Capacitor holding device

Abstract

This power storage holding device (100) comprises: a holding unit (20) having a first part (21), which holds a first surface facing a first direction of a power storage (200), and a second holding part (22) which holds a second surface facing a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of the power storage (200), the holding unit detachably holding the power storage (200); and a support unit (23) which holds the holding unit (20) in a manner rotatable with respect to a rotary shaft (23a) extending in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a capacitor holding device for holding a capacitor.

Background Art

[0002] As this type of device, conventionally, there has been known a device configured to change the posture of a battery held by a holder as the lid portion provided on the housing so as to be openable and closable is opened and closed, and to accommodate the battery in the housing (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The device described in Patent Document 1 is configured such that a battery holder that holds a battery rotates about a hinge as a fulcrum, and a connector on the accommodation device side is driven by a driving unit as the battery is accommodated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the device described in Patent Document 1 above, since the battery holder rotates while the battery is held in a predetermined position, the battery can be held in only one holding state with respect to the battery holder, and there is room for improvement in the holding structure.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A capacitor holding device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a first portion that holds a first surface facing a first direction of the capacitor, a second portion that holds a second surface facing a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the capacitor, a holding portion that removably holds the capacitor, and a support portion that rotatably supports the holding portion with respect to a rotation shaft extending in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. The holding portion is provided so as to be able to hold the capacitor in a first holding state in which the first surface and the second surface of the capacitor are respectively in contact with the first portion and the second portion, and the rotation axis is such that the position of the bisecting line of the capacitor that bisects the capacitor in the second direction in the state where the capacitor is held in the first holding state is located on the second portion side of the rotation axis when viewed from the third direction.

Advantages of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, a capacitor can be easily held by a capacitor holding device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 3C

Figure 3D

Figure 3E

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4B. The capacitor holding device according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured to removably hold a storage battery (secondary battery) such as a battery as a capacitor. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of the capacitor holding device 100 according to the present embodiment. Note that FIG. 1 also shows the battery 200 held by the capacitor holding device 100. Hereinafter, for convenience, three axial directions orthogonal to each other as shown in the figure are defined as the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction, and the configuration of each part will be described according to this definition. The lower side in the up-down direction (also referred to as the vertical direction) corresponds to the direction of gravity.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, the capacitor holding device 100 includes a housing 10 and a holder 20 movably (tiltably) provided on the housing 10. The housing 10 has an upper wall 11, a bottom wall 12, left and right side walls 13, 14, a front wall 15, and a rear wall 16, and is formed in an overall substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The housing 10 is provided with openings 11a and 15a extending from the front wall 15 to the upper wall 11, and a substantially rectangular parallelepiped accommodation space SP is formed inside the housing 10 through the openings 11a and 15a. The accommodation space SP is recessed from the upper wall 11. The housing 10 is provided with a plurality of surfaces forming the accommodation space SP, that is, a bottom surface and three side surfaces rising from the left and right edge portions and the rear end portion of the bottom surface respectively. Note that the side surfaces do not have to be flat.

[0010] The battery 200 is configured by being unitized with a single battery pack and has an overall substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Hereinafter, with reference to the state of accommodation of the battery 200 in the capacitor holding device 100, each surface of the battery 200 is defined as an upper surface 201, a lower surface 202, a left surface 203, a right surface 204, a front surface 205, and a rear surface 206. The length of the battery 200 in the left-right direction is substantially equal to the length of the accommodation space SP of the housing 10 in the left-right direction, the length of the battery 200 in the up-down direction is substantially equal to the length of the accommodation space SP in the up-down direction, and the length of the battery 200 in the front-rear direction is substantially equal to the length of the accommodation space SP in the front-rear direction.

[0011] The battery 200 is detachably accommodated in the accommodation space SP through the openings 11a and 15a. In the accommodation state of the battery 200, the upper surface 201 and the front surface 205 of the battery 200 are exposed from the housing 10. A handle 207 is provided on the front surface 205 of the battery 200. The total weight of the battery 200 is, for example, about 10 kg, and the user can carry the battery 200 in a hanging state with the handle 207 held and the rear surface 206 facing downward. Note that the battery 200 may be lighter or heavier than 10 kg. The battery 200 can stand on its own with the rear surface 206 in contact with the ground or the floor surface.

