Charge and Discharge Device for Secondary Battery

Abstract

The attachment, detachment, and assembly of the power supply board of the power supply unit that constitutes the charging and discharging device for secondary batteries can be performed easily, quickly, and safely, greatly improving the workability and safety of maintenance and other operations. 【Solution means】A charging and discharging device for secondary batteries including a power supply unit 1 disposed above a battery container 50 that houses a plurality of batteries 60 to be inspected, and capable of performing charging and discharging on the batteries 60 by the power supply unit 1. The power supply unit 1 includes a plurality of power supply boards 20 that come into contact with each battery 60 in the battery container 50 from above to perform predetermined charging and discharging, a power supply case 10 that can accommodate the plurality of power supply boards 20 in a suspended state at predetermined positions corresponding to each battery 60 in the battery container 50, and guide means 30 that detachably guides the plurality of power supply boards 20 in a suspended state into the power supply case 10. By the guide means 30, the plurality of power supply boards 20 are configured to be detachably and non-droppably held in a suspended state in the power supply case 10.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a charge and discharge device for a secondary battery that performs charge and discharge for activating and quality inspecting a secondary battery used in IT devices such as smartphones and electric vehicles.

Background Art

[0002] Today, the demand for secondary batteries used in IT devices such as smartphones and electric vehicles is rapidly increasing. In the final process of a mass production factory of this type of secondary battery, a charge and discharge device that performs charge and discharge for activating and quality inspecting the produced secondary battery is widely used. By using such a charge and discharge device, it becomes possible to mechanize the activation and quality inspection of secondary batteries that were previously performed manually, contributing to the realization of mass production of secondary batteries.

[0003] Here, such a charge and discharge device generally performs predetermined charge and discharge on a secondary battery to be inspected via a power supply unit including a plurality of power supply boards corresponding to a plurality of secondary batteries. In the power supply unit of the charge and discharge device, a plurality of power supply boards that come into contact with a large number of secondary batteries from above to execute charge and discharge are housed in a power supply case serving as a housing, and contact pins on the bottom surface side of the power supply boards come into contact with the secondary batteries from above to execute charge and discharge inspection.

[0004] The plurality of power supply boards housed in the power supply case are housed in the internal space of the power supply board when the charge and discharge device is manufactured and introduced. However, when maintenance is performed according to the subsequent usage situation, usage period, etc., they can be removed from the power supply case so that necessary inspections, repairs, etc. can be performed. As a technology related to the power supply unit of such a charge and discharge device for a secondary battery, for example, "Multi-channel charge and discharge power supply with contact function" disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In such a conventional charge / discharge device for secondary batteries, there has been room for improvement, particularly in terms of the workability of attachment / detachment and assembly during maintenance of the power board of the power unit.

[0007] The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and can easily, quickly, and safely attach / detach and assemble the power board of the power unit constituting the charge / discharge device for secondary batteries, and can significantly improve the workability and safety of maintenance and the like. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a charge / discharge device for secondary batteries suitable for a power unit called a so-called cableless method / fixture integrated type, etc., in which the contact pins of the power board can be directly contacted with the secondary batteries to be inspected.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a charge / discharge device for secondary batteries, comprising a power unit disposed above a battery container that houses a plurality of secondary batteries to be inspected, and the power unit can perform predetermined charge / discharge on the secondary batteries. The power unit includes a plurality of power boards that contact each secondary battery in the battery container from above and perform predetermined charge / discharge, a power case that can accommodate the plurality of power boards in a suspended state at predetermined positions corresponding to each secondary battery in the battery container, and guide means for detachably guiding the plurality of power boards in a suspended state in the power case. The guide means is configured such that each of the plurality of power boards is held in a suspended state in the power case in a detachable and non-dropping manner.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] According to the charge and discharge device for secondary batteries of the present invention, the attachment, detachment, and assembly of the power board of the power supply unit constituting the charge and discharge device for secondary batteries can be performed easily, quickly, and safely, and the workability and safety of maintenance and the like can be greatly improved. Therefore, it becomes possible to provide a charge and discharge device for secondary batteries suitable for a power supply unit called a so-called cableless method / fixture integrated type or the like in which the contact pins of the power board can be directly contacted with the secondary batteries to be inspected.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0010]

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BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings attached to this specification, embodiments in which the charge and discharge device for a secondary battery according to the present invention is embodied will be described to aid understanding of the present invention. The charge and discharge device for a secondary battery according to the present invention is used for activating and quality inspecting secondary batteries used in IT devices such as smartphones and electric vehicles, for example, in the final process of a secondary battery mass production factory, etc. It is a charge and discharge device for secondary batteries that performs a predetermined charge and discharge process on the produced secondary batteries.

