Plate-shaped member and battery stack

Abstract

To provide a board-shaped member and a battery stack that allow a sealing material to be easily provided on the front and back faces of battery stack plates.SOLUTION: A first board-shaped member 1120 includes: a conductive plate 1140 disposed between a plurality of stacked power storage modules; a battery stack plate including a board-shaped insulating housing 1151 having a fitting groove 1153 recessed in a side face of the board-shaped insulating housing; a sealing material supply groove 1103 respectively provided in front and back faces of the insulating housing 1151 along an extension direction of the fitting groove 1153; a through hole 1104 communicating with the sealing material supply groove 1103 and the fitting groove 1153; and a sealing material 1105 pre-filled into the fitting groove 1153 and extruded from the fitting groove 1153 to the front and back faces of the insulating housing 1151 through the through hole 1104 and the sealing material supply groove 1103 when a side edge 1142 of the conductive plate 1140 is fitted into the fitting groove 1153.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 81

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plate-shaped member and a battery stack including the plate-shaped member. [Background technology]

[0002] Various types of power storage devices have been proposed in the past. For example, the power storage device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of stacked power storage modules and a plurality of plate-like members arranged between the power storage modules. A plurality of stacked energy storage modules (battery cells) and a plurality of plate-like members are arranged between a pair of insulating plates and restrained by restraining devices to form a stack (battery stack) formed in an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0003] The energy storage module has a resin frame, multiple battery cells, and multiple current collector plates. The plate-shaped member has a conductive portion (conductive plate) that electrically connects adjacent energy storage modules, and an insulating portion (battery stack plate) arranged on the periphery. The insulating portion of the battery stack plate of the plate-shaped member is positioned on the outer periphery of the energy storage device, thereby reducing the amount of exposure of the conductive portion from the periphery of the energy storage device.

[0004] Gaps may occur between the plate surfaces of the plurality of energy storage modules stacked in the plate thickness direction and the plate surfaces of the plate-shaped members. Therefore, in conventional structures, a sealant designed to fill the gaps is applied in advance to the front and back surfaces of the insulating portions of the plate-shaped members, and then the plurality of energy storage modules and the plate-shaped members are stacked. Therefore, by applying the sealant to the front and back surfaces of the insulating portions of the plate-shaped members to fill the gaps in the stack, it is possible to efficiently flow cooling air through the cooling passages of the conductive portions that also serve as cooling plates and to prevent foreign matter from entering the surfaces of the energy storage modules. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-198211 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-171469 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, with conventional plate-shaped members, the sealant is manually applied directly to the front and back surfaces of the battery stack plates, which is a time-consuming process.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to provide a plate-shaped member and a battery stack that allow sealing materials to be easily provided on the front and back surfaces of a battery stack plate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following configuration. (1) A conductive plate disposed between each of the plurality of stacked energy storage modules; a battery stack plate having a plate-shaped insulating housing with a fitting groove recessed into the side surface of the plate for fitting into the side edge portion of the conductive plate; a sealing material supply groove provided on each of the front and rear surfaces of the insulating housing along the extending direction of the fitting groove; a through hole communicating the sealing material supply groove and the fitting groove; a sealing material that is filled in the fitting groove in advance and that is extruded from the fitting groove through the through hole and the sealing material supply groove onto the front and rear surfaces of the insulating housing when the side edge portion of the conductive plate is fitted into the fitting groove, A plate-shaped member sandwiched between the plurality of power storage modules. (2) A battery stack including the plate-shaped member according to (1) above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a plate-like member and a battery stack that allow sealing materials to be easily provided on the front and back surfaces of the battery stack plate.

