Connection mechanism and connection method

Abstract

To provide a connection mechanism and a connection method for connecting bus bars to each other more easily and at lower cost.SOLUTION: A connection mechanism 100 for connecting bus bars includes a connection holding portion 30 that penetrates at least one bus bar 20 in the thickness direction, and the connection holding portion 30 includes an end portion 31 that has a hook shape in a cross-sectional view along the axial length and urges the bus bars 10 and 20 in the superimposing direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mechanism and a method for connecting busbars together. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, circuits using bus bars have been installed in vehicles to conduct relatively large currents. In recent years, the value of the current flowing through the bus bars has been increasing along with the expansion of vehicle functions.

[0003] On the other hand, Patent Document 1 discloses a power supply device that includes a relay having openable and closable contacts and an excitation coil that switches the open and closed states of the contacts, electrically connecting the contacts of the relay to a bus bar, and providing the bus bar with a heat dissipation mechanism, thereby allowing the bus bar to be used as both a current path and a heat dissipation path. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-79093 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When connecting such a bus bar to another bus bar, special techniques such as ultrasonic welding, TOX® crimping, laser welding, etc. are generally used.

[0006] Such a method requires special equipment, which increases the cost of the work. However, the power supply device of Patent Document 1 does not take such a problem into consideration and is unable to solve it.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connection mechanism and a connection method that can connect bus bars together more simply and at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A connection mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a connection mechanism for connecting bus bars together, and includes a through-tube portion that penetrates at least one of the bus bars in the thickness direction, and the through-tube portion has a biasing end portion that is hook-shaped in cross section along the axial length and biases the bus bars in the overlapping direction.

[0009] A connection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a connection method for connecting bus bars to each other, in which a through-hole penetrating at least one of the bus bars in the thickness direction is inserted into a through-hole, and a pressure treatment is applied to the end of the through-hole portion, so that the end is bent so as to form a hook shape in a cross-sectional view along the axial length of the through-hole portion. Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a connection mechanism and a connection method that connect bus bars together more simply and at low cost. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a connection mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a connection method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a connection method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a connection mechanism according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a connection mechanism according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of a connection mechanism. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a connection mechanism according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a connection method according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a connection method according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] [Description of the embodiment of the present invention] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. At least some of the embodiments described below may be combined in any desired manner.

[0013] (1) A connection mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a connection mechanism for connecting bus bars together, and includes a through-tube portion that penetrates through at least one of the bus bars in the thickness direction. The through-tube portion has a biasing end portion that is hook-shaped in cross section along the axial length and biases the bus bars in the overlapping direction.

[0014] In this embodiment, the biasing end of the through tube portion has a hook shape in a cross section along the axial length, and biases one of the bus bars in the overlapping direction of the bus bars, thereby maintaining the connection between the bus bars and reliably ensuring electrical connection between the bus bars.

[0015] (2) In the connection mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the through tube portion is inserted into a first through hole formed in one of the bus bars, the biasing end portion protrudes from the outer surface opposite the opposing surfaces of the bus bars, and the tip portion of the biasing end portion is folded back toward the outer surface of the one of the bus bars and contacts the outer surface.

[0016] In this embodiment, the biasing end protrudes from the outer surface of one of the bus bars, and the tip of the biasing end is folded back toward the outer surface of the one of the bus bars and is in contact with the outer surface. Therefore, the one of the bus bars is biased in the overlapping direction of the bus bars, maintaining the connection between the bus bars and reliably ensuring the electrical connection between the bus bars.

[0017] (3) In the connection mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a recess is formed around the first through hole on the outer surface of one of the bus bars, and the tip of the biasing end abuts against the bottom of the recess.

[0018] In this embodiment, the tip of the biasing end is folded back toward the outer surface of one of the bus bars and abuts against the bottom of a recess provided on the outer surface, preventing the tip of the biasing end from coming out of the recess, thereby ensuring reliable positioning of the tip of the biasing end.

[0019] (4) In the connection mechanism according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the biasing end portion is curved in a semicircular shape, and the tip portion abuts against the side wall of the recess.

[0020] In this embodiment, the biasing end is curved in a semicircular shape, and the tip of the biasing end abuts the side wall of the recess. Therefore, the restoring force of the biasing end biases one of the bus bars in the overlapping direction of the bus bars, thereby maintaining the connection between the bus bars and reliably ensuring the electrical connection between the bus bars.