[0012] On the upper part of the rear surface 206 of the battery 200, a concave receptacle 208 extending longitudinally in the left - right direction is provided. In the receptacle 208, a plurality of substantially flat - plate - shaped metal terminals are provided at intervals in the left - right direction and parallel to each other. The battery 200 is, for example, a lithium - ion battery and can be used for various applications. For example, it can be used as a power source for a driving motor mounted on a two - or four - wheeled electric vehicle.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the main - part configuration of the capacitor holding device 100. In FIG. 2, the illustration of the housing 10 is omitted. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the holder 20 has a substantially rectangular - plate - shaped first holding portion 21 extending in a substantially horizontal direction and a substantially rectangular - plate - shaped second holding portion 22 extending substantially upward from the rear end portion of the first holding portion 21, and is configured to be substantially L - shaped in side view. The length of the first holding portion 21 and the second holding portion 22 in the left - right direction is substantially equal to the length of the housing 10 in the left - right direction of the accommodation space SP. The length of the first holding portion 21 in the front - rear direction is substantially equal to the length of the accommodation space SP in the front - rear direction, and the length of the second holding portion 22 in the up - down direction is substantially equal to the length of the accommodation space SP in the up - down direction. Therefore, the first holding portion 21 and the second holding portion 22 are provided so as to face the openings 11a and 15a of the upper wall 11 and the front wall 15 of the housing 10, respectively, and cover the bottom surface and the rear surface of the accommodation space SP.

[0014] Below the substantially central portion in the front-rear direction of the first holding portion 21, a support portion 23 having a rotation shaft 23a extending along the left-right axis CL1 is provided. The support portion 23 is fixed to the housing 10, and the first holding portion 21 is rotatably supported by the housing 10 (support portion 23) with the rotation shaft 23a as a fulcrum. The upper surface 21a of the first holding portion 21 constitutes a first contact surface against which the lower surface 202 of the battery 200 abuts when the battery 200 is accommodated, and the front surface 22a of the second holding portion 22 constitutes a second contact surface against which the rear surface 206 of the battery 200 abuts when the battery 200 is accommodated. The upper surface 21a of the first holding portion 21 is smoothly configured so that the lower surface 202 of the battery 200 can slide smoothly along the upper surface 21a. Note that, in order to reduce the contact area between the upper surface 21a and the lower surface 202 of the battery 200, a plurality (for example, a pair on the left and right) of ribs or rails extending in the front-rear direction and parallel to each other may be provided protruding from the upper surface 21a, thereby facilitating the sliding of the battery 200 on the upper surface 21a.

[0015] In FIG. 2, two rotation postures A1 and A2 of the holder 20 are shown by solid lines and dotted lines. The posture A1 shown by the solid line is the posture before the battery 200 is accommodated in the accommodation space SP of the housing 10 (referred to as the pre-accommodation posture), and the posture A2 shown by the dotted line is the posture after the battery 200 is accommodated in the accommodation space SP (referred to as the post-accommodation posture). As shown in FIG. 2, in both the pre-accommodation posture A1 and the post-accommodation posture A2, the upper surface 21a of the first holding portion 21 is inclined downward in a rearward gradient. The inclination angle θ1 of the upper surface 21a with respect to the horizontal line in the pre-accommodation posture is smaller than the inclination angle θ2 of the upper surface 21a with respect to the horizontal line in the post-accommodation posture.

[0016] Inside the housing 10, behind the holder 20, a tray 30 fixed to the housing 10 is provided. The tray 30 has a front tray 31 that slopes upward toward the front at a predetermined inclination angle θ2 with respect to the horizontal line, and a rear tray 32 that extends from the rear end portion of the front tray 31 rearward and upward and is substantially perpendicular to the front tray 31. The upper surface 31a of the front tray 31 is located on the same plane as the bottom surface 21b of the first holding portion 21 of the holder 20 in the housed posture A2, and the first holding portion 21 can be arranged on the upper surface 31a of the front tray 31. When the holder 20 is in the housed posture A2, the rear surface 22b of the second holding portion 22 abuts against the front surface 32a of the rear tray 32. Note that when the holder 20 is in the housed posture A2, a gap may be provided between the front surface 32a and the rear surface 22b.