[0010] The present invention has been briefly described above. The details of the present invention will become clearer by reading the following detailed description of the invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments"; in particular, the eleventh embodiment described below) with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a stacked-type electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1A-1A of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part 1B of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a top view showing a housing in which the voltage detection terminal and the voltage wire are housed, and a cover. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the temperature detection unit, and corresponds to FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a top view showing the housing and the temperature detection sensor. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the temperature detection sensor. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1C-1C of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a partially exploded stacked electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2A-2A of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of part 2B in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a top view showing the housing that houses the voltage detection terminal, the voltage wire, and the temperature detection sensor, and the cover. [Figure 13] 13 is a cross-sectional view of the temperature detection sensor taken along line 2C-2C of FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a view corresponding to FIG. 13 showing a housing in which a temperature detection sensor is housed. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a modified example of the temperature detection sensor, and corresponds to FIG. [Figure 16] 16 is a cross-sectional view of the temperature detection sensor shown in FIG. 15, taken along the line 2D-2D of FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a modified example of the method of routing the temperature electric wires, and corresponds to FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a partially exploded perspective view of a stacked-type electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to the third embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3A-3A of FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is an enlarged view of part 3B in FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a top view showing the housing in which the voltage detection terminal and the voltage wire are housed, and the cover. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing a partially exploded stacked electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4A-4A of FIG. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is an enlarged view of part 4B in FIG. [Figure 25A] FIG. 25A is a top view showing a housing that houses a voltage detection terminal, a voltage wire, and a temperature detection sensor, and a cover. [Figure 25B] FIG. 25B is a top view showing a housing that accommodates the voltage detection terminal and the voltage wire, and a temperature detection sensor. [Figure 26A] FIG. 26A is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 23 showing a voltage detection unit having a temperature detection sensor. [Figure 26B]FIG. 26B is a diagram showing a modified example of the flange portion of the conductive plate, and is an enlarged view of part 4C in FIG. 26A. [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a perspective view showing a partially exploded stacked electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5A-5A of FIG. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 is an enlarged view of part 5B in FIG. [Figure 30] FIG. 30 is a top view showing the housing in which the voltage detection terminal is housed and the cover. [Figure 31] FIG. 31 is a perspective view showing a conductive plate and a temperature detection sensor. [Figure 32] FIG. 32 is a partially exploded perspective view of a stacked electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 33] FIG. 33 is a perspective view showing a voltage detection unit and a thermally conductive sheet. [Figure 34] FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6A-6A of FIG. [Figure 35] FIG. 35 is an enlarged view of part 6B in FIG. [Figure 36] FIG. 36 is a top view showing the housing in which the voltage detection terminal and the voltage wire are housed, and the cover. [Figure 37] FIG. 37 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the temperature detection unit, and corresponds to FIG. [Figure 38] FIG. 38 is a perspective view showing a partially exploded stacked electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to the seventh embodiment. [Figure 39] FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7A-7A of FIG. [Figure 40] FIG. 40 is an enlarged view of part 7B in FIG. [Figure 41] FIG. 41 is a top view showing a housing in which the voltage detection terminal and the voltage wire are housed, and a cover. [Figure 42]FIG. 42 is a perspective view showing a housing and a temperature detection sensor. [Figure 43] FIG. 43 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure for holding the temperature detecting wire in the housing. [Figure 44] FIG. 44 is a perspective view showing a partly exploded stacked electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to the eighth embodiment. [Figure 45] FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8A-8A of FIG. [Figure 46] FIG. 46 is an enlarged view of part 8B in FIG. [Figure 47] FIG. 47 is an exploded perspective view of the voltage detection unit shown in FIG. [Figure 48] FIG. 48 is a top view showing the housing in which the voltage detection terminal and the electric wires are housed, and the cover. [Figure 49] FIG. 49 is a bottom view showing the housing in which the voltage detection terminal and the electric wires are housed, and the cover. [Figure 50] FIG. 50 is a bottom view showing a state in which the cover is locked to the housing at the first temporary locking position. [Figure 51] FIG. 51 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8C-8C of FIG. [Figure 52] FIG. 52 is a bottom view showing a state in which the cover is locked to the housing at the second provisional locking position. [Figure 53] FIG. 53 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8D-8D of FIG. [Figure 54] FIG. 54 is a bottom view showing the cover locked to the housing at the full locking position. [Figure 55] FIG. 55 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8E-8E of FIG. [Figure 56] FIG. 56 is a partially exploded perspective view of a stacked electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to the ninth embodiment. [Figure 57] FIG. 57 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9A-9A of FIG. [Figure 58] FIG. 58 is an enlarged view of part 9B of FIG. [Figure 59]FIG. 59 is an exploded perspective view of the voltage detection unit shown in FIG. [Figure 60] FIG. 60 is a perspective view of the cover as seen from below. [Figure 61] FIG. 61 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover is locked to the housing at the provisional locking position. [Figure 62] FIG. 62 is a top view showing the cover locked to the housing at the provisionally locked position. [Figure 63] FIG. 63 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9C-9C of FIG. [Figure 64] FIG. 64 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9D-9D of FIG. [Figure 65] FIG. 65 is a top view showing the cover locked to the housing at the full locking position. [Figure 66] FIG. 66 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9E-9E of FIG. [Figure 67] FIG. 67 is a partially exploded perspective view of a stacked electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to the tenth embodiment. [Figure 68] FIG. 68 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10A-10A of FIG. [Figure 69] FIG. 69 is an enlarged view of part 10B of FIG. [Figure 70] FIG. 70 is an exploded perspective view of the voltage detection unit shown in FIG. [Figure 71] FIG. 71 is a top view showing the state in which the cover is fully open. [Figure 72] FIG. 72 is a perspective view showing the cover in a provisionally locked state. [Figure 73] FIG. 73 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10C-10C of FIG. [Figure 74] FIG. 74 is a perspective view showing the cover in a fully locked state. [Figure 75] FIG. 75 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10D-10D of FIG. [Figure 76] FIG. 76 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of a battery stack according to the eleventh embodiment. [Figure 77]FIG. 77 is an exploded perspective view of the first plate-shaped member shown in FIG. [Figure 78] FIG. 78 is an exploded perspective view of the second plate-shaped member shown in FIG. [Figure 79] FIG. 79 is an exploded perspective view of the battery stack plate having the connection terminal shown in FIG. [Figure 80] FIG. 80 is a plan view of the insulating housing shown in FIG. [Figure 81] Figure 81(a) is an enlarged plan view of the main part showing the state just before the insulating housing shown in Figure 80 is assembled to the conductive plate, and Figure 81(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow 11A-11A in Figure 81(a). [Figure 82] Figure 82(a) is an enlarged plan view of the main part showing the insulating housing shown in Figure 80 in the middle of being assembled to the conductive plate, and Figure 82(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow 11B-11B in Figure 82(a). [Figure 83] Figure 83(a) is an enlarged plan view of the main part showing the completed state after the insulating housing shown in Figure 80 has been assembled to the conductive plate, and Figure 83(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow 11C-11C in Figure 83(a). [Figure 84] FIG. 84 is a perspective view of a battery stack plate according to a reference example. [Figure 85] FIG. 85 is a perspective view of a first plate-shaped member according to the twelfth embodiment. [Figure 86] FIG. 86 is an exploded perspective view of the battery stack plate having the battery temperature sensor shown in FIG. [Figure 87] 87 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of a main portion showing a state in the middle of assembling the thermistor element into the insulating housing shown in FIG. [Figure 88] FIG. 88 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state in which a thermistor element is potted in the sensor accommodating portion of the insulating housing shown in FIG. [Figure 89] FIG. 89 is an exploded perspective view of a battery stack plate having a battery temperature sensor according to a reference example. [Figure 90]90 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing a state in the middle of assembling a thermistor element into the thermistor case of the battery temperature sensor shown in FIG. [Figure 91] FIG. 91 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing the state in which the thermistor element is potted in the thermistor case shown in FIG. [Figure 92] FIG. 92 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing the battery temperature sensor shown in FIG. 91 in a completed state after being assembled into the sensor accommodating portion of the insulating housing. [Figure 93] FIG. 93 is an exploded perspective view of a battery stack plate having a connection terminal according to the thirteenth embodiment. [Figure 94] FIG. 94 is an enlarged front view of a main part of the insulating housing shown in FIG. [Figure 95] FIG. 95 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the insulating housing shown in FIG. [Figure 96] 96 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing a state in the middle of assembling the connection terminal into the insulating housing shown in FIG. 93. FIG. [Figure 97] FIG. 97 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 13A-13A in FIG. [Figure 98] 98 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing a completed state in which the connection terminals are assembled into the insulating housing shown in FIG. [Figure 99] FIG. 99 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 13B-13B in FIG. [Figure 100] FIG. 100 is a perspective view of a second plate-shaped member according to the fourteenth embodiment. [Figure 101] FIG. 101 is a perspective view showing the insulating housing of the dummy battery stack plate shown in FIG. 100 after it has been formed by extrusion molding and cutting. [Figure 102] FIG. 102 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 14A-14A in FIG. [Figure 103] FIG. 103 is a perspective view illustrating the packed transport state of a battery stack plate having connection terminals according to the fifteenth embodiment. [Figure 104]FIG. 104 is a perspective view of the battery stack plate shown in FIG. 103 with the electric wires and connectors removed from the insulating housing. [Figure 105] FIG. 105 is a perspective view of the battery stack plate connector shown in FIG. 104, viewed from below on the opposite side of the insulating housing. [Figure 106] FIG. 106 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing the wires housed in the wire housing of the battery stack plate shown in FIG. [Figure 107] FIG. 107 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 15A-15A in FIG. [Figure 108] FIG. 108 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 15B-15B in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] First Embodiment The invention embodied as a first embodiment relates to a temperature detection unit and a power storage device including the temperature detection unit. Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a temperature detection unit (i.e., opposing unit 106) according to the first embodiment and a voltage detection unit 105 used together with the opposing unit 106 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0013] For the sake of convenience, the following definitions are used for the "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower" directions, as shown in Figure 1 and elsewhere. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to one another. The left-right direction corresponds to the "direction in which the plate side of the housing faces." The front-rear direction corresponds to the "intersecting direction."

[0014] The voltage detection unit 105 is typically used in a stacked-type energy storage device 101 shown in Fig. 1. The energy storage device 101 is configured by stacking rectangular thin-plate chargeable and dischargeable energy storage modules 102 and rectangular thin-plate conductive modules 103 that can electrically connect adjacent energy storage modules 102 alternately in the vertical direction. In the energy storage device 101, the multiple energy storage modules 102 are electrically connected in series via the conductive modules 103. The energy storage module 102 has a structure in which multiple battery cells (not shown) are built in, and the energy storage module 102 as a whole functions as a single chargeable and dischargeable battery.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1 , the conductive module 103 is configured to have an overall rectangular thin plate shape, including a rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive plate 104 (note that the conductive plate 104 also functions as a heat sink, as will be described later), a rectangular thin plate-shaped voltage detection unit 105 connected to the left side of the conductive plate 104, and a rectangular thin plate-shaped opposing unit 106 connected to the right side of the conductive plate 104. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the conductive plate 104 and the voltage detection unit 105 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 104a extending in the front-rear direction on the left end surface of the conductive plate 104 into a recess 105a extending in the front-rear direction on the right end surface of the voltage detection unit 105. The conductive plate 104 and the opposing unit 106 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 104b extending in the front-rear direction on the right end surface of the conductive plate 104 into a recess 106a extending in the front-rear direction on the left end surface of the opposing unit 106.

[0016] 2, in each conductive module 103 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 102, the conductive plate 104 is in direct contact with the upper and lower power storage modules 102. Therefore, the conductive plate 104 functions to provide electrical continuity between the lower surface of the upper power storage module 102 and the upper surface of the lower power storage module 102, and also functions as a heat sink that releases heat generated from the upper and lower power storage modules 102 to the outside.

[0017] In each conductive module 103 located between vertically adjacent storage modules 102, the voltage detection unit 105 includes a voltage detection terminal 110 (see FIG. 2, etc.) described below that contacts the conductive plate 104. The voltage detection unit 105 functions to output a signal indicating the voltage between the upper and lower storage modules 102 (specifically, the potential of the upper surface (output surface) of the lower storage module 102 relative to a reference zero potential) via a voltage wire 120 (see FIG. 1, etc.) connected to the voltage detection terminal 110. Note that although the voltage detection unit 105 is arranged on the left side of the conductive plate 104 in FIGS. 1 to 3, a voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 105 may be arranged on the right side of the conductive plate 104. In this case, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of the voltage detection unit 105 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 105) is used as the voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 105.

[0018] In each conductive module 103 located between adjacent storage modules 102 above and below, one of a voltage detection unit, a dummy unit, and a temperature detection unit is applied as the opposing unit 106 depending on the specifications of the storage device 101.