[0021] (5) In the connection mechanism according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the recess has a groove formed near the side wall at the bottom, in which the tip end of the biasing end is accommodated.

[0022] In this embodiment, the tip of the urging end is accommodated in the groove of the recess, making it even more difficult for the tip of the urging end to come out of the recess, and the tip of the urging end can be reliably positioned.

[0023] (6) In the connection mechanism according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the bottom of the recess has a concave curved surface.

[0024] In this embodiment, since the bottom of the recess has a concave curved surface, it becomes more difficult for the tip of the urging end to come out of the recess, and the tip of the urging end can be reliably positioned.

[0025] (7) In the connection mechanism according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the through tube portion is provided on the other bus bar, and the other bus bar is thinner than the one bus bar.

[0026] In this embodiment, the through tube portion is provided on the other bus bar, which is thinner than the one bus bar. Therefore, in order to bias the one bus bar in the overlapping direction of the bus bars, it is easy to curve the biasing end portion of the through tube portion so that it forms a hook shape when viewed in cross section along the axial length.

[0027] (8) In a connection mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a first through hole is formed in one of the bus bars, and a second through hole is formed in the other of the bus bars at a position corresponding to the first through hole, the through tube portion is inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole, the biasing end portions on both sides of the through tube portion protrude from the outer surfaces of the one of the bus bars and the other of the bus bars, and the tip of the biasing end portion on one side is folded back toward the outer surface of the one of the bus bars and is in contact with the outer surface of the one of the bus bars, and the tip of the biasing end portion on the other side is folded back toward the outer surface of the other of the bus bars and is in contact with the outer surface of the other of the bus bars.

[0028] In this embodiment, one biasing end protrudes from the outer surface of one of the bus bars, and the tip of the one biasing end is folded back toward and in contact with the outer surface of the one of the bus bars. The other biasing end protrudes from the outer surface of the other of the bus bars, and the tip of the other biasing end is folded back toward and in contact with the outer surface of the other of the bus bars. Therefore, the one bus bar and the other bus bar are biased in the overlapping direction of the bus bars, maintaining the connection between the bus bars and reliably ensuring the electrical connection between the bus bars.

[0029] (9) In the connection mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a first recess is provided around the first through hole on the outer surface of one of the bus bars, and the tip of the biasing end on one side abuts against the bottom of the first recess, and a second recess is provided around the second through hole on the outer surface of the other bus bar, and the tip of the biasing end on the other side abuts against the bottom of the second recess.

[0030] In this embodiment, the tip end of the one biasing end portion is folded back toward the outer surface of the one bus bar and abuts against the bottom of the first recess provided on the outer surface, and the tip end of the other biasing end portion is folded back toward the outer surface of the other bus bar and abuts against the bottom of the second recess provided on the outer surface. Therefore, the tip ends of the biasing end portions on both sides cannot come out of the first recess and the second recess, and the tip ends of the biasing end portions on both sides can be reliably positioned.

[0031] (10) In the connection mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the one side biasing end is curved in a semicircular shape, and the tip end abuts against the side wall of the first recess, and the other side biasing end is curved in a semicircular shape, and the tip end abuts against the side wall of the second recess.

[0032] In this embodiment, the one side urging end is curved in a semicircular shape, with the tip of the one side urging end abutting the side wall of the first recess, and the other side urging end is curved in a semicircular shape, with the tip of the other side urging end abutting the side wall of the second recess.Therefore, the restoring force of each urging end urges the one bus bar and the other bus bar in the overlapping direction of the bus bars, thereby maintaining the connection between the bus bars and reliably ensuring the electrical connection between the bus bars.

[0033] (11) A connection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a connection method for connecting bus bars to each other, which includes inserting a through-hole that penetrates at least one of the bus bars in the thickness direction, applying pressure to an end of the through-hole, and bending the end so as to form a hook shape in a cross-sectional view along the axial length of the through-hole.

[0034] In this embodiment, the through-hole of one of the bus bars is inserted into the through-hole of the other of the bus bars, and the end of the through-hole is curved so as to form a hook shape in a cross section along the axial length of the through-hole, whereby the end of the through-hole urges the other of the bus bars in the overlapping direction, thereby maintaining the connection between the bus bars and reliably ensuring electrical connection between the bus bars.

