vibration applied to the power supply device 10 is about 3G, so fixing with the hook-and-loop fastener 74 is sufficient. Therefore, if the device is intended for in-vehicle use only, it is preferable to not provide the protrusion 70, etc., and to have a neat and unified design with an arc shape over the entire length in the front-to-rear direction. On the other hand, by providing the protrusion 70 and multiple different fixing structures as in this embodiment, it is preferable that the device can be installed in places where larger vibrations occur.

[0132] Examples of uses in places where larger vibrations occur include surveillance cameras and factories (for example, for checking the operation of newly installed machine tools (for example, the operation of a defective product is filmed and recorded by a surveillance camera). In order to verify the cause of the defective product, the camera is installed near the machine tool and records it. Since the installation site of these cameras is subject to large vibrations (for example, about 10G), they are firmly fixed with bolts and nuts. Also, when installing on a vehicle, such as a forklift that generates large vibrations, a fixing structure that utilizes the through hole 71 of the protrusion 70 is used. When used on a forklift, it is suitable for filming the entire surroundings at 360 degrees and rotating on the spot, or for supplying power to a drive recorder that films the surroundings while driving like a normal vehicle.

[0133] [Battery replacement] As described above, the space formed by the case body 11 and the rear case 13 serves as the storage section 16 for the battery 1. The rear face of the case body 11 is open, and this opening serves as an outlet for the battery 1. When the rear case 13 is removed, the rear face 11b of the case body 11 opens, and one end of the battery 1 protrudes to the outside (see Figures 28, 29, etc.). Then, by disconnecting the first connector 7 and the second connector 8, the battery 1 can be attached and detached from the storage section 16 from the rear face 11b side of the case body 11. In this way, in this embodiment, the battery 1 is replaceable.

[0134] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the battery 1 is replaced from the rear surface 11b of the case body 11, which is opened by removing the rear case 13. Therefore, there is no need to remove the circuit section 2 during the battery replacement, and the user can perform the replacement work by themselves.

[0135] In this embodiment, the left and right sides of the case body 11 are arc-shaped. The arc-shaped side surfaces are used to facilitate the introduction of the power cord 6 to the front case 12. That is, the storage section 16 for storing the battery 1 in the case body 11 is close to the dimensions of the battery 1 and has no room, so the space 26 is also narrow. The user inserts the power cord 6 into the storage section 16 with the first connector 7 at the front, and further pushes the power cord 6 together with the battery 1 without being able to confirm the position of the first connector 7. When pushing the first connector 7, if the first connector 7 is pushed in so as to abut against the inner surface of the arc, it will naturally be guided to the tip of the arc, that is, the left end in the left-right direction, and can be taken out through the communication hole 14a provided in the partition wall 14. The communication hole 14a is designed to open continuously to the inner peripheral surface of the arc, so that the first connector 7 can be smoothly taken out.

[0136] In this embodiment, the side surface of the housing 3 is arc-shaped to match the outer shape of the battery 1. The arc-shaped surface has no corners, which makes it difficult to arrange the wiring patterns and elements of the circuit board, resulting in dead space. This dead space is utilized as a wiring area for the power cord 6, and as storage space for the first connector 7 and the second connector 8.

[0137] In this embodiment, as described above, the current from the battery 1 to the circuit unit 2 is switched between ON and OFF by attaching and detaching the connector, and no mechanical power ON / OFF switch is provided to interrupt the current from the battery 1 to the circuit unit 2. In the case of a battery 1 that can be removed from the housing 3, it is necessary to disconnect the battery 1 from the circuit unit 2 in the housing 3 when the battery 1 is removed. In order to easily disconnect the battery 1, a battery having a connector connected to a power cord is used. In this embodiment, such a battery is used, and the battery 1 having a first connector 7 on the power cord 6 is used. In this way, the connector originally required for this purpose is also used as the first connector 7 for cutting off the current flowing from the battery 1 to the circuit unit 2 when power is not being supplied to the device, so that the mechanical power ON / OFF switch is not provided, and a simple configuration is achieved to reduce the size. In particular, in this embodiment, power is supplied to in-vehicle devices, and the terminal voltage of the battery 1 is set to 12V in accordance with the vehicle battery voltage, and if the charging current is, for example, about 2A, a large mechanical switch is required to correspond to the battery 1. Therefore, the effect of reducing space by not providing the switch is significant.