[0019] When opposing unit 106 is a voltage detection unit, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of voltage detection unit 105 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 105 described above) is used as opposing unit 106. In this case, voltage detection unit 105 is disposed on the left side of conductive plate 104, and a mirror product of voltage detection unit 105 is disposed on the right side of conductive plate 104. Opposing unit 106 (mirror product of voltage detection unit 105) performs the same function as voltage detection unit 105.

[0020] 1, a simple resin plate having a recess 106a extending in the front-rear direction is used as the opposing unit 106. In this case, the opposing unit 106 only serves to fill the gap between the upper and lower power storage modules 102.

[0021] When the opposing unit 106 is a temperature detection unit, the opposing unit 106 has a structure in which a temperature detection sensor 107 (thermistor) is incorporated into a resin plate used as a dummy unit, as shown in Fig. 1 (this will be described later). In this case, the opposing unit 106 functions to output a signal indicating the temperature of the upper and lower power storage modules 102 via a temperature electric wire 107b (see Fig. 1) connected to the temperature detection sensor 107.

[0022] The specific configuration of the voltage detection unit 105 according to the first embodiment will be described below. As shown in Fig. 4, the voltage detection unit 105 includes a housing 140, a voltage detection terminal 110 housed in the housing 140, a voltage wire 120 connected to the voltage detection terminal 110 and housed in the housing 140, and a cover 130 attached to the housing 140.

[0023] The voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating recess (reference numeral omitted) formed in the housing 140, the voltage electric wire 120 is accommodated in a wire accommodating recess 146 (see FIG. 4) to be described later formed in the housing 140, and the cover 130 is attached to a cover attachment recess 141 (see FIG. 4) to be described later formed in the housing 140. Each of the components that make up the voltage detection unit 105 will be described below.

[0024] First, the voltage detection terminal 110 will be described. The metal voltage detection terminal 110 is formed by performing processing such as pressing on a single metal plate. The voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated from above in a terminal accommodating recess of the housing 140. As shown in FIG. 4, the voltage detection terminal 110 has a rectangular flat plate-like first portion 111 extending in the front-rear direction and a rectangular flat plate-like second portion 112 extending rightward from the front end of the first portion 111, and has a generally L-shaped flat plate shape as a whole when viewed from the top-bottom direction.

[0025] One end of a voltage wire 120 is fixed to the underside of the front end 111a (i.e., the end on the rear end side) of the first portion 111 so as to be electrically connected. The other end of the voltage wire 120 is connected to a voltage measurement device (not shown) outside the power storage device 101. A part of the flange portion 104a of the conductive plate 104 is fixed to the underside of the front end 112a (i.e., the end on the right end side) of the second portion 112 by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding (see FIG. 3).

[0026] A protrusion 113 that protrudes forward is formed on the front edge of the second portion 112. When the voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated in the housing 140, the protrusion 113 is engaged with an engaging groove 145 (see FIG. 4) formed in the housing 140.

[0027] Next, the cover 130 will be described. The cover 130 is a resin molded product, and is attached to the cover attachment recess 141 of the housing 140 from the left. The cover 130 is composed of a facing portion 131 and an extending portion 132 that extends rearward from the facing portion 131. The facing portion 131 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage detection terminal 110, and the extending portion 132 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage electric wire 120.

[0028] The facing portion 131 is composed of a pair of identical flat plate portions 133 facing each other with a gap in the vertical direction, and a connecting portion 134 that connects the left end edges of the pair of flat plate portions 133 extending in the front-rear direction along the entire front-rear direction. The facing portion 131 has a generally U-shaped configuration that opens to the right when viewed from the front-rear direction. Each flat plate portion 133 is composed of a generally square flat plate-like base portion 133a connected to the connecting portion 134 and a rectangular flat plate-like extending portion 133b that extends rightward from the front end of the base 133a, and has a generally L-shaped configuration as a whole when viewed from the vertical direction. The extending portion 132 extends flush and continuously rearward from the rear end edge of the upper flat plate portion 133 (more specifically, the upper base portion 133a) of the pair of flat plate portions 133 that make up the facing portion 131, and has a generally rectangular flat plate-like configuration.

[0029] A pair of wire holding pieces 135 extending in the left-right direction are integrally formed on the extending portion 132 so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction. Each wire holding piece 135 protrudes downward from the underside of the extending portion 132, extends in the left-right direction, and further protrudes rightward from the left edge of the extending portion 132. When the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140, the wire holding pieces 135 function to hold the voltage wires 120 housed in the housing 140.

[0030] A locking portion (not shown) that protrudes upward toward the upper flat plate portion 133 is formed at a predetermined location on the lower flat plate portion 133 (more specifically, the lower base portion 133a) of the pair of flat plate portions 133 that make up the facing portion 131. This locking portion functions to lock the cover 130 at the temporary locking position and the regular locking position in cooperation with a temporary locking portion (not shown) and a regular locking portion (not shown) provided on the housing 140.

[0031] Next, the housing 140 will be described. The housing 140 is a resin molded product, and as shown in Fig. 1 etc., has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction. A recess 105a that is recessed to the left and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the right end surface of the housing 140. A flange portion 104a of the conductive plate 104 is fitted into the recess 105a (see Figs. 2 and 3 etc.).

[0032] At the locations on the top and bottom surfaces of the housing 140 where the cover 130 is attached, cover attachment recesses 141 are formed that are recessed and have a shape that corresponds to the overall shape of the cover 130 (see FIG. 4). The depth (vertical depth) of the cover attachment recess 141 is equal to the thickness of the resin material that constitutes the cover 130 (facing portion 131+extending portion 132). Therefore, when the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140, the surfaces of the housing 140 and the cover 130 are flush with each other (see FIG. 1).

[0033] A terminal accommodating recess is formed in the bottom surface 141a of the cover mounting recess 141 on the upper surface of the housing 140 at a location where the voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated, and the recess has a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the voltage detection terminal 110. The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of the terminal accommodating recess is equal to the plate thickness of the voltage detection terminal 110. Therefore, when the voltage detection terminal 110 is mounted in the housing 140, the upper surface of the voltage detection terminal 110 and the bottom surface 141a of the cover mounting recess 141 are flush with each other.

[0034] A notch 143 that is recessed to the left in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the top and bottom is formed on the right edge of the housing 140 at a position in the front-to-back direction where the tip 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 is located. The recess 105a that extends in the front-to-back direction on the right end face of the housing 140 is divided by the notch 143. When the voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated in the housing 140, the top and bottom surfaces of the tip 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 are exposed by the notch 143.

[0035] A through-hole 144 extending in the front-rear direction and penetrating in the up-down direction is formed in the terminal accommodating recess at a location where the tip 111a of the voltage detection terminal 110 is disposed. When the voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated in the housing 140, one end (contact point) of the voltage electric wire 120 connected to the voltage detection terminal 110 enters the through-hole 144. In other words, the through-hole 144 functions as a relief portion to prevent interference between the bottom surface of the terminal accommodating recess and the one end of the voltage electric wire 120.

[0036] In the terminal accommodating recess, a locking groove 145 is formed on the inner wall surface at the location where the protrusion 113 (see Figure 4) of the voltage detection terminal 110 is positioned, which is recessed forward and communicates with the recess 105a to correspond to the protrusion 113 (see Figure 4).

[0037] A wire accommodating recess 146 is formed in the upper surface of the housing 140 at a location where the voltage wire 120 is accommodated, and is recessed to have a shape corresponding to the routing configuration of the voltage wire 120 when the voltage wire 120 is accommodated (see FIG. 4 ). The wire accommodating recess 146 is a series of grooves made up of a pair of straight portions 147 that extend linearly in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and a bent portion 148 that connects the pair of straight portions 147 and extends while bending so as to protrude to the left. The right groove side wall (wall facing left) and left groove side wall (wall facing right) of the wire accommodating recess 146 (pair of straight portions 147 + bent portion 148) each extend upward in parallel with the groove bottom wall of the wire accommodating recess 146 in the up-down direction.

[0038] The front end of the front straight portion 147 of the pair of straight portions 147 communicates with the terminal accommodating recess, and the rear end of the rear straight portion 147 of the pair of straight portions 147 forms a wire outlet 149 through which the voltage electric wire 120 extends from the rear edge of the housing 140. In this way, by having the bent portion 148 in the wire accommodating recess 146, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 120 drawn out from the housing 140, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the bent portion 148 and the voltage electric wire 120, compared to when the wire accommodating recess 146 is composed of only the straight portion 147. For this reason, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 110 and the voltage electric wire 120.