[0035] [Details of the embodiment of the present invention] A connection mechanism and a connection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0036] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a connection mechanism 100 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 1A is a plan view of the connection mechanism 100, Fig. 1B is a side view of the connection mechanism 100, and Fig. 1C is a perspective view of the connection mechanism 100 as seen from the bottom side.

[0037] Connection mechanism 100 includes busbar 10 (the other busbar) and busbar 20 (the one busbar). That is, connection mechanism 100 is a connection mechanism for busbar 10 and busbar 20, and busbar 10 and busbar 20 are in contact with each other while overlapping each other in the thickness direction. For ease of explanation, the following description will be given with busbar 10 as the upper side and busbar 20 as the lower side.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. Busbar 10 is made of a conductive metal such as copper and has a rectangular plate shape that is thinner than busbar 20. Busbar 10 has a connection holding portion 30 (through cylindrical portion) for holding the connection with busbar 20.

[0039] The connection retaining portion 30 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is provided on one surface 11 of the busbar 10, protruding from the surface 11. Both ends of the connection retaining portion 30 in the axial direction are open. In other words, a communication hole 13 that communicates with the interior of the connection retaining portion 30 is formed on the other surface 12 of the busbar 10. The connection retaining portion 30 is inserted into a through-hole 22 (described below) that penetrates the busbar 20 in the thickness direction. In other words, the connection retaining portion 30 penetrates the busbar 20. For example, the connection retaining portion 30 is formed by subjecting the busbar 10 to a so-called drawing process. The thickness of the connection retaining portion 30 becomes thinner as it approaches the end of the protrusion.

[0040] The end 31 of the connection retaining portion 30 at the protruding end is hook-shaped in a cross section along the axial direction, and the tip 32 of the end 31 abuts against the bus bar 20. The end 31 of the connection retaining portion 30 biases the bus bar 20 toward the bus bar 10.

[0041] Busbar 20 is made of a conductive metal such as copper, and has a rectangular plate shape that is thicker than busbar 10, similar in shape to busbar 10. Busbar 20 is superimposed so that one surface 23 (opposing surface) is in contact with one surface 11 of busbar 10. As described above, busbar 20 has through hole 22 formed therein, and through hole 22 (first through hole) has a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of connection holder 30. Connection holder 30 of busbar 10 is inserted into through hole 22.

[0042] In busbar 20, on another surface 24 (outer surface) opposite to one surface 23, a circular recess 21 is provided around through-hole 22. Recess 21 is shallow and has a flat bottom 25.

[0043] The end 31 of the connection retainer 30 protrudes from the through-hole 22 of the busbar 20 and protrudes downward from the other surface 24, and is curved outward, for example, in a semicircular shape around the entire circumference. More specifically, the tip 32 of the end 31 is folded back toward the other surface 24 and is housed in the recess 21 of the other surface 24. At this time, the tip 32 of the end 31 is in contact with the bottom 25 of the recess 21. Furthermore, due to a restoring force that attempts to return the end 31 to its original shape, the tip 32 of the end 31 is also in contact with the side wall 26 of the recess 21.

[0044] As described above, tip end 32 of end 31 is folded back toward other surface 24 and is in contact with bottom 25 and side wall 26 of recess 21 on other surface 24, so that a biasing force is generated in the overlapping direction of busbar 10 and busbar 20 (see dashed arrow in FIG. 2 ) and in the radial direction of recess 21 (see solid arrow in FIG. 2 ). As a result, end 31 is biased in a direction corresponding to the vector sum of the biasing force corresponding to the dashed arrow in FIG. 2 and the biasing force corresponding to the solid arrow in FIG. 2 .

[0045] Therefore, in connection mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment, connection holder 30 (end 31) maintains contact between busbar 10 and busbar 20. This ensures stable electrical connection between busbar 10 and busbar 20. Therefore, the connection mechanism 100 can connect the bus bars 10 and 20 simply and at low cost without using special techniques such as ultrasonic welding or laser joining.