[0138] Furthermore, if the power supply device 10 of this embodiment is placed in a hidden place, such as under a seat, it is in a place that is difficult to operate in the first place, and even if a switch is provided, operability will not be improved significantly. Therefore, the operation of opening the cover member 17 and removing the connector is not much different from operating a switch, and the effect of reducing space is more noticeable, which is preferable.

[0139] [Power supply usage status and examples of devices that receive power] The device to which power is supplied by the power supply device of this embodiment may be, for example, an in-vehicle device. The in-vehicle device may operate by receiving power from the battery of the vehicle. In order to protect the battery of the vehicle, the power supply from the battery of the vehicle to the in-vehicle device may be performed when the engine or the like is ON, such as when the vehicle is running or idling, and the power supply of the in-vehicle device may be turned off when the engine or the like is turned off. The power supply device 10 of this embodiment may be used, for example, to supply power to the in-vehicle device when the engine or the like is OFF and the vehicle is parked and stopped, so that the in-vehicle device can operate. The in-vehicle device that operates when the vehicle is parked and stopped may be, for example, a drive recorder. The drive recorder has a function of recording the surroundings while the vehicle is running, and recording a certain period before and after the occurrence of an impact such as an accident. Therefore, while the vehicle is parked and stopped, the power supply from the power supply device 10 to the drive recorder is continued, recording the surroundings of the vehicle, and also recording a certain period before and after the occurrence of an impact, for example. This allows it to be used as a surveillance camera while the vehicle is parked.

[0140] 38 shows an example of a connection form with the outside when supplying power to an in-vehicle device. A connector 76 attached to one end of a power cable 75 is attached to the input terminal unit 20, and the other end of the power cable 75 is connected to the vehicle battery. A connector 78 attached to one end of a connection cable 77 for the in-vehicle device is connected to the output terminal unit 21, and the other end of the connection cable 77 is connected to the in-vehicle device. As described above, the in-vehicle device may be, for example, a drive recorder, and may have a function of performing data communication with the drive recorder using the connection cable 77 in addition to power supply.

[0141] The setting switch 27 is a switch for setting the recording time after the engine or the like is turned off. The recording time is, for example, a maximum of 12 hours, and a number of preset times are specified by the setting switch 27. The power supply device 10 supplies power for the time set by this setting switch 27, and then turns off the output.

[0142] The above-mentioned power supply ON / OFF control and communication control are performed by the microcomputer 57. The microcomputer 57 also has a function of monitoring the voltage of the built-in battery 1, and turning off the output if the voltage drops even if the set recording time has not been reached. As described above, for example, the charging circuit will stop charging if the voltage of the battery 1 falls below a reference value, so in order to prevent such a situation from occurring, it is designed to stop operation when the voltage reaches a certain voltage (for example, 10V) that is a margin above the reference value.

[0143] Also, communication with the drive recorder may be used, for example, to set the recording time from the drive recorder side. Although the operation of the setting switch 27 is cumbersome, changing the recording time from the drive recorder side is advantageous because it allows the recording time to be changed according to the parking location and other conditions, preventing unnecessary long recording times and draining the battery 1. The setting switch 27 also sets whether the drive recorder to be connected has a communication function or not, and if the drive recorder does not have a communication function, the recording time is set with the setting switch.

[0144] In addition, when a cancellation area where recording is not performed even when the vehicle is parked or stopped, such as a garage at home, can be set, the drive recorder will notify the power supply device 10 that power supply is not required when the vehicle is in the cancellation area. This causes the power supply device 10 to stop outputting power even if the engine or the like is turned off and the recording time is within the set time.

[0145] It is advisable for the drive recorder to recognize whether it is running on power supply from battery 1 or from the vehicle battery, and to change the recording frame rate accordingly. In this way, when the engine etc. is off and the drive recorder is running on battery 1, it is possible to reduce wear and voltage drop on battery 1 by, for example, lowering the frame rate or recording in frame-by-frame mode.

