Battery module

Abstract

To provide a battery module capable of easily laminating a battery cell and a resin frame along a thickness direction in a linear state.SOLUTION: A battery module 10 comprises: a plurality of battery cells; and a plurality of resin frames 14 that alternately laminates each battery cell to a thickness direction. Each resin frame 14 includes: a flat plate-like base part 16; and a plurality of ribs 20 that is projected from the base part 16 to the thickness direction so as to be contacted to each battery cell. Each rib 20 is constructed so as to expand an interval between the base part 16 and each battery cell in accordance with a direction to a both end part from a center part in a flat surface view when applying a predetermined pressure to each battery cell and the resin frame 14 to the thickness direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module.

Background Art

[0002] A battery module in which a plurality of rectangular battery cells and a plurality of resin frames are alternately laminated in the thickness direction has been conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This resin frame has a flat base portion and a plurality of ribs that project in the thickness direction from the surface of the base portion and abut on the surfaces of adjacent battery cells. The ribs are formed in a trapezoidal cross-section shape that becomes wider as it approaches the base end in the thickness direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, since the battery cell is formed in a substantially barrel shape in which the central side bulges slightly in an arc shape in plan view, it is difficult to stack the battery cell and the resin frame linearly along the thickness direction when stacking them.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to obtain a battery module in which a battery cell and a resin frame can be easily stacked linearly along the thickness direction.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, the The 1 aspect battery module according to the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of A plurality of resin frames alternately laminated with the battery cell in the thickness direction, wherein the resin frame has a flat base portion and a plurality of ribs protruding from the base portion in the thickness direction and contacting the battery cell. a plurality of When a predetermined pressure is applied to the battery cell and the resin frame in the thickness direction, the ribs are configured to widen the distance between the base portion and the battery cell from the central portion to both end portions in a plan view. includes a shape that curves and extends from the central portion side on one side in the height direction of the base portion to both end portion sides of the base portion when viewed from the thickness direction are provided.

[0007] The 1 aspect According to the invention of 1, a plurality of ribs protruding from the base portion in the thickness direction and contacting the battery cell are configured to widen the distance between the base portion and the battery cell from the central portion to both end portions in a plan view when a predetermined pressure is applied to the battery cell and the resin frame in the thickness direction. includes a shape that curves and extends from the central portion side on one side in the height direction of the base portion to both end portion sides of the base portion when viewed from the thickness direction Therefore, even if the battery cell is formed in a substantially barrel shape with a slightly arcuate bulge on the central side in a plan view, the battery cell and the resin frame can be easily laminated linearly along the thickness direction.

[0008] Also, The 2 aspect The battery module of The 1 aspect is the battery module of a plurality of The ribs are configured such that their width increases from the central portion to the both end portions.

[0009] The 2 aspect According to the invention of a plurality of the ribs are configured such that their width increases from the central portion to the both end portions of the base portion. Therefore, when a predetermined pressure is applied to the battery cell and the resin frame in the thickness direction, the ribs on the central portion side of the base portion are more likely to be crushed than the ribs on the both end portions side of the base portion. Therefore, even if the battery cell is formed in a substantially barrel shape with a slightly arcuate bulge on the central side in a plan view, the battery cell and the resin frame can be easily laminated linearly along the thickness direction.

[0010] Also, The 3 aspect The battery module is The one or The two aspect battery modules, a plurality of wherein the rib is configured to be more easily crushed as it goes from both end portions to the central portion.

[0011] The three aspect According to the invention of a plurality of the rib is configured to be more easily crushed as it goes from both end portions to the central portion of the base portion. Therefore, even if the battery cell is formed in a substantially barrel shape in which the central side bulges slightly in an arc shape in plan view, the battery cell and the resin frame can be easily stacked linearly along the thickness direction.

[0012] Also, The four aspect the battery module is The one aspect battery module, a plurality of wherein the rib is configured such that its protruding height increases as it goes from the central portion to both end portions.

[0013] The four aspect According to the invention of a plurality of the rib is configured such that its protruding height increases as it goes from the central portion to both end portions of the base portion. Therefore, even if the battery cell is formed in a substantially barrel shape in which the central side bulges slightly in an arc shape in plan view, the battery cell and the resin frame can be easily stacked linearly along the thickness direction.

Effect of the Invention

[0014] As described above, according to the present invention, the battery cell and the resin frame can be easily stacked linearly along the thickness direction.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, the direction of arrow D shown in FIG. 1 is defined as the “thickness direction” and “lamination direction” of the battery cell 12 and the resin frame 14, and the direction of arrow W shown in FIG. 1 is defined as the “left - right direction” of the battery cell 12 and the resin frame 14. Also, the direction of arrow H shown in FIG. 2 is defined as the “height direction” and “up - down direction” of the battery cell 12 and the resin frame 14.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 4(A), the battery cell 12 in this embodiment is formed in a rectangular shape (substantially rectangular flat box shape) with a thickness smaller than the length in the left - right direction and the height in the height direction, and is formed in a substantially barrel shape in which the central side in the left - right direction bulges in an arc shape in the thickness direction (lamination direction) in a plan view. The battery module 10 according to this embodiment is configured by alternately laminating a plurality of these battery cells 12 and a plurality of resin frames 14 described later in the thickness direction of the battery cell 12 (see FIG. 1).