[0046] 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams illustrating a connection method according to the first embodiment. First, busbar 10 and busbar 20 are prepared. An operator inserts connection retainer 30 of busbar 10 into through-hole 22 of busbar 20 from one surface 23 side of busbar 20 in the thickness direction of busbar 20 (see the solid arrow in FIG. 3 ). This brings one surface 11 of busbar 10 into contact with one surface 23 of busbar 20, and end 31 of connection retainer 30 comes out of through-hole 22 of busbar 20 and protrudes downward from the other surface 24 (see FIG. 4 ).

[0047] Next, the worker applies mechanical pressure to the end 31 of the connection holding part 30, for example, using a press, to bend the end 31 outward, for example, in a semicircular shape. For such mechanical pressure treatment, for example, a pressure jig is used, which has a protrusion that is inserted into the connection holding part 30 during pressure treatment to prevent the end 31 from bending inward, and a recess that is provided around the base end of the protrusion to guide the bending of the end 31. The recess has a bottom with a concave curved surface.

[0048] By this mechanical pressure treatment, the tip 32 of the end 31 is folded back toward the other surface 24 along the entire circumference and accommodated in the recess 21 of the other surface 24, and the tip 32 comes into contact with the bottom 25 and the side wall 26 of the recess 21 (see FIG. 2 ). Therefore, the connection between the busbar 10 and the busbar 20 can be maintained.

[0049] In the connection mechanism 100 according to embodiment 1, during the mechanical pressure treatment described above, the end 31 is accommodated within the recess 21, and the tip 32 is caught on the side wall 26 of the recess 21, preventing the tip 32 from slipping out beyond the recess 21, ensuring reliable positioning of the end 31, and forming the end 31 into the shape described above.

[0050] In the connection mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment, as described above, the thickness of the connection holding portion 30 becomes thinner as it approaches the end of the protrusion (see FIG. 2), so that the end 31 of the connection holding portion 30 is easily deformed during mechanical pressure treatment, and the electrical connection between the busbar 10 and the busbar 20 can be reliably secured.

[0051] (Embodiment 2) 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a connection mechanism 100 according to embodiment 2. The connection mechanism 100 according to embodiment 2 is a connection mechanism for busbar 10 and busbar 20, in which busbar 10 and busbar 20 are in contact with each other while overlapping each other in the thickness direction.

[0052] Busbar 10 is made of a conductive metal such as copper and has a rectangular plate shape that is thinner than busbar 20. Busbar 10 has a connection holding portion 30, similar to embodiment 1. The shape of connection holding portion 30 is the same as in embodiment 1, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0053] The connection retaining portion 30 is inserted into a through-hole 22 that penetrates the bus bar 20 in the thickness direction. The connection retaining portion 30 has a lower end portion 31 that is hook-shaped in cross section along the axial length direction, and a tip portion 32 of the end portion 31 abuts against the bus bar 20.

[0054] Busbar 20 is made of a conductive metal such as copper, and has a rectangular plate shape that is thicker than busbar 10, and has the same shape as busbar 10. Busbar 20 is overlapped so that one surface 23 is in contact with one surface 11 of busbar 10. Connection holder 30 of busbar 10 is inserted into through hole 22 of busbar 20.

[0055] In busbar 20, on another surface 24 opposite to one surface 23, a circular recess 21 is provided around through-hole 22. Recess 21 is shallow and has a flat bottom 25.

[0056] The end 31 of the connection holding portion 30 protrudes from the through-hole 22 of the busbar 20 downward from the other surface 24 and is curved outward, for example, in a semicircular shape, around the entire circumference. The tip 32 of the end 31 is folded back toward the other surface 24 and is housed in the recess 21 of the other surface 24. In this case, the tip 32 of the end 31 contacts the bottom 25 of the recess 21 and the side wall 26 of the recess 21.

[0057] As described above, the tip 32 of the end 31 is folded back toward the other surface 24 and is in contact with the bottom 25 of the recess 21 on the other surface 24 and the side wall 26 of the recess 21, so that, as described above, the end 31 biases the bus bars 10 and 20 in the direction of overlapping them.

[0058] In the connection mechanism 100 according to the second embodiment, a groove 211 for accommodating the tip 32 of the end 310 is formed in the bottom 25 of the recess 21 near the side wall 26. In other words, the groove 211 is provided around the bottom 25 of the recess 21 in a portion adjacent to the side wall 26, along the side wall 26, and the tip 32 of the end 31 is accommodated in the groove 211.