[0146] The power supply device of this embodiment is particularly suitable for people who drive only occasionally. "Only occasionally" means, for example, not driving for a week or a month. Since the drive recorder is operated after the driver gets off the vehicle with the engine and other components turned off, the connector is removed at least after the drive recorder has stopped operating. For example, if the user parks the vehicle in a garage at home at night and records the surroundings with the drive recorder at night, the user will perform a process to remove the connector the next morning when the user will not be driving.

[0147] Also, the battery 1 is fully charged after, for example, three hours of driving. In summer, for example, the temperature is high and it may not be fully charged even after three hours, so it is a good idea to remove the connector to prevent the voltage drop of the battery 1.

[0148] [Modification of the second connector attached to the board] In the above embodiment, the second connector 8 is attached from above with the connector insertion / removal direction along the first board 51, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be arranged, for example, so that it is inserted and removed from the left side opposite the second inner wall 32. Since the left end of the front case 12 of the cover member 17 is also opened three-dimensionally, it is easier to insert and remove the power cord 6 from the left side, but since the power cord 6 is stiff and difficult to bend, if it is inserted and removed from the left side, the power cord 6 will stick out to the left side and a large storage space will be required. Therefore, it is better to adopt a configuration in which the power cord 6 is inserted and removed from above along the board as in the embodiment.

[0149] In the above embodiment, the second connector 8 is attached to the first board 51, but the present invention is not limited to this. A board other than the first board 51 and the second board 52 may be provided and the second connector 8 may be attached to the board. In this way, the second connector can be arranged at a position different from the height of the first board 51. For example, the board on which the second connector is attached may be located in the same position as in the embodiment, and the first board 51 may be located slightly further back, thereby shortening the length in the front-rear direction of the front case 12 and allowing for a compact arrangement. Attaching the second connector 8 on the first board 51 as in the embodiment is preferable because it allows the second connector 8 to be electrically connected to the circuit on the first board 51 side by a wiring pattern, and the board on which the second connector 8 is attached can be fixed by fixing the board in the internal space surrounded by the second inner wall 32 and the peripheral wall portion 12b.

[0150] Also, for example, the first board 51 may not be provided on the outside of the second inner wall 32, and the second connector 8 may be attached on the second board 52. In that case, the insertion and removal direction of the connector may be set to be perpendicular to the board surface of the second board 52.

[0151] [Modification of the cover member] In the embodiment, the cover member 17 is formed integrally with the housing, but it may be formed as a separate member and attached to and detached from the housing. Being integral with the housing as in the embodiment is preferable because the cover member 17 will not get lost. For example, if the cover member is a separate member, the user will remove the cover member from the housing to attach or detach the connector, and then attach the removed cover member to the opening, but there is a possibility that the cover member will be lost or lost when it is removed and placed in the vicinity. In particular, the cover member should be sized according to the dimensions and shape of the opening, which tends to be small and easy to lose. In addition, as in the embodiment, the device is preferably for vehicle mounting, and the installation position of such a vehicle-mounted device is preferably, for example, below the floor inside the vehicle. In such a case where the device is installed in a location where it is difficult to attach or detach the connector, such as below, the user may be so focused on attaching and detaching the connector that he or she may temporarily be unable to find the cover member that was placed in the vicinity or other locations. Furthermore, for example, if the size of the cover member becomes smaller in accordance with the size of the opening, the work of attaching and detaching the cover member, which is a separate component, to the housing becomes complicated, and therefore, in consideration of this point, it is preferable to construct the cover member integrally with the housing.

[0152] In the above embodiment, the cover member 17 covers the entire opening 3a, but it may cover only a part of the opening 3a. Such a part that covers only a part of the opening 3a is also the same as a part that is made of a separate member.

[0153] Furthermore, when the cover member 17 is configured to cover a portion of the opening 3a, it is preferable that the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 do not come out of the housing 3 when the portion is covered. The configuration for preventing the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 from coming out of the housing 3 may be, for example, such that the area of ​​the opening 3a that is not covered by the cover member 17 and is open has a width and dimension that prevents the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 from passing through when connected. Covering with the cover member 17 can prevent, for example, the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 in the connected state from coming out of the housing 3 when the power supply device 10 is in use, and can prevent the user from accidentally touching the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 and disconnecting them.