[0039] Each of the pair of straight portions 147 is provided near the boundary between the pair of straight portions 147 and the bent portion 148 with a narrow recess 151, which is a recess with a narrower width (left-right spacing) than the straight portion 147. The width of the narrow recess 151 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the voltage electric wire 120. Therefore, it functions to clamp the voltage electric wire 120 while pressing it in the left-right direction. By clamping the voltage electric wire 120 between the pair of narrow recesses 151, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 120 pulled out of the housing 140, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the narrow recess 151 and the voltage electric wire 120. Therefore, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 110 and the voltage electric wire 120. Furthermore, it is possible to strongly prevent the voltage electric wire 120 from being routed so as to slip out of the bent portion 148 and straddle the bent portion 148 (i.e., to shortcut the bent portion 148).

[0040] 4, a pair of wire holding piece recesses 152 extending in the left-right direction are formed side by side at a distance in the front-rear direction in correspondence with the pair of wire holding pieces 135 on the bottom surface 141a of the cover mounting recess 141 on the upper surface side of the housing 140, at positions where the pair of wire holding pieces 135 of the cover 130 are to be disposed. The pair of wire holding piece recesses 152 are disposed so as to sandwich a bending vertex 148a (see FIG. 4) of the bending portion 148 of the wire accommodating recess 146 therebetween in the front-rear direction. The bottom surfaces of the pair of wire holding piece recesses 152 are located above the bottom surface of the wire accommodating recess 146.

[0041] Each electric wire holding piece recess 152 extends in the left-right direction from the right edge of the upper surface of the housing 140, across the electric wire accommodating recess 146, to the right-end inner wall 141b (see FIG. 4) of the cover attachment recess 141. Storage holes 153 recessed toward the right are formed in the right-end inner wall 141b of the cover attachment recess 141 at locations where the pair of electric wire holding piece recesses 152 connect (see FIG. 4). When the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140, the extending ends (i.e., right ends) of the pair of electric wire holding pieces 135 of the cover 130 are inserted into and stored in the pair of storage holes 153.

[0042] On the bottom surface 141a of the cover mounting recess 141 on the underside of the housing 140, at the same front-to-rear position as the position where the locking portion of the cover 130 is disposed, a temporary locking portion and a permanent locking portion, which are recesses recessed upward, are formed lined up in this order from left to right with a gap between them. The components that make up the voltage detection unit 105 have been described above.

[0043] Next, the procedure for assembling the voltage detection terminal 110 and the cover 130 to the housing 140 will be described. First, the voltage detection terminal 110, to which the voltage electric wire 120 has been connected in advance by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding, is accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 140. To this end, the voltage detection terminal 110 is fitted into the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 140 from above so that the protrusion 113 enters the locking groove 145 and one end (contact point) of the voltage electric wire 120 enters the through-hole 144. When the voltage detection terminal 110 has been accommodated in the housing 140, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 are exposed by the notch 143.

[0044] Next, the voltage electric wire 120 extending from the voltage detection terminal 110 accommodated in the housing 140 is accommodated in the wire accommodating recess 146 (a pair of straight portions 147 and a bent portion 148) of the housing 140. For this purpose, the voltage electric wire 120 is fitted from above along the wire accommodating recess 146 consisting of the pair of straight portions 147 and the bent portion 148. At this time, by pushing the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 120 located at the top of the pair of narrow recesses 151 downward, the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 120 are accommodated inside the pair of narrow recesses 151. When the accommodation of the voltage electric wire 120 in the housing 140 is complete, the voltage electric wire 120 extends rearward from the wire outlet 149 to the outside of the housing 140.

[0045] Next, the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140. For this purpose, the cover 130 is attached from the left side to the cover attachment recess 141 of the housing 140 so that the facing portions 131 of the cover 130 sandwich the cover attachment recess 141 on the top and bottom surfaces of the housing 140 from above and below, so that the extending portions 132 of the cover 130 cover the cover attachment recess 141 on the top surface side of the housing 140, and so that the pair of wire holding pieces 135 of the cover 130 are housed in the pair of wire holding piece recesses 152 of the housing 140.

[0046] In the process of attaching the cover 130 to the housing 140, the locking portion of the cover 130 first slides onto the housing 140, enters the interior of the temporary locked portion, engages with the temporary locked portion, and is pressed against the right side surface of the temporary locked portion. This causes the cover 130 to be locked to the housing 140 at the temporary locked position, completing the attachment of the cover 130 to the housing 140 and obtaining the voltage detection unit 105. As will be described later, the voltage detection unit 105 obtained after the attachment of the cover 130 to the housing 140 is completed (with the cover 130 locked in the temporary locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 103 (see FIG. 1).

[0047] When the cover 130 is locked in the temporary locking position, the opposing portions 131 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 133b) of the cover 130 do not cover the tip portion 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110. Therefore, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 are still exposed by the notch 143.

[0048] Furthermore, the pair of wire holding pieces 135 of the cover 130 are disposed over the openings of the straight portion 147 and the bent portion 148 of the wire accommodating recess 146. This prevents the voltage wire 120 from slipping out of the wire accommodating recess 146. Furthermore, the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 135 are received in the pair of storage holes 153. This prevents the pair of wire holding pieces 135 from shifting in position or from unintentionally deforming the pair of wire holding pieces 135 away from the wire accommodating recess 146. Furthermore, the extending portion 132 of the cover 130 is disposed over the opening of the bent vertex 148a of the bent portion 148 of the wire accommodating recess 146. This effectively prevents the voltage wire 120 from slipping out of the wire accommodating recess 146 and being routed so as to straddle the bent portion 148 (i.e., to shortcut the bent portion 148). In this way, the possibility of the voltage electric wire 120 coming out of the bent portion 148 of the electric wire receiving recess 146 causing a particular problem can be reduced.

[0049] When cover 130 is locked in the temporary locking position, pushing cover 130 further to the left relative to housing 140 causes the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 135 of cover 130 to enter further into and be stored in the pair of storage holes 153, and the locking portions of cover 130 climb over the temporary locked portions and then enter inside and engage with the permanent locked portions, thereby locking cover 130 to housing 140 in the permanent locking position.

[0050] When the cover 130 is locked in the full locking position, the entire area of ​​the cover mounting recess 141 is covered by the cover 130, and the entire wire accommodating recess 146 is covered by the extending portion 132 of the cover 130. This prevents the voltage wire 120 from slipping out of the wire accommodating recess 146. Furthermore, the facing portion 131 of the cover 130 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 133b) covers the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110. As a result, the entire voltage detection terminal 110 is covered by the facing portion 131 of the cover 130, so that the voltage detection terminal 110 can be reliably protected.

[0051] A specific configuration of the opposing unit 106 according to the first embodiment when it is a temperature detection unit will be described below. As shown in Fig. 1, the opposing unit 106 includes a housing 160, a temperature detection sensor 107 housed in the housing 160, and a temperature wire 107b connected to the temperature detection sensor 107. The temperature detection sensor 107 is housed in a sensor housing recess 161 (see Figs. 5 and 6) described below that is formed in the housing 160. Each of the components that make up the opposing unit 106, which is a temperature detection unit, will be described below.

[0052] First, the housing 160 will be described. The housing 160 is a resin molded product, and as shown in Fig. 1 etc., has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction. A recess 106a that is recessed to the right and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the left end surface of the housing 160. A flange portion 104b of the conductive plate 104 is fitted into the recess 106a (see Fig. 5).

[0053] A sensor accommodating recess 161 is formed in the left-right center of the rear end face of the housing 160, and extends diagonally toward the front left (approaching the conductive plate 104 from rear to front, if visualized) to form a rectangular parallelepiped recess, corresponding to the overall shape of the casing 170 of the temperature detection sensor 107 (see FIG. 6). The sensor accommodating recess 161 penetrates in the vertical direction. Therefore, the sensor accommodating recess 161 has a first opening 161a that opens toward the rear and a second opening 161b that opens toward both the top and bottom (see FIG. 6).

[0054] A plurality of protrusions 162 (162a, 162b) that protrude inward in the left-right direction (toward each other) and extend in the front-rear direction are formed on a pair of inner wall surfaces facing each other in the left-right direction of the sensor accommodating recess 161 (see FIG. 6). These protrusions 162 are to be inserted into a pair of grooves 171 (see FIG. 5) of the temperature detection sensor 107, which will be described later.