[0017] A spring 33 is interposed between the front tray 31 and the first holding portion 21. The spring 33 is a compression coil spring used under a compression load, and the rear end portion of the first holding portion 21 is constantly biased upward by the spring 33. In the housing 10 (FIG. 1), in front of the support portion 23, a stopper 34 that restricts the rotation of the holder 20 in the direction of arrow R1 is provided. The stopper 34 is provided so as to abut against the bottom surface 21b of the first holding portion 21 when the holder 20 is in the pre-housed posture A1, whereby the holder 20 is held in the pre-housed posture A1. Note that instead of the spring 33, a tension spring used under a tensile load may be arranged in front of the support portion 23 to bias the holder 20 in the direction of arrow R1. The rotation of the holder 20 in the direction of arrow R2 is restricted by the bottom surface 21b of the first holding portion 21 abutting against the upper surface 31a of the front tray 31. Thereby, the holder 20 is held in the housed posture A2.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of through holes 24 in the left - right direction penetrating the second holding portion 22 of the holder 20 in the front - rear direction are formed in the upper part of the second holding portion 22 of the holder 20. Fig. 2 shows the center line CL2 of the through hole 24 and the vertical range ΔL of the through hole 24. The through holes 24 are provided in the left - right direction corresponding to the position of the receptacle 208 of the battery 200, and the vertical range ΔL is defined. Instead of providing a plurality of through holes 24 in the left - right direction, a single elongated through hole in the left - right direction may be provided.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 2, a plug 35 protruding forward (strictly speaking, upward and forward) from the front surface 32a of the rear - side tray 32 is provided in the upper part of the rear - side tray 32. The plug 35 is provided in a plurality of divided parts in the left - right direction corresponding to the plurality of through holes 24 of the second holding portion 22 of the holder 20. A plurality of substantially flat - plate - shaped metal terminals are provided on the plug 35. When the holder 20 is in the pre - accommodation posture A1, the plug 35 is located below the through hole 24. Therefore, when the housing 10 is viewed from the front, the plug 35 is hidden by the second holding portion 22 of the holder 20.

[0020] When the holder 20 in the pre - accommodation posture A1 rotates in the direction of arrow R2 in Fig. 2, the through hole 24 approaches the plug 35, and the plug 35 penetrates the through hole 24. Thereby, the plug 35 can be fitted into the receptacle 208 of the battery 200 housed in the accommodation space SP (Fig. 1) of the housing 10, and the terminals of the plug 35 and the receptacle 208 can be connected.

[0021] Although not shown, a control unit is provided behind the tray 30 in the housing 10. A power source is connected to the control unit. When the terminals of the plug 35 and the receptacle 208 are connected, power is supplied to the battery 200 via the control unit. Thereby, the battery 200 is charged. In addition, when the terminals of the plug 35 and the receptacle 208 are connected, it can also be configured to supply the power of the battery 200 to the side of the capacitor holding device 100. That is, the capacitor holding device 100 can be used not only for charging the battery 200 but also for discharging.

[0022] The operation of the capacitor holding device 100 configured as described above will be described. FIGS. 3A to 3E are diagrams showing the operation of housing the battery 200 in the housing space SP of the housing 10. In FIGS. 3A to 3E, the illustration of the spring 33 and the stopper 34 is omitted, and the center of gravity position G of the battery 200 is indicated by a mark. In the initial state before the battery 200 is mounted on the first holding portion 21 of the holder 20, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, the holder 20 is biased by the spring 33 and assumes the pre-housing posture A1.

[0023] From this state, as shown in FIG. 3A, the user places the battery 200 on the upper surface 21a of the first holding portion 21 with the lower surface 202 of the battery 200 facing downward and the rear surface 206 of the battery 200 facing rearward. At this time, since the center of gravity position G of the battery 200 is located in front of the rotation axis 23a, a moment in the direction of arrow R1 with the rotation axis 23a as the fulcrum is generated on the holder 20. However, since the rotation of the holder 20 in the R1 direction is restricted by the stopper 34 (FIG. 2), the holder 20 is held in the pre-housing posture A1 with the inclination angle θ1. The position of the battery 200 at the start of the housing operation is referred to as the temporary placement position, and the state of the capacitor holding device 100 including the battery 200 is referred to as the second holding state. The second holding state is a temporary holding state in which the user can hold the battery 200 on the upper surface 21a of the holder 20 by simply lightly supporting the battery 200. In the second holding state, the distance L1 from the front surface 22a of the holder 20 to the rotation axis 23a in a side view seen from the left-right direction side is shorter than the distance L2 from the front surface 22a to the center of gravity position G of the battery 200, and the center of gravity position G of the battery 200 is located in front of the vertical line L0 passing through the rotation axis 23a.