[0012] Specifically, the charge and discharge device for a secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present invention is used for activating and quality inspecting secondary batteries such as produced lithium ion batteries (test batteries: hereinafter also simply referred to as "batteries"), and is a device for charging and discharging a plurality of secondary batteries at once (simultaneously) in a plurality of test channels. First, with reference to FIGS. 1-6, the charge and discharge device for a secondary battery that is a prerequisite for the present invention will be described, including the problems to be solved.

[0013] Generally, in a battery production factory, there is a process (charge and discharge inspection) of charging and discharging current to the battery in order to activate the initial battery, and the device used there is a charge and discharge device (charge and discharge inspection device). Here, the charge and discharge inspection is one of the most important processes for determining the quality of a lithium ion battery by repeating charging and discharging at the current, voltage value, and temperature determined in the manufacture of the lithium ion battery. It is an advanced technology that simultaneously requires a high-precision charge and discharge inspection function, excellent safety, and energy saving. By performing such charge-discharge inspections with high precision, it becomes possible to charge and discharge with high precision the cells, which are the constituent materials of the lithium-ion battery installed in the device during the charge-discharge inspection process, and accumulate and analyze data on the performance and safety of the battery for each cell. Then, by classifying the cells based on the analysis data, it becomes possible to provide a safer and higher-performance lithium-ion battery to the market.

[0014] Here, for such a charge-discharge device for performing a charge-discharge inspection, generally, a method of electrically connecting the output terminal of the power supply circuit and the battery with a cable is common. However, in such a charge-discharge device with a cable connection method, there are drawbacks such as heat generation from the cable, noise effects due to the routing of the cable, and power loss due to an increase in resistance caused by the lengthening of the cable. Therefore, in order to suppress the power consumption generated in such a cable, a method of not using a cable or making the cable as short as possible has been proposed. For example, there is a method of providing a current output pin on the power supply circuit board (power supply board) and directly contacting the pin with the battery. Such a method of the charge-discharge device is called the "cableless method" or "fixture integrated type".

[0015] The charge-discharge device for a secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present invention employs a structure and device in which the electrode pins of the power supply unit for performing charge and discharge, which is called such a "cableless method / fixture integrated type", and the battery to be inspected can be directly contacted. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view schematically showing the overall exploded state configuration of a power supply case, a power supply board, and a battery container, which constitute a charge-discharge device for a secondary battery of the "cableless method / fixture integrated type" (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the "integrated type"), which is a premise of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of the power supply case and the power supply board shown in FIG. 1, where (a) is a schematic perspective view of the assembled state and (b) is a perspective view thereof. FIG. 3 schematically shows the overall configuration of the power supply case, power supply board, and battery container. (a) is a schematic perspective view of the state before the power supply board contacts the battery, and (b) is a schematic perspective view of the state after contact.

[0016] The charge-discharge device for secondary batteries shown in these figures is used for the activation and quality inspection of produced batteries (secondary batteries) 60 such as lithium-ion batteries, and can charge and discharge a plurality of batteries 60 at once. Specifically, the charge-discharge device for secondary batteries of this embodiment includes a power supply unit 1 disposed above a battery container 50 that houses a plurality of batteries 60 to be inspected, and the power supply unit 1 can perform predetermined charge and discharge on the plurality of batteries 60.

[0017] [Power Supply Unit] The power supply unit 1 includes a plurality of power supply boards 20 that contact each battery 60 in the battery container 50 from above and perform predetermined charge and discharge, and a power supply case 10 that can accommodate the plurality of power supply boards 20 in a suspended state at predetermined positions corresponding to each battery 60 in the battery container 50. The electrode pins 21 of the power supply board 20 can be directly contacted with the electrodes (positive electrode 61 / negative electrode 62) of the battery 60, constituting an "integrated" charge-discharge device. And in this embodiment, it is characterized by including guide means 30 for detachably guiding the plurality of power supply boards 20 in a suspended state within the power supply case 10. This guide means will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 7-10.

[0018] [Power Supply Case] The power supply case 10 is a housing for accommodating and holding a plurality of power supply boards 20. As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, it has an opening on the front side and the bottom side. Thereby, the plurality of power supply boards 20 can be inserted from the front side of the power supply case 10, and the plurality of power supply boards 20 arranged in parallel are accommodated, and the bottom surfaces of the respective power supply boards 20 are exposed from the bottom side of the power supply case 10. In addition, for each power supply board 20 inserted and housed in the power supply case 10, the connector 22 on the tip side in the insertion direction is fitted and connected to a connector (not shown) located on the inner end side of the power supply case 10, and the screw hole 23 at the rear end in the insertion direction is screwed and fixed to the taps 11 and screws 12 on the front side of the power supply case 10.