[0018] <First Embodiment> First, the battery module 10 according to the first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of resin frames 14 that constitute the battery module 10 together with a plurality of battery cells 12 are provided so as to be sandwiched between the battery cells 12 (so that the battery cells 12 are fitted).

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the resin frame 14 has a substantially rectangular flat base portion 16 and a plurality of ribs 20 that project in the thickness direction from both the front and back surfaces (hereinafter referred to as “wall surfaces”) 16A of the base portion 16 and abut against the wall surface 12A (see FIG. 4(A)) of the battery cell 12 facing the thickness direction. The plurality of ribs 20 are provided to straighten the cooling gas flowing through the gap between the battery cell 12 and the resin frame 14.

[0020] Further, when a predetermined pressure is applied in the thickness direction (lamination direction) to the alternately laminated battery cells 12 and the resin frame 14, the plurality of ribs 20 are configured to widen the distance between the wall surface 16A of the base portion 16 and the wall surface 12A of the battery cell 12 from the center in the left-right direction to both ends in the left-right direction in a plan view.

[0021] Specifically, a first rib 22 extending in the height direction is formed on the wall surface 16A of the base portion 16 from the center in the left-right direction at the lower portion 18 of the base portion 16, and its upper portion 22U extends curved outward in the left-right direction. Also, on the wall surface 16A of the base portion 16, third ribs 24 extending in the height direction are formed on both the left and right sides of the first rib 22, and their upper portions 24U also extend curved outward in the left-right direction.

[0022] And a second rib 23 extending in the left-right direction is formed on the wall surface 16A of the base portion 16 between the upper portion 22U extending in the left-right direction of the first rib 22 and the upper portion 24U extending in the left-right direction of the third rib 24. The left and right outer ends of the upper portion 22U of the first rib 22, the left and right outer ends of the second rib 23, and the left and right outer ends of the upper portion 24U of the third rib 24 are formed at substantially equal intervals in the height direction.

[0023] Further, on the wall surface 16A of the base portion 16, fifth ribs 26 extending in the height direction from the lower portion 18 of the base portion 16 are formed on both the left and right sides of the third rib 24, and the upper portions 26U thereof also extend curved outward in the left - right direction. And on the wall surface 16A of the base portion 16, sixth ribs 28 extending in the height direction from the lower portion 18 of the base portion 16 are formed on both the left and right sides of the fifth rib 26, and the upper portions 28U thereof also extend curved outward in the left - right direction.

[0024] Also, on the wall surface 16A of the base portion 16 between the upper portion 24U extending in the left - right direction of the third rib 24 and the upper portion 26U extending in the left - right direction of the fifth rib 26, a fourth rib 25 extending in the left - right direction is formed. Note that the left - right outer ends of the upper portion 24U of the third rib 24, the left - right outer ends of the fourth rib 25, the left - right outer ends of the upper portion 26U of the fifth rib 26, and the left - right outer ends of the upper portion 28U of the sixth rib 28 are formed at substantially equal intervals in the height direction.

[0025] The rib 20 having such first rib 22, second rib 23, third rib 24, fourth rib 25, fifth rib 26, and sixth rib 28 is configured such that its width increases from the central portion in the left - right direction toward both ends in the left - right direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the rib 20 is formed such that the width T2 in the outer region E2 is larger than the width T1 in the central - side region E1, and the width T3 in the outer region E3 is larger than the width T2 in the region E2 (the width T1 < width T2 < width T3).

[0026] Therefore, this rib 20 is configured to be easily collapsible (prone to buckling) from both left and right end portions in the left-right direction toward the center portion in the left-right direction. That is, when a predetermined pressure is applied to the alternately laminated battery cells 12 and resin frames 14 in the thickness direction (lamination direction), due to the surface pressure of the wall surface 12A of the battery cell 12, the rib 20 is successively more easily collapsible (prone to buckling) from region E3 to region E1. As a result, in plan view, the distance between the wall surface 16A of the base portion 16 and the wall surface 12A of the battery cell 12 relatively widens from the center portion in the left-right direction toward both left and right end portions.

[0027] Next, the operation of the battery module 10 according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described.

[0028] First, the battery module 100 provided with the resin frame 114 according to the comparative example will be described. As shown in FIG. 4(B), a plurality of ribs (not shown) in this resin frame 114 are formed in a substantially trapezoidal cross-section that becomes wider toward the proximal end side in the thickness direction, for example. Therefore, each rib is difficult to collapse and is difficult to buckle. Therefore, when the battery cells 12 and the resin frame 114 are alternately laminated in the thickness direction, as shown in FIG. 4(B), the thickness direction (lamination direction) is not linear but curved.