[0024] In the second holding state, when the user releases the battery 200, the battery 200 moves backward while sliding on the upper surface 21a of the first holding portion 21, which is an inclined surface, due to its own weight, as indicated by the arrow B1 in FIG. 3B. Then, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the sliding of the battery 200 causes the center of gravity position G of the battery 200 to move backward from the vertical line L0 passing through the rotation axis 23a, a moment in the direction of the arrow R2 with the rotation axis 23a as the fulcrum acts on the holder 20 due to the gravity of the battery 200.

[0025] As a result, as shown in FIG. 3D, the holder 20 rotates in the direction of the arrow R2 against the biasing force of the spring 33, the plug 35 penetrates the through-hole 24 of the second holding portion 22, and the bottom surface 21b of the holder 20 abuts against the upper surface 31a of the front tray 31. As a result, the holder 20 is held in the received posture A2 (FIG. 2) with the inclination angle θ2. The inclination angle θ2 is larger than the inclination angle θ1. Therefore, when the holder 20 is in the received posture A2, the sliding speed of the battery 200 in the direction of the arrow B1 increases.

[0026] As a result, as shown in FIG. 3E, due to the gravity of the battery 200, the rear surface 206 of the battery 200 abuts against the front surface 22a of the second holding portion 22 of the holder 20, and the plug 35 can be fitted into the receptacle 208. The position of the battery 200 in this case is called the accommodation position, and the state of the power storage device holding apparatus 100 including the battery 200 is called the first holding state. The first holding state is not a temporary holding state of the battery 200 like the second holding state but the final holding state. In the first holding state, the distance L1 from the front surface 22a to the rotation axis 23a of the holder 20 in a side view is longer than the distance L2 from the front surface 22a to the center of gravity position G of the battery 200, and the center of gravity position G of the battery 200 is located behind the vertical line L0 passing through the rotation axis 23a.

[0027] Thus, according to the battery holding device 100 of the present embodiment, when the user simply places the battery 200 on the upper surface 21a of the first holding portion 21 of the holder 20 in the pre-accommodation posture A1, the battery 200 moves from the temporary placement position (FIG. 3A) to the accommodation position (FIG. 3E) due to its own weight, and the plug 35 fits into the receptacle 208 of the battery 200. Therefore, the labor of the user when accommodating the battery 200 in the accommodation space SP can be reduced, and the charging of the battery 200 can be easily performed. Further, since the battery 200 can be held in the first holding state (FIG. 3E) and the second holding state (FIG. 3A), the accommodation of the battery 200 in the accommodation space SP is easy.

[0028] As described above, in the first holding state, the center of gravity position G of the battery 200 is located behind the vertical line L0 passing through the rotation axis 23a, and in the second holding state, the rotation axis 23a is provided so as to be located in the front. That is, the rotation axis 23a is provided at a position based on the center of gravity position G of the battery 200, but the center of gravity position of the battery 200 is substantially equal to the intermediate position in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the battery 200. Therefore, the rotation axis 23a may be provided at a position based on the bisecting line (bisector) that bisects the battery 200 in the front-rear direction. Hereinafter, this point will be described.

[0029] FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing an example of the second holding state and the first holding state of the battery 200 based on the bisecting line CL3, respectively. L3 in the figure is a perpendicular line to the upper surface 21a of the holder 20 passing through the rotation axis 23a, and the perpendicular line L3 is parallel to the bisecting line CL3. As shown in FIG. 4A, in the second holding state, the position of the bisecting line CL3 in side view is located in front of the perpendicular line L3. Therefore, the holder 20 rotates in the direction of arrow R1 due to the weight of the battery 200, and when the bottom surface 21b of the holder 20 abuts against the stopper 34 (FIG. 2), the battery 200 is held (temporarily held) in the second holding state. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, in the first holding state, the position of the bisecting line CL3 in side view is located behind the perpendicular line L3. Therefore, the holder 20 rotates in the direction of arrow R2 due to the weight of the battery 200, and the battery 200 is held in the first holding state.

[0030] As described above, the support portion 23 of the capacitor holding device 100 according to the present embodiment is provided based on the center of gravity position G of the battery 200 or the position of the center line CL3. When the center of gravity position G is used as a reference, the rotation of the holder 20 due to the self-weight of the battery 200 can be accurately controlled. When the center line CL3 is used as a reference, the position setting of the support portion 23 is easy. Note that the support portion 23 may be provided based on both the position of the center of gravity position G and the position of the center line CL3. The center of gravity position G substantially coincides with the position of the center line CL3.