[0059] As described above, in connection mechanism 100 according to the second embodiment, connection holder 30 (end 31) maintains contact between busbar 10 and busbar 20. This ensures stable electrical connection between busbar 10 and busbar 20. Furthermore, connection mechanism 100 can connect busbar 10 and busbar 20 simply and at low cost without using special techniques such as ultrasonic welding or laser joining.

[0060] Furthermore, during the mechanical pressure treatment, the end 31 is accommodated within the recess 21 and the tip 32 is caught on the side wall 26 of the recess 21, so that the tip 32 does not go beyond the recess 21 and come off, and the positioning of the end 31 is reliably performed. In the connection mechanism 100 according to the second embodiment, as described above, the recess 21 has the groove 211, and the tip 32 of the end 31 is accommodated in the groove 211 during the mechanical pressure treatment, so that the tip 32 is more reliably prevented from going beyond the recess 21 and coming off, and the positioning of the end 31 and the shaping of the end 31 are reliably performed.

[0061] The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0062] (Embodiment 3) 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a connection mechanism 100 according to embodiment 3. The connection mechanism 100 according to embodiment 3 is a connection mechanism for busbar 10 and busbar 20, in which busbar 10 and busbar 20 are in contact with each other while overlapping each other in the thickness direction.

[0063] Busbar 10 is made of a conductive metal such as copper, has a rectangular plate shape that is thinner than busbar 20, and has a connection holding portion 30, similar to embodiment 1. The shape of connection holding portion 30 is the same as in embodiment 1, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0064] The connection retaining portion 30 is inserted into a through-hole 22 that penetrates the bus bar 20 in the thickness direction. The connection retaining portion 30 has a lower end portion 31 that is hook-shaped in cross section along the axial length direction, and a tip portion 32 of the end portion 31 abuts against the bus bar 20.

[0065] Busbar 20 is made of a conductive metal such as copper, and has a rectangular plate shape that is thicker than busbar 10, and has the same shape as busbar 10. Busbar 20 is overlapped so that one surface 23 is in contact with one surface 11 of busbar 10. Connection holder 30 of busbar 10 is inserted into through hole 22 of busbar 20.

[0066] In the bus bar 20 , a circular recess 21 is provided around the through hole 22 on the other surface 24 opposite to the one surface 23 .

[0067] The end 31 of the connection holding portion 30 protrudes from the through-hole 22 of the busbar 20 downward from the other surface 24 and is curved outward, for example, in a semicircular shape, around the entire circumference. The tip 32 of the end 31 is folded back toward the other surface 24 and is housed in the recess 21 of the other surface 24. In this case, the tip 32 of the end 31 contacts the bottom 25 of the recess 21 and the side wall 26 of the recess 21.

[0068] As described above, the tip 32 of the end 31 is folded back toward the other surface 24 and is in contact with the bottom 25 of the recess 21 on the other surface 24 and the side wall 26 of the recess 21, so that, as described above, the end 31 biases the bus bars 10 and 20 in the direction of overlapping them.

[0069] In the connection mechanism 100 according to the third embodiment, the bottom 25 of the recess 21 is not flat but has a concave curved surface. In other words, the bottom 25 of the recess 21 is concave upward, that is, concave toward the bus bar 10 side.

[0070] As described above, in connection mechanism 100 according to the third embodiment, connection holder 30 (end 31) maintains contact between busbar 10 and busbar 20. This ensures stable electrical connection between busbar 10 and busbar 20. Connection mechanism 100 can connect busbar 10 and busbar 20 simply and at low cost without using special techniques such as ultrasonic welding or laser joining.

[0071] Furthermore, during mechanical pressure treatment, end 31 is accommodated within recess 21 and tip 32 is caught on side wall 26 of recess 21, so tip 32 does not go beyond recess 21 and come off, and end 31 is reliably positioned. In connection mechanism 100 according to embodiment 3, as described above, bottom 25 of recess 21 has a concave curved surface, which more reliably prevents tip 32 from going beyond recess 21 and coming off, and end 31 is reliably positioned and shaped.