[0019] As a result, a plurality of power supply boards 20 are housed in a suspended state at predetermined positions within the power supply case 10 and can also be detachably removed. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, eight power supply boards 20 are inserted into the power supply case 10 at predetermined intervals at predetermined positions and are housed and held in a suspended state.

[0020] In addition, the power supply case 10 is also open on the bottom side, and for each of the plurality of power supply boards 20 housed and fixed in the power supply case 10, the bottom side will be exposed from the power supply case 10, and a plurality of electrode pins 21 provided on the bottom side of the power supply board 20 will be exposed and protrude from the power supply case 10 to the bottom side. As a result, the plurality of electrode pins 21 of each power supply board 20 are directly in contact and electrically connected to a plurality of batteries 60 housed in a battery container 50 disposed below the power supply unit 1 at predetermined positions without passing through a cable or the like.

[0021] Note that the power supply case 10 has a space capable of housing a predetermined number of power supply boards 20, the power supply boards 20 can be inserted, removed, and detached from the front side, and the electrode pins 21 of the power supply boards 20 can be exposed and protrude from the bottom side. Other configurations, structures, etc. are not particularly limited as long as these conditions are met. Therefore, including the connector (not shown) on the inner end side of the case described above, the power supply case 10 is provided with the configurations and structures necessary for the power supply unit 1 in the same manner as a normal charge and discharge device for secondary batteries.

[0022] [Power supply board] The power supply board 20 is a power supply circuit board that contacts each battery 60 in the battery container 50 from above and performs predetermined charging and discharging. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, the power supply board 20 is composed of a substrate formed in a plate shape or a plate-like shape. Each power supply board 20 is inserted into the power supply case 10 from the front side in the depth direction and is accommodated and aligned in a plurality of parallel states.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1-2, each power supply board 20 is provided with a connector 22 on the tip side (the rear end side of the case) in the case insertion direction. When each power supply board 20 is inserted and accommodated in the power supply case 10, the connector 22 is fitted and connected to a connector (not shown) located on the rear end side of the power supply case 10, and a predetermined charging and discharging process is executed under the control of a control means (charging and discharging controller) not shown. Although not particularly shown in FIGS. 1-3, it goes without saying that necessary electronic components and battery circuits for performing predetermined charging and discharging processes on the battery 60 are mounted on the substrate surface (front surface / rear surface) of each power supply board 20.

[0024] In addition, each power supply board 20 is provided with a screw hole 23 protruding on the rear end side in the insertion direction and facing and abutting against the upper edge of the opening on the front side of the power supply case 10. The screw hole 23 is screwed and fixed to the tap 11 on the front side of the power supply case 10 via a screw 12. As a result, a predetermined number of power supply boards 20 are accommodated in a suspended state at a predetermined position in the power supply case 10 and can be detachably removed. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, eight power supply boards 20 are detachably accommodated and fixed at a predetermined position in the power supply case 10.

[0025] In addition, the power supply board 20 is provided with a plurality of electrode pins 21 on the bottom surface side that can contact the batteries in the battery container 50. The electrode pins 21 are configured as, for example, a pair of plus / minus contact pins or a plurality of (a plurality of pairs of) plus / minus contact pins that are connected to the positive electrode 61 and negative electrode 62 (see FIG. 4) of the battery 60 housed in the battery container 50 described later. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, corresponding to the number of batteries 60 housed in the battery container 50, each power board 20 has seven (seven pairs) of electrode pins 21 protruding at predetermined positions and at predetermined intervals along the case insertion direction.

[0026] Such a plurality of electrode pins 21 are exposed and protrude downward from the opening on the bottom surface side of the power case 10 in a state where each power board 20 is housed and fixed in the power case 10, and the plurality of electrode pins 21 of each power board 20 are directly in contact with and can be electrically connected to a plurality of batteries 60 housed in the battery container 50 disposed below the power unit 1 at predetermined positions. In addition, when both electrodes (positive electrode / negative electrode) of the battery 60 are not provided on the upper surface of the battery, for example, when one of the electrodes of the electrode 60 is provided on the lower surface side of the battery, one of the electrode pins 21 of the power board 20 can be brought into contact with and connected to the electrode (positive electrode or negative electrode) on the lower surface side of the battery 60, for example, via a cable, harness, or the like. Therefore, the number, configuration, mode, etc. of the electrode pins 21 can be appropriately corresponded according to the arrangement and configuration of the electrodes of the battery 60 to be connected.