[0031] According to the present embodiment, the following operational effects can be achieved. (1) The capacitor holding device 100 includes a first holding portion 21 that holds the lower surface 202 facing the gravitational direction of the battery 200, and a second holding portion 22 that holds the rear surface 206 orthogonal to the lower surface 202 of the battery 200. The capacitor holding device 100 further includes a holder 20 that detachably holds the battery 200, and a support portion 23 that rotatably supports the holder 20 with a rotation axis 23a extending in a substantially horizontal direction as a fulcrum (FIGS. 1 and 2). Thereby, the holder 20 can be configured to rotate due to the self-weight of the battery 200, and the battery 200 can be held in the second holding state (FIG. 3A) and the first holding state (FIG. 3E), respectively. Further, an actuator for moving the battery 200 is not required, and the capacitor holding device 100 can be configured at low cost.

[0032] (2) The first holding portion 21 has an upper surface 21a against which the lower surface 202 of the battery 200 abuts, and the second holding portion 22 has a front surface 22a against which the rear surface 206 of the battery 200 abuts (FIG. 2). The holder 20 is provided so as to be posture-changeable via a support portion 23 between a pre-accommodation posture A1 and an after-accommodation posture A2 in which the second holding portion 22 is positioned lower than the pre-accommodation posture A1 (FIG. 2). The support portion 23 (rotating shaft 23a) is positioned such that in a first holding state where the lower surface 202 and the rear surface 206 of the battery 200 abut against the upper surface 21a of the first holding portion 21 and the front surface 22a of the second holding portion 22, respectively, the distance L1 from the front surface 22a to the support portion 23 is longer than the distance L2 from the front surface 22a to the center-of-gravity position G of the battery 200, or such that the median line CL3 of the battery 200 is positioned behind a perpendicular line L3 passing through the rotating shaft 23a, so that the holder 20 assumes the after-accommodation posture A2 (FIGS. 3E and 4B). Thereby, in the first holding state, since the rear surface 206 of the battery 200 and the front surface 22a of the second holding portion 22 abut against each other due to the self-weight of the battery 200, the battery 200 can be stably held at the accommodation position.

[0033] (3) Further, the support portion 23 (rotating shaft 23a) is positioned such that in a second holding state where the lower surface 202 of the battery 200 abuts against the upper surface 21a of the first holding portion and the rear surface 206 is separated from the front surface 22a of the second holding portion 22, the distance L1 from the front surface 22a to the support portion 23 is shorter than the distance L2 from the front surface 22a to the center-of-gravity position G of the battery 200, or such that the median line CL3 of the battery 200 is positioned in front of a perpendicular line L3 passing through the rotating shaft 23a, so that the holder 20 assumes the pre-accommodation posture A1 (FIG. 3A). Thereby, moments in opposite directions act on the holder 20 due to the self-weight of the battery 200 in the first holding state and the second holding state. For this reason, the inclination posture of the battery 200 can be changed midway, and the battery 200 can be stably held in a state inclined more than in the first holding state.

[0034] (4) The upper surface 21a of the first holding portion 21 is configured to be flat such that the lower surface 202 of the battery 200 slides on the upper surface 21a by the weight of the battery 200 (FIG. 1). Thereby, the battery 200 easily slides down the upper surface 21a by its own weight, and the battery 200 can be smoothly moved to the accommodation position.

[0035] (5) The capacitor holding device 100 further includes a spring 33 that biases the holder 20 so that the holder 20 assumes the pre-accommodation posture A1 in the initial state before the battery 200 is held by the holder 20 (FIG. 2). Thereby, in the initial state, the holder 20 can be set to the pre-accommodation posture A1 in which it is easy to mount the battery 200.

[0036] (6) The capacitor holding device 100 further includes a stopper 34 that limits the maximum rotation amount of the holder 20 so that the holder 20 assumes the pre-accommodation posture A1 when the holder 20 rotates maximally in the first rotation direction (arrow R1) via the support portion 23 (FIG. 2). Thereby, the holder 20 can be held in the pre-accommodation posture A1.

[0037] (7) The capacitor holding device 100 further includes a front tray 31 that limits the maximum rotation amount of the holder 20 so that the holder 20 assumes the post-accommodation posture A2 when the holder 20 rotates maximally in the second rotation direction (arrow R2), which is the direction opposite to the first rotation direction, via the support portion 23 (FIG. 2). Thereby, the holder 20 can be held in the post-accommodation posture A2.