[0055] Next, the temperature detection sensor 107 will be described. The temperature detection sensor 107 is typically a thermistor. The temperature detection sensor 107 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 170 extending in the front-rear direction. A sensor element 107a (see FIGS. 5 and 8) is housed in an element housing portion 172 provided in the housing 170, and a temperature electric wire 107b connected to the sensor element 107a extends rearward from the rear end of the housing 170. The temperature detection sensor 107 is housed in a sensor housing recess 161 of the housing 160 from the rear. An extending end portion of the temperature electric wire 107b is connected to a temperature measurement device (not shown) outside the power storage device 101.

[0056] A pair of grooves 171 (171a, 171b) that penetrate in the front-rear direction are formed on a pair of left and right side end faces extending in the front-rear direction of the housing 170, corresponding to the pair of protrusions 162 of the sensor accommodating recess 161 (see FIGS. 5 and 7 to 8). The left groove 171b is formed so as to communicate with the recess 106a in the front-rear direction, and the flange 104b of the conductive plate 104 is fitted into the left groove 171b (see FIG. 5).

[0057] The thickness of the casing 170 in the vertical direction is equal to the thickness of the substantially rectangular thin plate-shaped housing 160. Therefore, when the temperature detection sensor 107 is attached to the housing 160, the surface of the housing 160 and the surface of the temperature detection sensor 107 are flush with each other (see FIG. 5).

[0058] An inclined portion 170a (see FIG. 8) that slopes rightward from rear to front is formed at the front end of the bottom surface of the left groove portion 171b (i.e., the front left corner of the element accommodating portion 172). In other words, the inclined portion 170a has a shape in which the front left corner of the element accommodating portion 172 is chamfered (so-called C-chamfered). Therefore, when the temperature detection sensor 107 is attached to the sensor accommodating recess 161, the inclined portion 170a extends along the front-rear direction. Furthermore, an inclined portion 107aa is formed at the front left corner of the sensor element 107a corresponding to the inclined portion 170a (see FIG. 8). The components that make up the opposing unit 106, which is a temperature detection unit, have been described above.

[0059] Next, a procedure for assembling the temperature detection sensor 107 into the housing 160 will be described. To mount the temperature detection sensor 107 in the housing 160, the temperature detection sensor 107 is inserted from the rear into the sensor accommodating recess 161 of the housing 160 so that a pair of protrusions 162 provided on the sensor accommodating recess 161 are inserted into a pair of grooves 171 provided on the casing 170 of the temperature detection sensor 107. When the temperature detection sensor 107 has been completely mounted in the housing 160, the temperature electric wire 107b extends rearward from the first opening 161a of the sensor accommodating recess 161 to the outside of the housing 160 (see FIG. 1). The top and bottom surfaces (flat surfaces) of the casing 170 are exposed to the outside from second openings 161b above and below the sensor accommodating recess 161 (see FIG. 5). Furthermore, when the temperature detection sensor 107 is completely attached to the housing 160, the recess 106a and the left groove 171b communicate with each other in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 5).

[0060] Next, the assembly of the conductive module 103 and the power storage device 101 (see FIG. 1) will be described. As described above, the voltage detection unit 105 obtained after the cover 130 has been attached to the housing 140 (with the cover 130 locked in the provisionally locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 103 (see FIG. 1). Specifically, first, the flange portion 104a of the conductive plate 104 is fitted into the recessed portion 105a of the voltage detection unit 105, thereby connecting the voltage detection unit 105 to the left side of the conductive plate 104.

[0061] In this state, a portion of the flange portion 104a of the conductive plate 104 is positioned so as to overlap the underside of the tip portion 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 (see Figure 3), and due to the presence of the notch 143 in the housing 140, the upper surface of the tip portion 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 is exposed upward, and the lower surface of a portion of the flange portion 104a of the conductive plate 104 is exposed downward.

[0062] Next, the upper surface of tip portion 112a of voltage detection terminal 110 exposed upward and the lower surface of part of flange portion 104a of conductive plate 104 exposed downward are used to fasten tip portion 112a of voltage detection terminal 110 to part of flange portion 104a of conductive plate 104 by ultrasonic bonding, welding, or other method. Thereafter, cover 130 is moved from the provisional locking position to the full locking position, completing the assembly of voltage detection unit 105 and conductive plate 104.

[0063] Next, the flange portion 104b of the conductive plate 104 is fitted into the recessed portion 106a of the opposing unit 106 and the groove portion 171b of the temperature detection sensor 107 (see FIG. 5), whereby the opposing unit 106 is connected to the right side of the conductive plate 104 to which the voltage detection unit 105 is attached (see FIG. 2, etc.). This completes the assembly of the conductive module 103.

[0064] The conductive module 103 obtained in this manner is used to assemble the energy storage device 101 shown in Fig. 1. Specifically, the energy storage modules 102 and the conductive modules 103 are stacked alternately in the vertical direction, and the stack is fixed with predetermined metal fittings or the like to obtain the energy storage device 101.

[0065] According to the first embodiment, the sensor accommodating recess 161 extends obliquely from the rear side to the front side so as to approach the conductive plate 104. This means that the front end of the temperature detection sensor 107 (i.e., the inclined portion 170a) is disposed closer to the conductive plate 104 than in the past. That is, according to the first embodiment, the temperature detection sensor 107 is closer to the heat source (particularly the center of the power storage module 102 (conductive plate 104)) than in the past, and therefore the temperature measurement performance is excellent.

[0066] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the casing 170 is provided with a groove 171b that communicates with the recess 106a of the housing 160 and fits into the flange 104b of the conductive plate 104. This allows the conductive plate 104 (flange 104b) to be directly stacked on the temperature detection sensor 107. That is, according to the first embodiment, the heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor 107 is improved compared to the prior art, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance.

[0067] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the housing 170 is provided with the inclined portion 170a, and the sensor element 107a is provided with the inclined portion 107aa, and these inclined portions 170a, 107aa extend so as to be approximately parallel to the flange portion 104b when the opposing unit 106 (temperature detection unit) is connected to the conductive plate 104. This increases the opposing area of ​​the sensor element 107a with the flange portion 104b, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance compared to conventional devices.

[0068] The invention embodied as the first embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the invention. For example, the invention is not limited to the first embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc. are possible as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, location, etc. of each component in the first embodiment are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the invention.

[0069] Here, the features of the above-described temperature detection unit and power storage device according to the embodiments will be briefly summarized and listed below in [1-1] to [1-4].

[0070] [1-1] a plate-like housing (160) having recesses (106a) on its side surface (left end surface) that fit onto side edge portions (flange portions 104b) of conductive plates (104) respectively arranged between the stacked plurality of power storage modules (102); a temperature detection sensor (107) attached to the housing (160) to measure the temperature of the storage module (102); A temperature detection unit (opposing unit 106) comprising: The housing (160) is provided with a sensor accommodating recess (161) for accommodating the temperature detection sensor (107), an opening (first opening 161 a) for extending a temperature electric wire (107 b) connected to the temperature detection sensor (107) toward the outside is provided in one end surface (rear end surface) of the housing (160) facing in a direction (front-rear direction) intersecting the direction (left-right direction) in which the plate side surface faces, The sensor accommodating recess (161) is It extends obliquely from the one side (rear side) to the other side (front side) in the crossing direction so as to approach the conductive plate (104). Temperature detection unit (opposite unit 106).

[0071] According to the configuration [1-1] above, the sensor accommodating recess that accommodates the temperature detection sensor extends obliquely from one side to the other in the intersecting direction so as to approach the conductive plate. This allows the other end of the temperature detection sensor in the intersecting direction to be positioned closer to the conductive plate than in the past. In other words, according to the configuration above, the temperature detection sensor is closer to the heat source (especially the center of the power storage module (conductive plate)) than in the past, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance.

[0072] [1-2] The temperature detection unit (opposing unit 106) according to the above [1-1], The temperature detection sensor (107) a sensor element (107a) to which the temperature wire (107b) is connected; a housing (170) provided with an element accommodating portion (172) for accommodating the sensor element (107a) and a groove portion (171b) communicating with the recess (106a) and adapted to fit onto the side edge portion (flange portion 104b); Temperature detection unit (opposite unit 106).