[0027] [Battery Container / Battery] The battery container 50 is a container that houses a plurality of batteries 60 to be inspected in a secondary battery charging and discharging device, and is also a container called a tray, pallet, or the like. Specifically, the battery container 50 is configured as a container having a storage space opened on the upper surface side, and a predetermined number of batteries 60 can be arranged in a plurality in a vertical and horizontal planar shape. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, cylindrical secondary batteries (cylindrical batteries) as the batteries 60 can be arranged in 8 columns in the vertical direction (depth direction of the drawing) × 7 columns in the horizontal direction (left - right direction of the drawing) = a total of 56 pieces at predetermined intervals.

[0028] The battery 60 housed in the battery container 50 is a secondary battery (lithium-ion battery) to be inspected by the charge-discharge device for secondary batteries, and is configured to perform predetermined charge and discharge by contacting the electrode 21 of the power supply board 20 of the power supply unit 1. Specifically, the charge-discharge device for secondary batteries is provided with a lifting means and a lifting mechanism (not shown), which is a so-called mechanical unit, into which the battery container 50 housing the battery 60 is inserted and placed. By the lifting operation of the lifting means, the battery container 50 placed thereon moves upward and rises, contacts the electrode 21 of the power supply board 20 at a predetermined position, and the charge-discharge process is executed. After the charge-discharge process is completed, by the lifting operation of the lifting means, the battery container moves downward and descends, the contact with the electrode 21 of the power supply board 20 is released, the battery container 50 can be pulled out from the placement position of the lifting means, and the battery 60 that has completed the charge-discharge can be taken out from the battery container 50.

[0029] FIG. 3(a) shows a state in which the battery container 50 housing the battery 60 is mounted and arranged at a predetermined position of a lifting means (not shown) below the power supply case 10, and the battery container 50 moves up and down by the movement of the lifting means. FIG. 3(b) shows a state in which the battery container 50 rises upward and is integrated with the power supply unit 1. In this state, the electrode pin 21 of the power supply board 20 and the electrodes (positive electrode 61 / negative electrode 62) of the battery 60 are in direct contact, and current transmission from the power supply board 20 to the battery becomes possible.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows an example of the battery 60 housed in the battery container 50 as described above. The battery 60 shown in the figure is an example of a cylindrical battery (cylindrical cell), the protrusion at the center of the upper surface of the battery is the positive electrode 61, and almost all of the other surfaces (upper surface) are the negative electrode 62. For such a battery 60, the electrode pins 21 of the power supply board 20 of the battery unit 1 located above contact the positive electrode 61 and the negative electrode 62 of the battery 60 respectively, are electrically connected, and a predetermined charge-discharge process is executed on the battery 60. Note that, as described above, the electrode pins 21 of the power supply board 20 are composed of, for example, a pair of plus / minus contact pins, a plurality of (a plurality of pairs of) plus / minus contact pins, or a plurality of contact pins with different numbers of plus / minus, etc., and can be set and configured corresponding to the electrodes on the battery 60 side to be inspected.

[0031] Here, as the batteries to be inspected in the power supply unit 1 (charge / discharge device for secondary batteries) according to the present embodiment, there are a plurality of types (forms / structures) including the cylindrical battery 60 shown in FIG. 4. Generally, there are the following types of cylindrical, square, and laminated batteries. In the present embodiment, the cylindrical battery 60 is illustrated and described, but the form and structure of the battery are not particularly limited. Needless to say, even other forms (square / laminated) of batteries can be applied as the inspection objects of the charge / discharge device for secondary batteries according to the present invention.

[0032] [Cylindrical type] The cylindrical type is a cylindrical battery represented by, for example, 18650 / 21700 batteries. As shown in FIG. 1, it is most suitable for the "integrated" power supply unit 1. Generally, the contact between the power supply board 20 (electrode pins 21) and the battery 60 is a probe pin. [Square type] The square type is a cuboid-shaped battery and can be supported by the "integrated" power supply unit 1. However, since the battery shape varies depending on the use and target of the battery, etc., corresponding measures on the power supply unit 1 side may be required. Generally, the contact between the power supply board 20 and the battery 60 is a probe pin, and for some batteries, for example, a pressure restraint mechanism, jig, etc. may be required to ensure contact with the probe pin. [Laminated type] The laminated type is a pouch-shaped battery. Unlike cylindrical batteries, it cannot be directly connected to the "integrated" power supply unit 1 as it is, and a harness or the like is required. However, it can be made to work by means of improvements and developments. A dedicated clip is generally used for the contact between the power supply board 20 and the battery 60. Compared with rectangular and cylindrical types, there are cost-increasing factors such as an increase in the amount of wiring.