[0038] (8) The inclination angle θ1 of the upper surface 21a of the first holding portion 21 with respect to the horizontal line when the holder 20 is in the pre-accommodation posture A1 is smaller than the inclination angle θ2 of the upper surface 21a of the first holding portion 21 with respect to the horizontal line when the holder 20 is in the post-accommodation posture A2 (FIG. 2). Thereby, when the posture of the holder 20 changes from the pre-accommodation posture A1 to the post-accommodation posture A2, the sliding speed of the battery 200 due to the weight of the battery 200 increases, and the fitting of the terminals of the battery 200 is facilitated.

[0039] (9) The capacitor holding device 100 further includes a housing 10 that houses a holder 20 rotatable about a rotation shaft 23a (Figs. 1 and 2). The housing 10 has a plug 35 connectable to a receptacle 208 provided on the battery 200 (Fig. 2). Thereby, as the holder 20 rotates, the plug 35 fits into the receptacle 208 of the battery 200, and the terminals can be easily connected to each other.

[0040] (10) The holder 20 has a through hole 24 in the second holding portion 22 such that the terminals of the plug 35 and the receptacle 208 can be connected when the holder 20 is in the post - accommodation posture A2 (Fig. 1). By providing the through hole 24 in the second holding portion 22 of the holder 20 in this way, it is possible to prevent the plug 35 from being exposed in the initial state before the battery 200 is mounted on the holder 20.

[0041] (11) The housing 10 is configured to form a substantially box - shaped accommodation space SP through openings (openings) 11a and 15a provided in an upper wall (upper surface) 11 extending in a substantially horizontal direction and a front wall 15 continuous with the upper wall 11, respectively (Fig. 1). The holder 20 is provided such that the first holding portion 21 faces the opening 11a of the upper wall 11 and the second holding portion 22 faces the opening 15a of the front wall 15 (Fig. 1). The support portion 23 is provided below the first holding portion 21 so as to rotatably support the first holding portion 21 (Fig. 1). Thereby, when the user mounts the battery 200 on the holder 20 (first holding portion 21) at the bottom of the accommodation space SP of the housing 10, the battery 200 can be accommodated in the accommodation position, and the accommodation of the battery 200 is easy.

[0042] In addition, when summarizing the above embodiment from another perspective, this embodiment aims to (1) not damage the battery connector, (2) securely fit the battery connector, (3) maintain the fitted state (holding the battery), and (4) improve the convenience for the user (a single operation of just placing it), and achieves this purpose with an inexpensive configuration. That is, for example, when a terminal with a recess is installed on the lower surface of the battery housing and a terminal with a protrusion is fixedly installed deep inside a battery holding slot of a charger or the like, if the insertion direction of the battery is the vertical direction, then due to the weight of the battery, the above (2) and (3) are achieved. However, since the insertion speed of the battery depends on the user operation of slowly inserting while supporting gravity, if the user accidentally drops the battery, there is a risk that the battery connector will be fitted at high speed. Generally, when a connector is fitted at a high speed, its durability significantly decreases. Therefore, it is conceivable to provide a damper in the insertion direction so that the insertion speed of the battery is below a specified value, or to configure the connector with a protrusion as movable in order to reduce the influence of the insertion speed of the battery on the connector, and after the battery is completely mounted, configure it to move the connector to make the connection. However, this configuration makes the structure complex and the cost increases.

[0043] On the other hand, if the insertion direction of the battery is made close to the horizontal direction and the battery is configured to be inserted by sliding on a slope like a slide, when the angle of the slope approaches the horizontal, due to the frictional force between the battery and the slope, the battery does not slide down, but it becomes difficult to fit the connector. On the contrary, when the slope angle is large, the battery slides down rapidly with great momentum, and the connector is fitted at high speed. Considering this point, in this embodiment, the insertion angle of the battery is made variable in the battery insertion process with a simple configuration.

[0044] The above-described embodiment can be modified in various forms. Hereinafter, some modified examples will be described. In the above-described embodiment, the lower surface 202 (first surface) of the battery 200 is held by the first holding portion 21 (first portion) of the holder 20 as the holding portion, and the rear surface 206 (second surface) of the battery 200 is held by the second holding portion 22 (second portion). However, the configuration of the holding portion is not limited to the above-described one. For example, side walls for restricting the position of the battery 200 in the left-right direction may be provided in the holding portion. The first portion and the second portion may hold portions other than the lower surface 202 (first surface) and the rear surface 206 (second surface) of the battery 200. In the above-described embodiment, the first surface and the second surface of the battery 200 are orthogonal to each other. However, the first surface and the second surface do not have to be orthogonal to each other. That is, if the first surface faces the first direction and the second surface faces the second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the first surface and the second surface of the capacitor do not have to be orthogonal to each other. Therefore, the first portion and the second portion of the holder 20 do not have to be provided orthogonally, and the configuration of the holding portion is not limited to the above-described one.