[0073] According to the configuration [1-2] above, a housing provided with an element accommodating section for accommodating a sensor element has a groove that communicates with a recess in the housing and fits into the side edge of the conductive plate. This allows the conductive plate (side edge) to be directly stacked on the temperature detection sensor. In other words, the configuration described above makes it easier for heat to be transferred to the temperature detection sensor than conventional configurations, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance.

[0074] [1-3] The temperature detection unit (opposing unit 106) described in [1-2] above, a first inclined portion (inclined portion 170a) extending obliquely from the one side toward the other side so as to move away from the conductive plate (104), provided at the other end of the bottom surface of the groove portion (171) and at the other corner of the element accommodating portion (172); The first inclined portion (inclined portion 170a) is When the temperature detection unit (opposing unit 106) is connected to the conductive plate (104), it extends substantially parallel to the side edge portion (flange portion 104b), a second inclined portion (inclined portion 107aa) is provided at the corner on the other side of the sensor element (107a) in correspondence with the first inclined portion (inclined portion 170a); Temperature detection unit (opposite unit 106).

[0075] According to the configuration [1-3] above, the housing is provided with a first inclined portion and the sensor element is provided with a second inclined portion, and the first and second inclined portions extend substantially parallel to the side edges when connected to the conductive plate of the temperature detection unit. This increases the area of ​​the sensor element facing the side edges, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance compared to conventional configurations.

[0076] [1-4] A power storage device (101) comprising: a conductive module (103) having the temperature detection unit (opposing unit 106) and the conductive plate (104) described in any one of [1-1] to [1-3] above; and the power storage module (102).

[0077] The configuration [1-4] above provides the same effects as the configuration [1-1] above.

[0078] Second Embodiment The invention embodied as the second embodiment relates to a voltage detection unit. A voltage detection unit 205 according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings, FIGS.

[0079] The voltage detection unit according to the second embodiment has the following features. a plate-shaped housing having recesses on its side surface that fit into side edge portions of conductive plates respectively disposed between the plurality of stacked power storage modules; a voltage detection terminal that is accommodated in the housing and is conductively connected to the power storage module; a temperature detection sensor attached to the housing to measure the temperature of the power storage module; A voltage detection unit comprising: The housing is provided with a sensor assembly portion to which the temperature detection sensor is attached, and a terminal accommodating recess portion that communicates with the sensor assembly portion and accommodates the voltage detection terminal, The temperature detection sensor is A sensor element; a heat collecting plate connected to the sensor element; a pressing portion that presses a portion of the voltage detection terminal against the heat collecting plate when the voltage detection terminal is completely accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess. Voltage detection unit.

[0080] According to the second embodiment, when the voltage detection terminal is fully accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess, a portion of the voltage detection terminal is pressed by the pressing portion against the heat collecting plate connected to the sensor element. This allows heat generated from the energy storage module to be transferred to the temperature detection sensor via the voltage detection terminal and the heat collecting plate. In other words, according to the second embodiment, the heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor is superior to that of the conventional device, and therefore the temperature measurement performance is superior.

[0081] For convenience of explanation, the following definitions are used to refer to "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower," as shown in Figure 9. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to each other.

[0082] The voltage detection unit 205 is typically used in a stacked-type energy storage device 201 shown in Fig. 9. The energy storage device 201 is configured by alternately stacking rectangular thin-plate-shaped chargeable and dischargeable energy storage modules 202 and rectangular thin-plate-shaped conductive modules 203 that can electrically connect adjacent energy storage modules 202 in a vertical direction. In the energy storage device 201, the multiple energy storage modules 202 are electrically connected in series via the conductive modules 203. The energy storage module 202 has a structure in which multiple battery cells (not shown) are built in, and the energy storage module 202 as a whole functions as a single chargeable and dischargeable battery.

[0083] 9, the conductive module 203 is configured to have an overall rectangular thin plate shape, including a rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive plate 204 (note that the conductive plate 204 also functions as a heat sink, as will be described later), a rectangular thin plate-shaped voltage detection unit 205 connected to the left side of the conductive plate 204, and a rectangular thin plate-shaped opposing unit 206 connected to the right side of the conductive plate 204. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the conductive plate 204 and the voltage detection unit 205 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 204a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the left end face of the conductive plate 204 into a recessed portion 205a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the right end face of the voltage detection unit 205. The conductive plate 204 and the opposing unit 206 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 204b extending in the front-to-rear direction on the right end surface of the conductive plate 204 into a recess portion 206a extending in the front-to-rear direction on the left end surface of the opposing unit 206.

[0084] 10, in each conductive module 203 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 202, the conductive plate 204 is in direct contact with the upper and lower power storage modules 202. Therefore, the conductive plate 204 functions to provide electrical continuity between the lower surface of the upper power storage module 202 and the upper surface of the lower power storage module 202, and also functions as a heat sink that releases heat generated from the upper and lower power storage modules 202 to the outside.

[0085] In each conductive module 203 located between vertically adjacent storage modules 202, the voltage detection unit 205 includes a voltage detection terminal 210 (see FIG. 10, etc.) described below that contacts the conductive plate 204. The voltage detection unit 205 functions to output a signal indicating the voltage between the upper and lower storage modules 202 (specifically, the potential of the upper surface (output surface) of the lower storage module 202 relative to a reference zero potential) via a voltage wire 220 (see FIG. 9, etc.) connected to the voltage detection terminal 210. Note that although the voltage detection unit 205 is arranged on the left side of the conductive plate 204 in FIGS. 9 to 11, a voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 205 may be arranged on the right side of the conductive plate 204. In this case, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the entire configuration of the voltage detection unit 205 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 205) is used as the voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 205.

[0086] In each conductive module 203 located between adjacent storage modules 202 above and below, one of a voltage detection unit, a dummy unit, and a temperature detection unit is applied as the opposing unit 206 depending on the specifications of the storage device 201.

[0087] When opposing unit 206 is a voltage detection unit, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the entire configuration of voltage detection unit 205 (i.e., a mirror product of voltage detection unit 205 described above) is used as opposing unit 206. In this case, voltage detection unit 205 is disposed on the left side of conductive plate 204, and a mirror product of voltage detection unit 205 is disposed on the right side of conductive plate 204. Opposing unit 206 (mirror product of voltage detection unit 205) performs the same function as voltage detection unit 205.

[0088] 9, when the opposing unit 206 is a dummy unit, a simple resin plate having a recess 206a extending in the front-rear direction is used as the opposing unit 206. In this case, the opposing unit 206 only serves to fill the gap between the upper and lower power storage modules 202.

[0089] When the opposing unit 206 is a temperature detection unit, the opposing unit 206 has a structure in which a temperature detection sensor (thermistor) is embedded in a resin plate used as a dummy unit, as shown in Fig. 9. In this case, the opposing unit 206 functions to output a signal indicating the temperature of the upper and lower power storage modules 202 via a temperature electric wire connected to the temperature detection sensor.

[0090] 12, the voltage detection unit 205 includes a housing 240, a voltage detection terminal 210 accommodated in the housing 240, a voltage wire 220 connected to the voltage detection terminal 210 and accommodated in the housing 240, a temperature detection sensor 207 assembled to the housing 240 and connected to the voltage detection terminal 210, a temperature wire 207b connected to a sensor element 207a of the temperature detection sensor 207 and accommodated in the housing 240, and a cover 230 attached to the housing 240.

[0091] Voltage detection terminal 210 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating recess (reference numeral omitted) formed in housing 240, voltage electric wire 220 is accommodated in a voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 (see FIG. 12) formed in housing 240, which will be described later, temperature detection sensor 207 is assembled in a sensor assembly portion 256 (see FIG. 12) formed in housing 240, which will be described later, temperature electric wire 207b is accommodated in a temperature electric wire accommodating recess 254 (see FIG. 12) formed in housing 240, which will be described later, and cover 230 is attached to a cover attachment recess 241 (see FIG. 12) formed in housing 240, which will be described later. Each of the components constituting voltage detection unit 205 will be described below in order.

[0092] First, the voltage detection terminal 210 will be described. The metal voltage detection terminal 210 is formed by performing processing such as pressing on a single metal plate. The voltage detection terminal 210 is accommodated from above in a terminal accommodating recess of the housing 240. As shown in FIG. 12 , the voltage detection terminal 210 has a rectangular flat plate-like first portion 211 extending in the front-rear direction and a rectangular flat plate-like second portion 212 extending rightward from the front end of the first portion 211, and has a generally L-shaped flat plate shape as a whole when viewed from the top-bottom direction.