[0072] The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0073] (Variation) Although the above description has been given taking as an example a case where connection mechanism 100 is a connection mechanism between two bus bars 10 and 20, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0074] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of the connection mechanism 100. In FIG. Connection mechanism 100 according to the modified example includes bus bars 10A, 10B, and 10C and bus bar 20. That is, connection mechanism 100 according to the modified example is a connection mechanism between three or more bus bars. Bus bars 10A, 10B, and 10C are thinner than bus bar 20.

[0075] One busbar 20 is connected to busbars 10A and 10C, each made of a plate material bent into a crank shape, and busbar 10B, made of a plate material bent into an L-shape in vertical cross section. Busbars 10A and 10C each have one connection retainer 30, and busbar 10B has two connection retainers 30. Busbar 20 has through-holes (not shown) that penetrate through the busbar 20 in the thickness direction at positions corresponding to the connection retainers 30 of busbars 10A, 10B, and 10C. Busbars 10A, 10B, and 10C are connected to busbar 20 by inserting each connection retainer 30 into the corresponding through-hole of busbar 20 and applying mechanical pressure as described above. The detailed connection method has already been described in the first embodiment, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0076] As described above, the present invention can be applied not only to connections between two bus bars, but also to connections between three or more bus bars.

[0077] (Embodiment 4) Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a connection mechanism 100 according to embodiment 4. Fig. 8A is a plan view of the connection mechanism 100, Fig. 8B is a side view of the connection mechanism 100, and Fig. 8C is a perspective view of the connection mechanism 100 as seen from above.

[0078] Connection mechanism 100 of embodiment 4 includes bus bar 20 and bus bar 40 (the other bus bar). That is, connection mechanism 100 of embodiment 4 is a connection mechanism for bus bar 20 and bus bar 40, and bus bar 20 and bus bar 40 are in contact with each other while overlapping each other in the thickness direction. For convenience of explanation, the following description will be given with bus bar 40 as the upper side and bus bar 20 as the lower side.

[0079] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG.

[0080] Busbar 40 is made of a conductive metal such as copper and has a rectangular plate shape with approximately the same thickness as busbar 20, and has the same shape as busbar 20. Busbar 40 is overlapped so that one surface 41 (opposing surface) is in contact with one surface 23 (opposing surface) of busbar 20. Busbar 40 is overlapped with busbar 20 by connection holding portion 30A (through-tube portion) that maintains the connection state with busbar 20.

[0081] A through hole 43 (second through hole) is formed in the bus bar 40, penetrating the bus bar 40 in the thickness direction, and the through hole 43 has a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the connection holding portion 30A. The upper part of the connection holding portion 30A is inserted into the through hole 43.

[0082] In busbar 40, on another surface 42 (outer surface) opposite to one surface 41, a circular recess 44 (second recess) is provided around through-hole 43. Recess 44 has a shallow depth and a flat bottom 45.

[0083] Busbar 20 is made of a conductive metal such as copper, and has a rectangular plate shape with approximately the same thickness as busbar 40, forming the same shape as busbar 40. One surface 23 (opposing surface) of busbar 20 is in contact with one surface 41 of busbar 40. Busbar 20 has through-hole 22 formed therein, penetrating busbar 20 in the thickness direction, at a position corresponding to through-hole 43 of busbar 40. Through-hole 22 has a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of connection holder 30A and the same diameter as through-hole 43 of busbar 40. The lower part of connection holder 30A is inserted into through-hole 22.

[0084] In busbar 20, on another surface 24 (outer surface) opposite to one surface 23, a circular recess 21 (first recess) is provided around through-hole 22. Recess 21 has a shallow depth and a flat bottom 25.

[0085] As described above, busbar 20 and busbar 40 are overlapped in the thickness direction, and through-hole 22 of busbar 20 and through-hole 43 of busbar 40 are formed at corresponding positions in the overlapping direction (vertical direction) of busbar 20 and busbar 40. Connection retaining portion 30A is inserted into through-hole 22 and through-hole 43 so as to pass through busbar 20 and busbar 40.

[0086] Connection retainer 30A is made of, for example, copper, and has a generally cylindrical shape with both axial ends open, and its axial length is longer than the sum of the thicknesses of busbar 20 and busbar 40. Connection retainer 30A has an upper end 31B on the upper side that is hook-shaped in a cross section taken along the axial direction, and tip 32B of upper end 31B abuts against busbar 40. Upper end 31B of connection retainer 30A biases busbar 40 toward busbar 20.