[0045] In the above-described embodiment, the holder 20 is rotatably supported with the rotation axis 23a extending in the left-right direction below the holder 20 as a fulcrum. However, the configuration of the support portion (such as the position of the rotation axis with respect to the holding portion) is not limited to this. That is, if the holding portion is rotatably supported with respect to a rotation axis extending in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, any configuration of the support portion may be used. The first direction may be other than vertically downward (such as obliquely downward), and the second direction and the third direction may be other than horizontal.

[0046] In the above embodiment, the holder 20 is provided so that its posture can be changed via the support portion 23 between the pre-accommodation posture A1 (first posture) and the post-accommodation posture A2 (second posture). However, as long as it is provided so that its posture can be changed such that the second portion is positioned below the first posture in the second posture, the postures of the holder 20 are not limited to those described above. In the above embodiment, the upper surface 21a (first contact surface) of the first holding portion 21 of the holder 20 is configured such that the battery 200 slides by its own weight. However, a member having a desired coefficient of friction may be attached to the first contact surface. Ribs may be provided on the first contact surface. That is, as long as the upper surface 21a of the holder 20 is configured to move the battery 200 while sliding it between the first holding state and the second holding state, the configuration of the guiding portion is not limited to that described above.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the holder 20 is biased by the spring 33 so as to be in the pre-accommodation posture. However, the configuration of the biasing portion that biases the holding portion is not limited to this. In the above embodiment, the stopper 34 is used to limit the maximum amount of rotation of the holder 20 in the direction of arrow R1. However, the configuration of the rotation limiting portion (first rotation limiting portion) is not limited to that described above. In the above embodiment, the tray 30 is used to limit the maximum amount of rotation of the holder 20 in the direction of arrow R2. However, the configuration of the second rotation limiting portion is not limited to that described above.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the holder 20 is rotatably supported by the housing 10 (the casing), and the plug 35 (the second terminal) connectable to the receptacle 208 (the first terminal) of the battery 200 is provided on the housing 10. However, the configuration of the casing is not limited to that described above. A receptacle may be provided on the casing, and a plug that fits into the receptacle may be provided on the capacitor side. A plurality of holding portions (for example, a pair of left and right holding portions) may be provided on a single casing to simultaneously accommodate a plurality of capacitors. A plurality of capacitors may be simultaneously accommodated by arranging a plurality of casings side by side in the left-right direction and / or the up-down direction. A support portion may be provided on a skeletal member (skeleton) such as a frame instead of the casing, and the holding portion may be rotatably supported from the skeleton. A second terminal detachably connected to the first terminal provided on the capacitor may be provided on such a skeleton instead of the casing. In the above embodiment, the battery 200 is held by the capacitor holding device 100, but a capacitor may be held, and the capacitor to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a battery.

[0049] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modification examples as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine one or more of the above-described embodiment and modification examples, and it is also possible to combine the modification examples with each other.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0050] 10 Housing, 20 Holder, 21 First Holding Portion, 21a Upper Surface, 22 Second Holding Portion, 22a Front Surface, 23 Support Portion, 23a Rotation Axis, 24 Through-Hole, 30 Tray, 31 Front Tray, 32 Rear Tray, 33 Spring, 34 Stopper, 35 Plug, 100 Capacitor Holding Device, 200 Battery, 208 Receptacle, G Center of Gravity Position, CL3 Median Line

Claims

1. A first part that holds a first surface of the capacitor facing a first direction, and a second part that holds a second surface of the capacitor facing a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the holding part detachably holding the capacitor; a support part that rotatably supports the holding part with respect to a rotation axis extending in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction; the holding part is provided so as to be able to hold the capacitor in a first holding state in which the first surface and the second surface of the capacitor are in contact with the first part and the second part, respectively; the rotation axis is provided such that, when viewed from the third direction, the position of the midline of the capacitor that bisects the capacitor in the second direction in a state where the capacitor is held in the first holding state is located closer to the second part side than the rotation axis. A capacitor holding device characterized by this.