[0154] In addition, the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 may not be exposed outside the housing 3 when the opening 3a is not covered by the cover member 17, but it is preferable that at least one of the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 can be positioned outside the housing 3 when the opening 3a is not covered. In this way, at least one of the connectors can be positioned outside the housing 3 when the cover member 17 is removed from the opening 3a and the opening 3a is not covered, which is preferable because it makes it easier to attach and detach the connectors. As a configuration that allows the connectors to be positioned outside the housing 3, for example, the length of the lines other than the wiring pattern connected to the connector such as the power cord may be increased, and the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 may be positioned outside the housing 3. In this way, for example, the user can easily attach and detach the connectors with the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 positioned outside the housing 3, and the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 can be stored in the housing 3 after the attaching and detaching operation.

[0155] [No cover material] In the above-described embodiment, the cover member 17 is provided, but the cover member is not necessarily provided. If there is no cover member and the connectors are exposed, it looks bad and dust and the like may get into the housing 3, so it is preferable to provide the cover member 17 as in this embodiment. Also, it is preferable to provide the cover member 17 and to store the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 inside the cover member 17 with the cover member 17 closed regardless of the connection status of the connectors.

[0156] In the above-described embodiment, the second connector 8 is attached directly to the board, but in the present invention, it is not necessarily required to attach the second connector 8 directly to the board, and it may be connected via a cord. In such a case, it is preferable to make the cord longer, and after the first connector and the second connector are removed from the housing and attached and detached, they are pushed into the housing and stored. This is advantageous because the attachment and detachment work can be performed in a large space outside the housing. However, in such a configuration, the length of the cord becomes longer, and storage space for the long cord is required when storing it in the housing, so it is better to connect it directly to the board as in the embodiment.

[0157] [Magnetic shielding function] In the above-described embodiment, the spacer member 53 also serves as a heat dissipation function, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is preferable that the spacer member 53 has a magnetic shielding function instead of or in addition to the heat dissipation function.

[0158] For example, a magnetic field source such as a coil element is disposed on at least one of the opposing surfaces of a plurality of substrates, and a spacer member 53 is disposed so as to surround the magnetic field source. For example, as shown in FIG. 23, if a hole 53a is formed in the spacer member 53, the spacer member 53 is disposed on the opposing back surface of the first substrate 51 or the second substrate 52 so that the magnetic field source is located in the hole 53a. If the spacer member is configured using a magnetic material, a closed magnetic circuit is formed by the spacer member 53 surrounding the magnetic field source, and the magnetic field does not leak out from the side of the spacer member 53. The periphery is preferably on all four sides, but it is particularly preferable to surround the side surfaces, since the spacer member 53 can be configured from a single member having the hole 53a as in the embodiment.

[0159] [USB port] In the above embodiment, the output terminal unit 21 outputs a voltage of 12 V to supply power to the in-vehicle device, but it is preferable to provide a USB terminal unit and a 5 V output function. If a USB terminal is provided, a large amount of heat is generated during output, which reduces the performance of the battery, so it is preferable to have a configuration without a USB terminal as in the embodiment.

[0160] [Connector not connected at time of shipment] In the above embodiment, an example in which the connectors are removed when the user does not use the battery for a long period of time has been described, but it is preferable to remove the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 at the time of shipment. By removing both connectors at the time of shipment in this way, it is possible to suppress the power consumption of the battery even before the battery reaches the user. For example, if the battery is stored for a long period of time, the effect of dark current cannot be ignored, and for example, the battery voltage may drop to a state where it cannot be charged, resulting in initial failure. By removing the connectors at the time of shipment, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of such a situation. If the battery is sold with the connectors removed at the time of shipment in this way, the user first connects the connectors when using the battery, and makes it possible to supply power to devices such as a drive recorder.

[0161] [Other configurations] It is preferable that the cover member 17 can be closed even when the connectors are removed. The space closed by the cover member 17 has a space for storing the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 when they are removed. If the cover member is left open, dust may get into the housing 3, and there is also a risk that something may get caught on the open cover member, which may cause a load to be applied and damage the hinge. Therefore, if the cover member is configured to be able to be closed even when the connectors are removed, the cover member is closed except when the connectors are being attached or detached, and this problem does not occur, which is preferable.