[0033] [Detachment / assembly procedure] In the charging / discharging device for a secondary battery of the "integrated" type having the above-described configuration, the working process when the power supply board 20 is detached and attached to the power supply case 10 in the power supply unit 1 shown in FIG. 1, which is the premise of the present invention, and the problems at that time will be described with reference to FIGS. 5-6. First, a plurality of each power supply board 20 is attached to the power supply case 10. As shown in FIG. 5, the attachment method is such that the power supply board 20 is inserted from the front side of the power supply case 10, and the connector 22 on the tip side in the insertion direction of the power supply board 20 is fitted and connected to the connector on the inner end side of the power supply case 10. In this state, the power supply board 20 is screwed to the upper part on the front side of the power supply case 10.

[0034] Specifically, on each power supply board 20, a screw hole 23 that faces and abuts against the upper edge of the opening on the front side of the power supply case 10 protrudes on the rear end side in the insertion direction. This screw hole 23 is screwed and fixed to the tap 11 on the front side of the power supply case 10 via a screw 12. This attachment operation is to be sequentially performed for a predetermined number of (eight in this embodiment) power supply boards 20.

[0035] However, for the operation of attaching and screwing the power supply board 20 to the power supply case 10, the operator needs to hold the power supply board 20 in his hand and always keep it floating in a hollow state. However, holding such a power supply board 20 is a very difficult operation considering the weight and structure of the power supply board 20. Not only is the burden on the operator large, but in the worst case, the power supply board 20 may fall off or drop. As described above, in the "integrated" charging and discharging device for secondary batteries, the lower part of the power supply case 10 that constitutes the power supply unit 1 needs to be directly connected to the battery 60 below without a cable, so the electrode pins 21 of the power supply board 20 are exposed. Therefore, the power supply board 20 of the power supply unit 1 has a structure where there is no support or reception at the lower part (see Fig. 5).

[0036] In such a state, if an attempt is made to perform attachment / detachment work from the power supply case 10 on the power supply board 20, for example, for maintenance, etc., the difficulties in holding the power supply board 20 as described above and the risks of dropping or falling will occur. Specifically, the maintenance of the power supply board 20 involves removing the power supply board 20 from the power supply case 10, performing necessary inspections, component replacements, etc., and once that is done, returning it to the original position of the power supply case 10 and accommodating / fixing it, which is a process / work. And in order to attach / detach the power supply board 20 from the power supply case 10, as shown in Fig. 5, it is necessary to remove / tighten the screw 12 at the upper front part of the top plate of the power supply case 10 that fixes the power supply board 20. At that time, the lower part of the power supply board 20 is released and there is no support.

[0037] Therefore, if the operator removes the screw 12 without supporting the power supply board 20, as shown in Fig. 6, the power supply board 20 will simply fall down. If the power supply board 20 is dropped, the power supply board 20 itself may be damaged, the operator may be injured, and if there is a battery container 50 below, the battery 60 may be damaged, etc., and there is also a risk of ignition or fire. In order to prevent such a situation, the operator must support the power supply board 20 with one hand, perform the work with multiple operators, or devise some other means or method to prevent the power supply board 20 from falling down, and at the same time perform the attachment / detachment and screwing work of the screw 12.

[0038] Moreover, such problems occur not only when removing the power supply board 20 but also when attaching the power supply board 20, which has completed maintenance or the like, to the power supply case 10 side. In particular, in recent years, power supply boards have become very heavy due to the integration of a large number of components, making maintenance work extremely difficult and dangerous, which has been a major problem. Therefore, in this embodiment, when attaching and detaching the power supply board 20 from the power supply case 10, in order to prevent the power supply board 20 from falling even if the operator does not support the lower part of the power supply board 20 with one hand, the structure and configuration of the following guide means 30 are provided.

[0039] [Guide means] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of the power supply case 10 and the power supply board 20 provided with the guide means 30 according to this embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view schematically showing the power supply board 20 provided with the guide means 30 shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a schematic front view of the power supply case 10 and the power supply board 20 also provided with the guide means 30. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the power supply board 20 also provided with the guide means 30, (a) is a schematic front view, and (b) is a side view.

[0040] As shown in these figures, the guide means 30 is a means and mechanism for detachably guiding a plurality of power supply boards 20 in a suspended state within the power supply case 10. By providing this guide means 30, each of the plurality of power supply boards 20 is held in a suspended state within the power supply case 10 in a detachable and non-droppable manner. Therefore, when attaching and detaching the power supply board 20 during maintenance or the like of the power supply unit 1, there is no risk of the power supply board 20 falling off or dropping, and the operator can use both hands freely, greatly improving the workability and safety of attachment, detachment, and assembly.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 7, the guide means 30 is constituted by an engaging structure that can be engaged with each other, provided on the upper edge side of each of the plurality of power supply boards 20 and inside the power supply case 10 corresponding to each of the plurality of power supply boards 20. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 8 - 10, the engaging structure constituting the guide means 30 is composed of a protruding portion 31 and a rail portion 32 that can be engaged with each other.