[0093] One end of a voltage wire 220 is fixed so as to be electrically connected to the underside of the tip end 211a (i.e., the end on the rear end side) of the first portion 211. The other end of the voltage wire 220 is connected to a voltage measurement device (not shown) outside the power storage device 201.

[0094] A protrusion 213 that protrudes forward is formed on the front edge of the second portion 212. When the voltage detection terminal 210 is accommodated in the housing 240, the protrusion 213 is inserted into a second box portion 272 (described later) of the temperature detection sensor 207 assembled in the housing 240, and is press-fitted between the press-fit protrusion 274 and the heat collecting plate 207c (see FIG. 14).

[0095] Next, the cover 230 will be described. The cover 230 is a resin molded product, and is attached to the cover attachment recess 241 of the housing 240 from the left. The cover 230 is composed of a facing portion 231 and an extending portion 232 that extends rearward from the facing portion 231. The facing portion 231 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage detection terminal 210, and the extending portion 232 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage electric wire 220.

[0096] The facing portion 231 is composed of a pair of identical flat plate portions 233 facing each other with a gap in the up-down direction, and a connecting portion 234 that connects the left end edges of the pair of flat plate portions 233 extending in the front-to-back direction along the entire front-to-back direction. The facing portion 231 has a generally U-shaped configuration that opens to the right when viewed from the front-to-back direction. Each flat plate portion 233 is composed of a generally square flat plate-like base portion 233a connected to the connecting portion 234 and a rectangular flat plate-like extending portion 233b that extends rightward from the front end of the base 233a, and has a generally L-shaped configuration as a whole when viewed from the up-to-down direction. The extending portion 232 extends flush and continuously rearward from the rear end edge of the upper flat plate portion 233 (more specifically, the upper base portion 233a) of the pair of flat plate portions 233 that constitute the facing portion 231, and has a generally rectangular flat plate-like shape.

[0097] A pair of wire holding pieces 235 extending in the left-right direction are integrally formed on the extending portion 232 so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction. Each wire holding piece 235 protrudes downward from the underside of the extending portion 232, extends in the left-right direction, and further protrudes rightward from the left edge of the extending portion 232. When the cover 230 is attached to the housing 240, the wire holding piece 235 functions to hold the voltage wire 220 and the temperature wire 207b housed in the housing 240.

[0098] A locking portion (not shown) that protrudes upward toward the upper flat plate portion 233 is formed at a predetermined location on the lower flat plate portion 233 (more specifically, the lower base portion 233a) of the pair of flat plate portions 233 that make up the facing portion 231. This locking portion functions to lock the cover 230 at the temporary locking position and the regular locking position in cooperation with a temporary locking portion (not shown) and a regular locking portion (not shown) provided on the housing 240.

[0099] Next, the housing 240 will be described. The housing 240 is a resin molded product, and as shown in Figure 9 and other figures, has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction. A recess 205a that is recessed to the left and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the right end surface of the housing 240. A flange portion 204a of the conductive plate 204 is fitted into the recess 205a (see Figure 10 and other figures).

[0100] At the locations on the top and bottom surfaces of housing 240 where cover 230 is attached, cover attachment recesses 241 are formed that are recessed and have a shape that corresponds to the overall shape of cover 230 (see FIG. 12). The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of cover attachment recess 241 is equal to the thickness of the resin material that constitutes cover 230 (facing portion 231+extending portion 232). Therefore, when cover 230 is attached to housing 240, the surfaces of housing 240 and cover 230 are flush with each other (see FIG. 9).

[0101] A terminal accommodating recess having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the voltage detection terminal 210 is formed in the bottom surface 241a of the cover mounting recess 241 on the upper surface of the housing 240 at a location where the voltage detection terminal 210 is accommodated (see FIG. 12). The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of the terminal accommodating recess is equal to the plate thickness of the voltage detection terminal 210. Therefore, when the voltage detection terminal 210 is mounted in the housing 240, the upper surface of the voltage detection terminal 210 and the bottom surface 241a of the cover mounting recess 241 are flush with each other.

[0102] A notch 243 that is recessed to the left in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the top and bottom is formed on the right edge of the housing 240 at a position in the front-to-back direction where the tip 212a of the voltage detection terminal 210 is disposed. The recess 205a that extends in the front-to-back direction on the left end face of the housing 240 is divided by the notch 243. When the voltage detection terminal 210 is accommodated in the housing 240, the top and bottom surfaces of the tip 212a of the voltage detection terminal 210 are exposed by the notch 243.

[0103] A through-hole 244 extending in the front-rear direction and penetrating in the up-down direction is formed in the terminal accommodating recess at a location where the tip portion 211a of the voltage detection terminal 210 is disposed. When the voltage detection terminal 210 is accommodated in the housing 240, one end (contact point) of the voltage electric wire 220 connected to the voltage detection terminal 210 enters the through-hole 244. In other words, the through-hole 244 functions as a relief portion to prevent interference between the bottom surface of the terminal accommodating recess and the one end of the voltage electric wire 220.

[0104] At the left edge of the housing 240, at the position in the front-rear direction where the temperature detection sensor 207 is disposed, there is formed a sensor assembly portion 256 that has a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the temperature detection sensor 207 and is recessed rightward so as to have a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the top-bottom direction (see FIG. 12). The sensor assembly portion 256 is formed to communicate with the recess 205a and the terminal accommodating recess.

[0105] A voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 is formed in the upper surface of the housing 240 at a location where the voltage electric wire 220 is accommodated, and is recessed to have a shape corresponding to the routing form of the voltage electric wire 220 when the voltage electric wire 220 is accommodated (see FIG. 12 ). The voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 is a series of grooves made up of a pair of straight portions 247 that extend linearly in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and a bent portion 248 that connects the pair of straight portions 247 and extends while bending so as to protrude to the left. The right groove side wall (wall facing left) and left groove side wall (wall facing right) of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 (pair of straight portions 247 + bent portion 248) each extend upward in parallel with the groove bottom wall of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 in the up-down direction.

[0106] The front end of the front straight portion 247 of the pair of straight portions 247 communicates with the terminal accommodating recess, and the rear end of the rear straight portion 247 of the pair of straight portions 247 forms an electric wire outlet 249 through which the voltage electric wire 220 extends from the rear edge of the housing 240. In this way, by having the bent portion 248 in the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 220 drawn out from the housing 240, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the bent portion 248 and the voltage electric wire 220, compared to when the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 is composed of only the straight portion 247. Therefore, a large external force is less likely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 210 and the voltage electric wire 220.

[0107] Each of the pair of straight portions 247 is provided near the boundary between the pair of straight portions 247 and the bent portion 248 with a narrow recess 251, which is a recess with a narrower width (left-right spacing) than the straight portion 247. The width of the narrow recess 251 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the voltage electric wire 220. Therefore, it functions to clamp the voltage electric wire 220 while pressing it in the left-right direction. By clamping the voltage electric wire 220 between the pair of narrow recesses 251, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 220 pulled out of the housing 240, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the narrow recess 251 and the voltage electric wire 220. Therefore, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 210 and the voltage electric wire 220. Furthermore, it is possible to strongly prevent the voltage electric wire 220 from being routed so as to slip out of the bent portion 248 and straddle the bent portion 248 (i.e., to shortcut the bent portion 248).

[0108] In a region rearward of the sensor assembly portion 256, a temperature-checking wire accommodating recess 254a is formed in a portion of the upper surface of the housing 240 where the temperature-checking wire 207b is accommodated (see FIG. 12). The temperature-checking wire accommodating recess 254a is a groove located on the left side of the voltage-checking wire accommodating recess 246 and extending in the front-to-rear direction. The right groove side wall (wall facing left) and the left groove side wall (wall facing right) of the temperature-checking wire accommodating recess 254a each extend upward in parallel with the groove bottom wall of the temperature-checking wire accommodating recess 254.

[0109] The temperature electric wire accommodating recess 254a is provided with a plurality of narrow recesses 255, which are recesses whose width (left-right spacing) is narrower than that of the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 254a. The width of the narrow recesses 255 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the temperature electric wire 207b. Therefore, the narrow recesses 255 function to clamp the temperature electric wire 207b while pressing it in the left-right direction.