[0162] In the above embodiment, the cushion 22 in the storage section 16 for the battery 1 is provided on the upper surface side, but the installation location and number of installations are arbitrary and various measures can be taken. For example, the configuration of the embodiment is preferable because it is simple and does not easily wear down with long-term use, since it can fully handle vibrations of up to about 3 G for in-vehicle equipment. On the other hand, when used in a place with strong vibrations of about 7 G or more, for example, having only one cushion on the upper surface side does not provide sufficient holding power, and the battery 1 may move inside the housing 3, causing the heat shrink tube 5 of the battery 1 to break. Therefore, in order to suppress the movement, it is better to increase the size of the cushion or provide one on the lower side as well.

[0163] The main case 11 and the rear case 12 are firmly connected from the side by fastening nuts 14 and bolts, so they will not come off even if they are installed in a place where large vibrations of 7G or more occur. On the other hand, when installing in a place where vibrations of about 3G occur, such as in a vehicle, the connection may be made by fitting a protrusion such as a claw into a recess without using such bolts and nuts. With such a configuration, the structure is simple and attachment and detachment are easy. However, fixing with bolts and nuts from the side as in this embodiment is preferable because it can be used and adapted to installation in places where large vibrations occur without increasing the size of the device.

[0164] In the above-described embodiment, the light-emitting unit 21 is configured so that light from the LED 56 provided on the first substrate 51 passes through a light guide path to the fourth opening 12f provided in the front case 12, where it is emitted. However, it is also possible to arrange a light-emitting source such as the LED 56 near the fourth opening 12f and emit light at the part of the fourth opening 12f.

[0165] In the above-described embodiment, the circuit section 2 includes multiple circuits such as a charging circuit and a voltage monitoring circuit, but it may include only one. In the case of multiple circuits, the current flow from the battery 1 is stopped when the first connector 7 and the second connector 8 are disconnected from each other, and although it may be stopped for some of the multiple circuit sections, it is preferable to stop the current flow from the battery 1 for all of the circuit sections as in the embodiment, because this can more effectively prevent the remaining capacity of the battery 1 from decreasing.

[0166] In the above-described embodiment, the case body 11 is cylindrical, and the part surrounding the entire circumference of the battery 1 is one piece. This is preferable because it allows the battery 1 to be securely stored and held. Although it is preferable to form the case body in a cylindrical shape in this way, the configuration of the case body is not limited to this, and it may be configured, for example, so that the battery is sandwiched between multiple parts, such as upper and lower parts. For example, when the power supply device 10 is configured to be used in a location where vibrations are large, an embodiment that securely stores and holds the battery 1 is preferable.

[0167] In the above-described embodiment, a secondary battery is used as the battery 1, but a primary battery may also be used. A secondary battery is preferable because it can be charged, and it is particularly preferable to configure the battery 1 to be charged by receiving power from the vehicle battery as in the embodiment. In the embodiment, it is preferable because the battery 1 can be charged, for example, while the vehicle is running.

[0168] In addition, the device of the present invention is a power supply device, but is not limited to a power supply device, and includes, for example, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, etc. that operates using the power of a built-in battery. This type of electrical equipment, electronic equipment, etc. can also be preferably applied to devices that have a circuit section that consumes power because a current flows from the built-in battery even when the power supply of the device is turned off.

[0169] As described above, the power supply device 10 of this embodiment includes a charging circuit that receives power from the vehicle battery and charges the internal battery 1, and a power output circuit that supplies power to external devices based on the power supply from the vehicle battery. The power output circuit is preferably configured to supply power to external devices based on the power supply from the vehicle battery regardless of the connection status of the first connector 7 and the second connector 8. In this way, even if you forget to disconnect the first connector and the second connector, it is possible to supply power to and drive the in-vehicle devices while the engine, etc. is turned on and the vehicle is running normally.