[0029] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the battery module 10 according to the first embodiment has a resin frame 14 in which a plurality of ribs 20 with widths increasing in the order of region E1, region E2, and region E3 (width T1 < width T2 < width T3) are formed. Therefore, when the battery cells 12 and the resin frame 14 are alternately laminated in the thickness direction, as shown in FIG. 1, the thickness direction (lamination direction) becomes linear (laminated in a flat state).

[0030] That is, when a predetermined pressure is applied in the thickness direction (lamination direction) to the alternately laminated battery cells 12 and resin frames 14, the plurality of ribs 20 are crushed (buckled) from both left and right end portions in the left-right direction toward the center portion in the left-right direction due to the surface pressure with the wall surface 12A of the battery cell 12. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4(A), even if the battery cell 12 is formed in a substantially barrel shape with the central side bulging slightly in an arc shape in plan view, the battery cells 12 on both sides of the resin frame 14 can be arranged in parallel, and as shown in FIG. 1, the battery cell 12 and the resin frame 14 can be easily laminated linearly (straight) along the thickness direction (lamination direction).

[0031] In the battery module 10 according to the first embodiment, at least the ribs 20 on the region E1 side are crushed (buckled), and the wall surface 16A of the base portion 16 is in close contact with the wall surface 12A of the battery cell 12, so that leakage of the cooling gas from the gap between the battery cell 12 and the resin frame 14 can be reduced. Therefore, according to the battery module 10 according to the first embodiment, the cooling efficiency for the battery cell 12 can also be increased.

[0032] <Second Embodiment> Next, the battery module 10 according to the second embodiment will be described. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the parts equivalent to those in the first embodiment above, and the detailed description (including the common operations) is appropriately omitted.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of ribs 20 in the second embodiment are configured such that the protruding height thereof increases from the central portion in the left-right direction of the base portion 16 toward both left and right end portions in the left-right direction. Specifically described, the first rib 22, the third rib 24, the fifth rib 26, and the sixth rib 28 are configured such that the protruding height in the thickness direction increases in this order.

[0034] Note that the upper portions 22U extending in the left-right direction of the first rib 22, the second rib 23, the upper portions 24U extending in the left-right direction of the third rib 24, the fourth rib 25, and the upper portions 26U extending in the left-right direction of the fifth rib 26 are configured such that the protruding height thereof gradually changes for each of the regions E1, E2, and E3 shown in FIG. 2.

[0035] That is, the protruding height of the first rib 22 (including a part of the upper portion 22U) located in the region E1 shown in FIG. 2 is set to the lowest height, and the protruding heights of the second rib 23 and the third rib 24 located in the region E1 are set to the next higher heights.

[0036] Then, the protruding heights of the upper portion 22U of the first rib 22, the second rib 23, the upper portion 24U of the third rib 24, the fourth rib 25, and the fifth rib 26 located in the region E2 are set to even higher heights, and the protruding heights of the upper portion 22U of the first rib 22, the second rib 23, the upper portion 24U of the third rib 24, the fourth rib 25, the upper portion 26U of the fifth rib 26, and the sixth rib 28 located in the region E3 are set to the highest heights.

[0037] According to the plurality of ribs 20 configured as described above, when a predetermined pressure is applied to the alternately stacked battery cells 12 and the resin frame 14 in the thickness direction (stacking direction), in a plan view, the distance between the wall surface 16A of the base portion 16 and the wall surface 12A of the battery cell 12 can be widened from the central portion in the left-right direction toward both ends in the left-right direction.

[0038] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4(A), even if the battery cell 12 is formed in a substantially barrel shape with the central side bulging slightly in an arc shape in a plan view, the battery cells 12 on both sides of the resin frame 14 can be arranged in parallel, and as shown in FIG. 1, the battery cell 12 and the resin frame 14 can be easily stacked linearly (straight) along the thickness direction (stacking direction).

[0039] As described above, the battery module 10 according to the present embodiment has been described with reference to the drawings. However, the battery module 10 according to the present embodiment is not limited to the illustrated one, and can be appropriately designed and changed within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the number of ribs 20 is not limited to the illustrated number.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0040] 10 Battery module 12 Battery cell 14 Resin frame 16 Base part 20 Rib

Claims

1. A plurality of battery cells, A plurality of resin frames alternately laminated with the plurality of battery cells in the thickness direction, and comprising, The resin frame, has a flat base portion, and a plurality of ribs protruding from the base portion in the thickness direction and abutting against the battery cells, and having, When a predetermined pressure is applied to the battery cells and the resin frame in the thickness direction, the plurality of ribs are curved and extended from the central portion side on one side in the height direction of the base portion to both end portions sides of the base portion so as to widen the distance between the base portion and the battery cells from the central portion to both end portions in a plan view, as viewed from the thickness direction. A battery module formed to include a shape.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of ribs are configured such that their widths increase as going from the central portion to both end portions.

3. The battery module according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the plurality of ribs are configured to be more easily crushed as going from both end portions to the central portion.

4. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of ribs are configured such that their protruding heights increase as going from the central portion to both end portions.

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