[0042] The protruding portion 31 is a member that protrudes from both sides of the power supply board 20 and extends along the longitudinal direction of the upper edge side of each of the plurality of power supply boards 20. This protruding portion 31 can be constituted by, for example, a pair of L-shaped long members that are fixed along the longitudinal direction of the board on both sides of the upper edge of the power supply board 20 and form a T-shaped (see FIG. 9) shape in front view together with the front portion of the power supply board 20. The rail portion 32 is a rail member provided on the inner ceiling surface of the power supply case 10 with which the protruding portion 31 can be engaged. This rail portion 32 can be constituted by, for example, a pair of L-shaped rail members that are fixed along the longitudinal direction of the case on the inner side of the top surface of the power supply case 10 and form a downward-facing C-shaped (see FIG. 9) shape in front view together with the top surface portion of the power supply case 10.

[0043] Here, it is preferable that the protruding portion 31 has a predetermined length that is shorter than the total length of the power supply board 20 in the longitudinal direction at the upper edge of the power supply board 20, and both ends terminate inside the longitudinal direction of the power supply board 20. Also, it is preferable that the rail portion 32 has a predetermined length that is slightly shorter than the total length of the power supply case 10 in the longitudinal direction on the inner side of the top surface of the power supply case 10, and both ends terminate inside the longitudinal direction of the power supply case 10. Also, it is preferable to perform rounding R (round) processing or tapering processing that tapers at the end on the tip side in the insertion direction of the protruding portion 31. By doing so, by inserting the power supply board 20 from the front of the power supply case 10, the tip of the insertion direction of the protruding portion 31 can be easily mounted and engaged with the end of the rail portion 32. After that, by simply sliding the power supply board 20 toward the back side of the power supply case 10, the power supply board 20 can be inserted and housed in the power supply case 10.

[0044] In addition, in the engagement structure constituting the guide means 30 described above, each of the plurality of power supply boards 20 can be provided with positioning means for being held in a suspended state at a predetermined position within the power supply case 10. As the positioning means, for example, it can be constituted by convex portions provided on each of the plurality of power supply boards 20 and contacting the rail portion 32 at a predetermined position within the power supply case 10. Specifically, on the rear end side in the insertion direction of the power supply board 20, convex portions such as bolts can be provided that contact the end of the rail portion 32 at the accommodation position of the power supply board 20 to restrict the insertion and sliding movement of the power supply board 20. Thereby, the power supply board 20 can be positioned at a predetermined position in the insertion direction (horizontal direction) within the power supply case 10.

[0045] Also, on the front end side in the insertion direction of the power supply board 20, convex portions such as bolts can be provided that contact and sandwich the rail portion 32 from above and below together with the protruding portion 31. Thereby, the power supply board 20 can be positioned at a predetermined position in the height direction (vertical direction) within the power supply case 10. By providing such positioning means, the insertion operation of the power supply board 20 into the power supply case 10 can be performed more easily and smoothly. Also, by simply sliding the power supply board 20 toward the back side of the power supply case 10, the power supply board 20 can be stopped and positioned at a predetermined position within the power supply case 10, and the insertion / removal operation of the power supply board 20 can be made easier and more efficient.

[0046] As described above, the guiding means 30 provided in the power supply unit 1 according to the present embodiment is configured in the form of a kind of "suspended monorail" that can suspend and slide the power supply board 20 back and forth by providing a rail mechanism (engagement structure) that engages with the lower part of the top plate of the power supply case 10 and the upper part of the power supply board 20 as shown in FIGS. 7-10. As a specific example of this rail mechanism, in the present embodiment, it is composed of a (downward) C-shaped rail (see FIG. 9) at the lower part of the top plate of the power supply case 10 and a T-shaped rail (see FIGS. 8 and 10) at the upper part of the power supply board 20. In addition, in FIGS. 8-10, the structure of the engagement structure (protrusion 31 · rail part 32) is exaggeratedly drawn for easy understanding.

[0047] By providing such a protrusion 31 and a rail part 32, the power supply board 20 can be attached to and detached from the power supply case 10 simply by sliding, and the risk of the power supply board 20 falling is eliminated. After the power supply board 20 is slidably inserted into the power supply case 10, similar to the secondary battery charging and discharging device described above (see FIG. 5), screws 12 are screwed into the screw holes 23 of each power supply board 20 and the taps 11 on the front side of the power supply case 10, and the power supply board 20 is fixed to the power supply case 10. Also, when removing the power supply board 20 from the power supply case 10, after releasing the screw 12 that fixes the power supply board 20, the power supply board 20 can be easily removed from the power supply case 10 by simply sliding the power supply board 20 to the front side of the power supply case 10.