[0087] That is, the upper end 31B of the connection retaining portion 30A protrudes from the through-hole 43 of the bus bar 40 and protrudes above the other surface 42, and is curved outward, for example, in a semicircular shape around the entire circumference. More specifically, the tip 32B of the upper end 31B is folded back toward the other surface 42 and accommodated in a recess 44 in the other surface 42. At this time, the tip 32B of the upper end 31B contacts the bottom 45 of the recess 44. Furthermore, the tip 32B also contacts the side wall 46 of the recess 44 due to a restoring force that attempts to return the upper end 31B to its original shape.

[0088] As described above, tip end 32B of upper end 31B is folded back toward other surface 42 and is in contact with bottom 45 and sidewall 46 of recess 44 on other surface 42, so that a biasing force is generated in the overlapping direction of busbar 40 and busbar 20 (see dashed arrow in FIG. 9 ) and in the radial direction of recess 44 (see solid arrow in FIG. 9 ). As a result, upper end 31B biases in a direction corresponding to the vector sum of the biasing forces corresponding to the dashed arrow and solid arrow. That is, upper end 31B biases busbar 40 and busbar 20 in the overlapping direction.

[0089] Furthermore, the lower end 31A of the connection holding portion 30A protrudes from the through-hole 22 of the bus bar 20 downward from the other surface 24, and is curved outward in, for example, a semicircular shape around the entire circumference. The shape of the lower end 31A is the same as that of the upper end 31B, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0090] Since the tip 32A of the lower end 31A is folded back toward the other surface 24 and is in contact with the bottom 25 of the recess 21 on the other surface 24 and the side wall 26 of the recess 21, the lower end 31A, like the upper end 31B, biases the bus bar 40 and the bus bar 20 in the direction of overlapping them.

[0091] Therefore, in connection mechanism 100 according to the fourth embodiment, connection holding portion 30A (upper end portion 31B and lower end portion 31A) maintains contact between bus bar 40 and bus bar 20. This ensures stable electrical connection between bus bar 40 and bus bar 20. As described above, connection mechanism 100 can connect bus bar 40 and bus bar 20 simply and at low cost without using special techniques such as ultrasonic welding or laser joining.

[0092] 10 and 11 are explanatory diagrams illustrating a connection method according to the fourth embodiment. First, busbar 40 and busbar 20 are prepared, and then they are superimposed on each other so that one surface 41 of busbar 40 is in contact with one surface 23 of busbar 20 (see dashed arrows in FIG. 10 ). An operator inserts connection retainer 30A into through hole 43 of busbar 40 and through hole 22 of busbar 20 in this order, for example, from the other surface 42 of busbar 40, in the thickness direction of busbar 40 and busbar 20 (see solid arrows in FIG. 10 ). At this time, upper end 31B of connection retainer 30A comes out of through hole 43 of busbar 40 and protrudes above other surface 42, and lower end 31A of connection retainer 30A comes out of through hole 22 of busbar 20 and protrudes below other surface 24 (see FIG. 11 ).

[0093] Next, the worker applies mechanical pressure to the upper end 31B and the lower end 31A of the connection holding part 30A using, for example, a press, and bends the upper end 31B and the lower end 31A outward, for example, in a semicircular shape. By this mechanical pressure treatment, the tip 32B of the upper end 31B is folded back toward the other surface 42 along the entire circumference and is accommodated in the recess 44 of the other surface 42, with the tip 32B contacting the bottom 45 of the recess 44 and the side wall 46 of the recess 44. Also, the tip 32A of the lower end 31A is folded back toward the other surface 24 along the entire circumference and is accommodated in the recess 21 of the other surface 24, with the tip 32A contacting the bottom 25 of the recess 21 and the side wall 26 of the recess 21 (see FIG. 9). Therefore, the contact state between the bus bar 40 and the bus bar 20 can be maintained.

[0094] In connection mechanism 100 according to embodiment 4, during the mechanical pressure treatment described above, upper end 31B is accommodated in recess 44 of bus bar 40, with tip end 32B hooked on side wall 46 of recess 44, and lower end 31A is accommodated in recess 21 of bus bar 20, with tip end 32A hooked on side wall 26 of recess 21, so that positioning of upper end 31B and lower end 31A is reliably achieved.