2. In the capacitor holding device according to Claim 1, the holding part is further provided so as to be able to hold the capacitor in a second holding state in which the first surface of the capacitor is in contact with the first part and the second surface is separated from the second part; the rotation axis is provided such that, when viewed from the third direction, the position of the midline of the capacitor in a state where the capacitor is held in the second holding state is located farther from the second part than the rotation axis. A capacitor holding device characterized by this.

3. In the capacitor holding device according to Claim 1 or 2, the first direction is vertically downward, the second direction and the third direction are horizontal directions; a capacitor holding device characterized in that the center of gravity position of the capacitor substantially coincides with the position of the midline.

4. A first part that holds a first surface of the capacitor facing a first direction, and a second part that holds a second surface of the capacitor facing a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the holding part detachably holding the capacitor; a support part that rotatably supports the holding part with respect to a rotation axis extending in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction; the first direction is vertically downward, the second direction and the third direction are horizontal directions; the holding part is provided so as to be able to hold the capacitor in a first holding state in which the first surface and the second surface of the capacitor are in contact with the first part and the second part, respectively; The storage battery holding device is characterized in that the pivot axis is arranged so that the center of gravity of the storage battery when held in the first holding state is located closer to the second part than the pivot axis when viewed from the third direction.

5. In the storage battery holding device described in claim 4, the holding portion is further configured to be able to hold the capacitor in a second holding state in which the first surface of the capacitor abuts the first portion and the second surface is spaced from the second portion, The storage battery holding device is characterized in that the pivot axis is arranged so that the center of gravity of the storage battery when held in the second holding state is located farther from the second part than the pivot axis when viewed from the third direction.

6. In the storage battery holding device according to claim 2 or 5, The storage battery holding device is characterized in that the holding portion is arranged so that a first posture, which is the rotational posture of the holding portion relative to the rotation axis in the second holding state, and a second posture, which is the rotational posture of the holding portion relative to the rotation axis in the first holding state, are different.

7. In the storage battery holding device described in claim 6, The electric storage device according to claim 1, wherein the first part has a guide part that moves the electric storage device while sliding it between the first holding state and the second holding state.

8. In the storage battery holding device described in claim 7, The storage battery holding device is characterized in that the holding portion is configured to change its position between the first position and the second position due to the weight of the storage battery when the storage battery slides on the guide portion and moves between the first holding state and the second holding state.

9. In the storage battery holding device according to claim 6, A storage battery holding device, further comprising a biasing portion that biases the holding portion so that the holding portion assumes the first position in an initial state before the storage battery is held by the holding portion.

10. In the storage battery holding device according to claim 6, A storage battery holding device characterized in that it further comprises a first rotation limiting portion that limits the maximum rotation amount of the holding portion so that the holding portion assumes the first posture when the holding portion rotates to its maximum in a first rotation direction via the support portion.

11. In the storage battery holding device according to claim 10, The capacitor holding device is characterized in that it further comprises a second rotation limiting portion that limits the maximum rotation amount of the holding portion so that the holding portion assumes the second posture when the holding portion rotates maximally in a second rotation direction that is opposite to the first rotation direction via the support portion.

12. In the capacitor holding device according to claim 6, the first portion has a first contact surface against which the first surface of the capacitor abuts, the second portion has a second contact surface against which the second surface of the capacitor abuts, the inclination angle of the downward gradient of the first contact surface toward the second contact surface with respect to the horizontal line when the holding portion is in the first posture is smaller than the inclination angle of the downward gradient of the first contact surface toward the second contact surface with respect to the horizontal line when the holding portion is in the second posture. The capacitor holding device is characterized by this.

13. In the capacitor holding device according to claim 6, a housing or framework that rotatably supports the holding portion with respect to the rotation axis, and a second terminal that is supported by the housing or the framework and is detachable from a first terminal provided on the capacitor. The capacitor holding device is characterized by this.

14. In the capacitor holding device according to claim 13, the second portion has a through hole through which the second terminal is inserted when the holding portion is in the second posture. The capacitor holding device is characterized by this.

15. In the capacitor holding device according to claim 13, the housing is configured to form an upper surface extending in a substantially horizontal direction and a housing space that is recessed from the upper surface and has a bottom surface and at least three side surfaces, the holding portion is provided in the housing space such that the first portion is located at a position corresponding to the bottom surface and the second portion is located at a position corresponding to the side surface that is continuous with the upper surface among the three side surfaces, the support portion is provided below the first portion so as to rotatably support the first portion. The capacitor holding device is characterized by this.

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