[0048] Note that the guiding means 30 of the present embodiment is not limited to the above-described engagement structure and rail shape, and may be in other forms as long as it has a structure and mechanism that can hold and slide the power supply board 20 in the power supply case 10. For example, in the above-described guide means 30, both the protruding portion 31 on the power supply board 20 side and the rail portion 32 on the power supply case 10 side are configured as continuous straight lines without breaks. However, in addition to this, for example, the protruding portion 31 can also be configured as a discontinuous protruding portion or convex portion with breaks. By doing so, the material of the protruding portion 31 can be saved, and it becomes possible to suppress cost reduction and an increase in the weight of the power supply board 20.

[0049] Also, in the above-described guide means 30, as an engaging structure that engages with the rail portion 32 on the power supply case 10 side, protruding portions 31 protruding from both sides of the power supply board 20 are provided. However, in addition to this, for example, a groove portion with which the rail portion 32 can engage is provided on the upper edge of the power supply board 20, and an engaging structure can be formed thereby. That is, as the guide means of the present invention, as long as it is an engaging structure that can engage with each other, provided on the upper edge side of the power supply board 20 and inside the power supply case 10 corresponding to the power supply board 20, any uneven structure or the like can be configured as the guide means regardless of the shape and form.

[0050] As described above, according to the charge and discharge device for a secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present invention, a large number of power supply boards 20 housed in the power supply case 10 of the power supply unit 1 are suspended in the power supply case 10 via the guide means 30 and are detachably and non-droppably held. As a result, when detaching and attaching the power supply board 20 during maintenance of the power supply unit 1 or the like, there is no risk of inadvertently dropping or falling the power supply board 20, and since the operator can use both hands, the workability of detachment and assembly is also greatly improved.

[0051] In the conventional power supply unit 1, since the power supply board 20 was only fixed and held to the power supply case 10 by screwing, the operator performing the attachment / detachment work had to support the power supply board 20 with the free hand, hold the power supply board 20 with multiple people, or take some other means to devise and pay attention so that the power supply board 20 would not fall from the power supply case 10. At the same time, the operator had to loosen (or tighten) the screws fixing the power supply board 20. Therefore, it was always necessary to pay careful attention to prevent the power supply board 20 from falling off or dropping. The attachment / detachment of the power supply board 20 itself became a difficult and time-consuming task, significantly impairing the workability and efficiency of the overall maintenance of the power supply unit 1. There was also a risk that the operator might get injured.

[0052] On the other hand, in the charge / discharge device for secondary batteries of the present invention, each of the plurality of power supply boards 20 can be held and accommodated in a detachable and non-dropping suspended state with respect to the power supply case 10 by the guide means 30. The power supply board 20 can be held by the power supply case 10 without falling off even when the operator releases the hand, and the operator can freely use both hands. Therefore, according to the present invention, the attachment / detachment and assembly of the plurality of power supply boards 20 can be performed easily, quickly, and safely, and the workability and safety of maintenance and the like of the charge / discharge device for secondary batteries and the power supply unit 1 can be significantly improved.

[0053] Note that the charge / discharge device for secondary batteries according to the above-described embodiment is provided with a computer that executes a physical electric circuit (not shown) or a predetermined process, means, and function according to a program (software) instruction instead of the physical electric circuit as control means (charge / discharge controller) for executing and controlling a predetermined charge / discharge process by the power supply unit 1. The program can send commands to each component of the computer and cause the power supply unit 1 to perform a predetermined charge / discharge process, function, etc. according to the present invention. Therefore, each process, means, and function of the power supply unit 1 in the present invention can be realized by specific means in which a program and a computer cooperate with each other.

[0054] Here, all or part of the program is provided, for example, by a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or any other computer-readable recording medium, and the program read from the recording medium is installed in and executed by the computer. Further, the program can be directly loaded into and executed by the computer through a communication line without passing through the recording medium. Also, the computer that controls the power supply unit 1 according to the present invention can be configured by a single information processing device (for example, a single personal computer or the like), or can be configured by a plurality of information processing devices (for example, a group of a plurality of server computers or the like).

[0055] Specifically, the information processing device that constitutes the power control means (charge / discharge controller) according to the present invention is configured by hardware including, for example, a CPU, RAM, ROM, HDD, input device, display device (display), communication IF, etc. These components are connected by a system bus, and data is exchanged via the system bus. The CPU (Central Processing Unit), also called the central processing unit, is the central processing part of the computer, and performs control of each device, calculation, and processing of data. RAM (Random Access Memory) is a type of memory device that allows data to be erased and rewritten. ROM (Read Only Memory) is a type of memory device using semiconductors or the like, and data can be written only once during manufacturing, and only the recorded data can be read during use. HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is an auxiliary storage device that utilizes the properties of magnetic materials to record and read information. The input device is used for the user to give operation instructions to the computer or to input characters, etc., and is specifically composed of a keyboard, mouse, etc. The display device is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display. Each device in this system may be provided with a device having a touch panel function in which the input device and the display device are integrated. It can also be provided with a communication function (communication IF) that enables communication with other terminals, information processing devices, etc. The communication IF (Inter Face) is a device for communicating with other devices according to a predetermined communication standard, and includes, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card).