[0095] As described above, the connection mechanism 100 according to the fourth embodiment is not limited to connecting two bus bars together, but can also be applied to connecting three or more bus bars together.

[0096] Furthermore, the connection mechanism 100 according to the fourth embodiment is not limited to the above description. For example, grooves corresponding to the groove 211 of the second embodiment may be formed near the side walls 26, 46 of the bottoms 25, 45 of the recesses 21, 44, respectively. Furthermore, the bottoms 25, 45 of the recesses 21, 44 may be configured to have a concave curved surface, as in the third embodiment.

[0097] The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0098] The technical features (constituent elements) described in the first to fourth embodiments can be combined with each other, and by combining them, new technical features can be formed. The embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above meaning, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0099] The matters described in each embodiment can be combined with each other. Furthermore, the independent claims and dependent claims described in the claims can be combined with each other in any and all combinations, regardless of the reference format. Furthermore, the claims use a format in which a claim references two or more other claims (multiple claim format), but this is not limited to this. A multiple claim (multi-multi claim) that references at least one other multiple claim may also be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 10, 10A, 10B, 10C, 40 busbar (other busbar) 11,23,41 One side 12,24,42 Other side 13 Communication hole 20 Busbar (one busbar) 21 Recess (first recess) 22 Through hole (first through hole) 25,45 bottom 26,46 side wall 30, 30A Connection holder (through tube) 31 End 32 Tip 31A Lower end 32A Tip 31B Upper end 32B Tip 43 Through hole (second through hole) 44 Recess (second recess) 100 Connection 211 Ditch

Claims

1. A connection mechanism for connecting bus bars to each other, a through-tube portion that passes through at least one of the bus bars in a thickness direction; the through tube portion is inserted into a first through hole formed in one of the bus bars, and has a biasing end portion that is hook-shaped in a cross section taken along an axial length and biases the bus bars in an overlapping direction; the biasing end portion protrudes from an outer surface opposite to the opposing surfaces of the bus bars, a recess is provided around the first through hole on an outer surface of the one bus bar, A connection mechanism in which the tip of the biasing end portion is curved in a semicircular shape and folded back toward the outer surface of the one bus bar, and abuts against the bottom and side wall of the recess.

2. The recessed portion is 2. The connection mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a groove is formed in the bottom adjacent to the side wall, and the tip of the biasing end is received therein.

3. The connection mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the recess has a concave curved surface.

4. the through tube portion is provided on the other bus bar, The connection mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the other bus bar is thinner than the one bus bar.

5. a first through hole is formed in one of the bus bars, and a second through hole is formed in the other bus bar at a position corresponding to the first through hole; the through tube portion is inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole, and the biasing end portions on both sides of the through tube portion protrude from the outer surfaces of the one bus bar and the other bus bar, respectively; a tip end of the one biasing end portion is folded back toward the outer surface of the one bus bar and is in contact with the outer surface of the one bus bar, 2. The connection mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a tip of the other biasing end portion is folded back toward the outer surface of the other bus bar and is in contact with the outer surface of the other bus bar.

6. a first recess is provided on the outer surface of the one bus bar around the first through hole; the tip of the biasing end portion on the one side abuts against the bottom of the first recess, a second recess is provided on the outer surface of the other bus bar around the second through hole; The connection mechanism according to claim 5 , wherein the tip of the other biasing end abuts against the bottom of the second recess.

7. The biasing end portion on one side is curved in a semicircular shape, and the tip portion abuts against the side wall of the first recess, The connection mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein the other biasing end portion is curved in a semicircular shape, and the tip portion abuts against a side wall of the second recess portion.

8. A connection method for connecting bus bars to each other, comprising: a through-hole is inserted through at least one of the bus bars in a thickness direction, and an end of the through-hole is protruded from an outer surface opposite to the opposing surfaces of the bus bars; a connection method in which the end portion is pressurized to bend the tip portion of the end portion toward the outer surface of one of the bus bars into a semicircular shape, and the tip portion is brought into contact with the bottom and side walls of a recess formed around the through hole on the outer surface of the one of the bus bars, thereby urging the bus bars in the overlapping direction.

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