[0170] Various aspects of the present invention have been described above using embodiments and modified examples, but it should be noted that these embodiments and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but are provided to aid in understanding the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations explicitly described in the specification, but includes combinations of various aspects of the present invention disclosed in this specification. Although the configurations of the present invention that are sought to be patented are specified in the appended claims, it is noted that configurations disclosed in this specification that are not currently specified in the claims may be claimed in the future.

[0171] The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-mentioned embodiments. The components of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily selected and combined. In addition, any component of each embodiment or modification may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the Summary of the Invention or any component that embodies any component described in the Summary of the Invention.

[0172] In addition, although the entire device is drawn in solid lines, the drawings include not only the overall design but also the partial design claimed for a part of the device. For example, it is not only possible to designate a part of the device as a partial design, but also to designate a part of the device as a partial design regardless of the part. The part of the device may be a part of the device or a part of that part. [Explanation of symbols]

[0173] 1 battery 2 Circuit section 3. Chassis 3a opening 6 Power cord 7 First Connector 8 Second Connector 10 Power supply 11 Case body 11a Front 11b Rear 12 Front case 12a Front wall 12b Peripheral wall part 12c first opening 12d Second opening 12e Third opening 12f 4th opening 13 Rear case 14 Partition Wall 14a Communication hole 16 Storage area 17 Cover member 18 Hinge part 20 Input terminal section 21 Output terminal section 22 Cushion 27 Setting Switch 31 First inner wall 32 Second inner wall 36 Plate members 37 Seal 42 First heat sink 43 Thermal Sheet 51 First board 52 Second board 53 Spacer member 56 LED 57 Microcomputer 59 Coil element 63 Second heat sink 65 Thermal Sheet 66 Cushion

Claims

1. The device comprises a battery having a power cord attached thereto, a circuit section, and a housing for housing these components; The power cord has a first connector, and the first connector and a detachable second connector are configured to be electrically connected to the circuit unit; The device has a first opening, through which the battery is inserted and removed, and a second opening, through which the first connector of the power cord can be detachably attached to the second connector, on different sides of the housing.

2. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first connector and the second connector are disconnected during shipment.

3. a member for covering the first opening of the housing; The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one end of the battery protrudes to the outside from the first opening when the member is removed from the housing.

4. a member for covering the first opening of the housing; The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the member has a portion that overlaps with a side surface of the housing in a direction intersecting with a surface on which the first opening is provided, and the overlapping portion is configured to be screwed to the surface of the housing.

5. the battery is packaged in a heat shrink tube so as to include a first end surface to which the power cord is attached; the gap in the heat shrink tube is located in a part of a side surface of the battery that intersects with the first end surface, the power cord is disposed along the first end face of the battery inside the heat shrink tube, and a portion of the power cord located at the boundary between the first end face and a side face of the battery is bent toward the side face of the battery as the heat shrink tube thermally shrinks, and is pulled out to the outside through the slit in the heat shrink tube located on that side face, 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power cord is arranged so as to extend outside along a side surface of the battery.

6. the power cord is routed along a side surface of the battery, and the first connector is located beyond a second end surface opposite the first end surface, The device described in claim 5, wherein when the battery is pushed into the housing from the second end face side with the power cord aligned along the side of the battery, the first connector is guided by the inner surface of the housing, moves to the rear side of the housing, and passes through the second opening.

7. a portion capable of contacting the battery is provided on an inner surface side of the housing between the battery and the circuit unit; The device described in any one of claims 1 to 6, which is configured so that when the battery attempts to move relatively toward the circuit section within the housing, the battery comes into contact with the portion, thereby preventing the battery from coming into contact with the circuit section.

8. the circuit unit includes a coil element and a heat-generating component other than the coil element; The device described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a first heat dissipation member for dissipating heat generated from the coil element and a second heat dissipation member for dissipating heat generated from the component are arranged to be thermally separated, and configured so that heat generated from the coil element is not transmitted to the component.

9. The circuit portion includes a magnetic field generating source, The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a member having a magnetic shielding function disposed around the magnetic field generating source.

10. A power supply device that can be fixed inside a vehicle cabin, A hook-and-loop fastener can be attached to the surface of the lower surface area of ​​the housing, The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the hook-and-loop fastener is configured to be attached to and detached from a carpet arranged in the vehicle interior.

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