[0056] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, as a configuration of the charge / discharge device for a secondary battery, the case of the "cableless method / fixture integrated type" in which the electrode pins 21 of the power supply board 20 of the power supply unit 1 are in direct contact with the electrodes (positive electrode 61 / negative electrode 62) of the object to be inspected 60 was taken as an example for explanation. However, the present invention is not particularly limited with respect to the connection structure between the power supply unit and the battery as long as the power supply board is arranged and accommodated in a suspended state within the power supply unit. Therefore, even for a (normal) charge / discharge device that electrically connects the output terminal of the power supply circuit and the battery with a cable, when the power supply board is held in a suspended state so that it can be attached and detached or cannot fall off, the present invention can be preferably applied.

[0057] Regarding the guide means 30 described in the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the rail portion 32 provided on the power supply case 10 side can also be provided, for example, on a rack or pedestal for temporarily storing the power supply board 20. As described above, when performing maintenance or the like on the power supply unit 1, the power supply board 20 is in a state of being removed from the power supply case 10, and necessary inspections, repairs, etc. are performed. Also, in the manufacturing process of the power supply board 20, necessary operations are performed in a state of being removed from the power supply case 10. In such a case, until the power supply board 20 is finally accommodated in the power supply case 10, it may be attached to, for example, a rack or pedestal for temporary storage. Such a rack or pedestal, like the above-described power supply case 10, desirably can hold and temporarily store the power supply board 20 in a suspended state.

[0058] Therefore, as such a rack or pedestal for temporary storage, similar to the above-described power supply case 10, a rack or pedestal having an engagement structure similar to the rail portion 32 that can detachably guide and non-detachably hold the power supply board 20 provided with the protruding portion 31 and the positioning means of the guide means 30 according to the present invention in a suspended state can be used. By using a rack and pedestal having the same configuration as such guide means 30 and engagement structure, the temporary storage operation of the power board 20 can be performed easily, safely, and quickly, and the maintenance work of the power unit 1 can be performed more efficiently.

Industrial Applicability

[0059] The present invention can be suitably used as a charge and discharge device for a secondary battery that performs charge and discharge for activation and quality inspection of a secondary battery used in IT devices such as smartphones and electric vehicles.

Explanation of Signs

[0060] 1 Power unit (charge and discharge device for secondary battery) 10 Power case 11 Tap 20 Power board 21 Electrode pin 22 Connector 23 Screw hole 30 Guide means 31 Protrusion 32 Rail part 50 Battery container 60 Battery (cylindrical battery) 61 Positive electrode 62 Negative electrode

Claims

1. A charging / discharging device for a secondary battery, comprising: a power supply unit disposed above a battery container accommodating a plurality of secondary batteries to be inspected; and the power supply unit is capable of performing predetermined charging and discharging of the secondary batteries, The power supply unit includes: a plurality of power supply boards that contact each of the secondary batteries in the battery container from above and perform predetermined charging and discharging; a power supply case capable of accommodating the plurality of power supply boards in a suspended state at predetermined positions corresponding to the respective secondary batteries within the battery container; a guide means for detachably guiding the plurality of power supply boards in a suspended state within the power supply case, The guide means holds each of the plurality of power supply boards in a suspended state within the power supply case so that the boards can be detached and cannot fall off. A charging / discharging device for a secondary battery.

2. The guide means The upper edge side of each of the plurality of power supply boards and an engagement structure provided inside the power supply case corresponding to each of the plurality of power supply boards, which can be engaged with each other, are provided.

2. The secondary battery charge / discharge device according to claim 1.

3. The engagement structure is a protrusion extending along a longitudinal direction of an upper edge of each of the plurality of power supply boards and protruding from both sides of the power supply board; a rail portion provided on the inner ceiling surface of the power supply case and with which the protrusion can be engaged; 3. The secondary battery charge / discharge device according to claim 2.

4. The engagement structure is Each of the plurality of power supply boards is provided with a positioning means for holding the boards in a suspended state at a predetermined position within the power supply case.

4. The secondary battery charge / discharge device according to claim 3.

5. The positioning means is a protrusion provided on each of the plurality of power supply boards, the protrusion abutting the rail portion at a predetermined position within the power supply case; 5. The secondary battery charge / discharge device according to claim 4.

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