[0110] Furthermore, in a region forward of the sensor assembly portion 256, a temperature wire accommodating recess 254b that is recessed to the right and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the left end surface of the housing 240 (see FIGS. 12 and 17). Retaining ribs that protrude inward in the vertical direction (toward each other) and extend in the front-rear direction may be formed on a pair of inner wall surfaces that face each other in the vertical direction of the temperature wire accommodating recess 254b.

[0111] 12, a pair of wire holding piece recesses 252 extending in the left-right direction are formed side by side at a distance in the front-rear direction in correspondence with the pair of wire holding pieces 235 on the bottom surface 241a of the cover mounting recess 241 on the upper surface side of the housing 240, at positions where the pair of wire holding pieces 235 of the cover 230 are to be disposed. The pair of wire holding piece recesses 252 are disposed so as to sandwich the bent vertex 248a (see FIG. 12) of the bent portion 248 of the voltage wire accommodating recess 246 in the front-rear direction. The bottom surfaces of the pair of wire holding piece recesses 252 are located above the bottom surfaces of the voltage wire accommodating recess 246 and the temperature wire accommodating recess 254a.

[0112] Each wire retaining piece recess 252 extends in the left-right direction from the right edge of the upper surface of the housing 240, across the voltage wire accommodating recess 246 and the temperature wire accommodating recess 254a, to the right-end inner wall 241b of the cover attachment recess 241 (see FIG. 12). Storage holes 253 recessed toward the right are formed in the right-end inner wall 241b of the cover attachment recess 241 at locations where the pair of wire retaining piece recesses 252 connect (see FIG. 12). When the cover 230 is attached to the housing 240, the extending ends (i.e., right ends) of the pair of wire retaining pieces 235 of the cover 230 are inserted into and stored in the pair of storage holes 253.

[0113] At the bottom surface 241a of the cover mounting recess 241 on the underside of the housing 240, at the same front-to-rear position as where the above-mentioned locking portion of the cover 230 is located, a temporary locking portion and a permanent locking portion, which are recesses recessed upward, are formed in this order from left to right with a gap between them.

[0114] Next, the temperature detection sensor 207 will be described. The temperature detection sensor 207 is typically a thermistor. As shown in FIG. 13 , the temperature detection sensor 207 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 270 extending in the left-right direction. The housing 270 is integrally formed with a first box portion 271 that houses the sensor element 207a and a second box portion 272 that protrudes rightward from an upper region of the right end wall of the first box portion 271. The second box portion 272 is thinner in the up-down direction than the first box portion 271 and is formed with an opening at the rear. A heat collecting plate 207c is placed on a lower inner wall of the second box portion 272 so as to be in contact with (or connected to) the sensor element 207a, and a press-fit protrusion 274 that protrudes downward is formed on an upper inner wall 273 of the second box portion. A temperature wire insertion opening 275 that penetrates in the front-rear direction is formed in the front and rear end faces in the left region of the casing 270 (specifically, the first box portion 271), and a temperature wire 207b connected to the sensor element 207a extends from the temperature wire insertion opening 275 toward the front (see FIG. 12) or rear (see FIG. 17) (see FIG. 12). The temperature detection sensor 207 is assembled from the left side to the sensor assembly portion 256 of the housing 240. The extending end of the temperature wire 207b is to be connected to a temperature measurement device (not shown) outside the power storage device 201. The components that make up the voltage detection unit 205 have been described above.

[0115] Next, the procedure for assembling the voltage detection terminal 210 and the cover 230 to the housing 240 will be described. First, the temperature detection sensor 207 is assembled from the left into the sensor assembly section 256. Then, the temperature electric wire 207b, which has been connected to the sensor element 207a in advance by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding, is fitted into the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 254a or 254b (see FIGS. 12 and 17). When the temperature electric wire 207b has been completely accommodated in the housing 240, the temperature electric wire 207b extends out of the housing 240 toward the front or rear. The direction in which the temperature electric wire 207b is drawn out can be determined as appropriate.

[0116] Thereafter, the voltage detection terminal 210, to which the voltage electric wire 220 has been previously connected by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding, is accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 240. For this purpose, the voltage detection terminal 210 is fitted into the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 240 from above so that the protrusion 213 enters the second box portion 272 and one end (contact point) of the voltage electric wire 220 enters the through-hole 244. When the voltage detection terminal 210 has been accommodated in the housing 240, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip 212a of the voltage detection terminal 210 are exposed by the notch 243. In this state, the protrusion 213 is press-fitted between the press-fit protrusion 274 and the heat collecting plate 207c, and is in direct contact with the heat collecting plate 207c by the press-fit protrusion 274 (see FIG. 14).

[0117] Next, the voltage electric wire 220 extending from the voltage detection terminal 210 accommodated in the housing 240 is accommodated in the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 (pair of straight portions 247+bent portion 248) of the housing 240. For this purpose, the voltage electric wire 220 is fitted from above along the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 consisting of the pair of straight portions 247 and the bent portion 248. At this time, by pushing the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 220 located at the top of the pair of narrow recesses 251 downward, the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 220 are accommodated inside the pair of narrow recesses 251. When the accommodation of the voltage electric wire 220 in the housing 240 is complete, the voltage electric wire 220 extends rearward from the wire outlet 249 to the outside of the housing 240.

[0118] Next, the cover 230 is attached to the housing 240. For this purpose, the cover 230 is attached from the left side to the cover attachment recess 241 of the housing 240 so that the facing portions 231 of the cover 230 sandwich the cover attachment recess 241 on the top and bottom surfaces of the housing 240 from above and below, so that the extending portions 232 of the cover 230 cover the cover attachment recess 241 on the top surface side of the housing 240, and so that the pair of wire holding pieces 235 of the cover 230 are housed in the pair of wire holding piece recesses 252 of the housing 240.

[0119] In the process of attaching the cover 230 to the housing 240, the locking portion of the cover 230 first slides onto the housing 240, enters the interior of the temporary locked portion, engages with the temporary locked portion, and is pressed against the right side surface of the temporary locked portion. This causes the cover 230 to be locked to the housing 240 at the temporary locked position, completing the attachment of the cover 230 to the housing 240 and obtaining the voltage detection unit 205. As will be described later, the voltage detection unit 205 obtained after the attachment of the cover 230 to the housing 240 is completed (with the cover 230 locked at the temporary locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 203 (see FIG. 9).

[0120] When the cover 230 is locked in the temporary locking position, the opposing portion 231 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 233b) of the cover 230 does not cover the tip portion 212a of the voltage detection terminal 210. Therefore, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 212a of the voltage detection terminal 210 are still exposed by the notch 243.

[0121] Furthermore, the pair of wire retaining pieces 235 of the cover 230 are positioned over the straight portion 247 and the bent portion 248 of the voltage wire accommodating recess 246 and the opening of the temperature wire accommodating recess 254a. This prevents the voltage wire 220 from slipping out of the voltage wire accommodating recess 246 (the temperature wire 207b from slipping out of the temperature wire accommodating recess 254). Furthermore, the extending ends of the pair of wire retaining pieces 235 are received in the pair of storage holes 253. This prevents misalignment of the pair of wire retaining pieces 235 and unintended deformation of the pair of wire retaining pieces 235, such as separation of the pair of wire retaining pieces 235 from the voltage wire accommodating recess 246 and the temperature wire accommodating recess 254a. Furthermore, the extending portion 232 of the cover 230 is positioned over the opening of the bent vertex 248a of the bent portion 248 of the voltage wire accommodating recess 246. This effectively prevents the voltage electric wire 220 from slipping out of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 and being routed so as to straddle the bent portion 248 (i.e., to shortcut the bent portion 248). In this way, it is possible to reduce the possibility of a malfunction occurring that is specific to the voltage electric wire 220 slipping out of the bent portion 248 of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246.

[0122] When cover 230 is locked in the temporary locking position, pushing cover 230 further to the left relative to housing 240 causes the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 235 of cover 230 to enter further into and be stored in the pair of storage holes 253, and the locking portions of cover 230 climb over the temporary locked portions and then enter inside and engage with the permanent locked portions, thereby locking cover 230 to housing 240 in the permanent locking position.

[0123] When the cover 230 is locked in the full locking position, the entire area of ​​the cover attachment recess 241 is covered by the cover 230, and therefore the entire voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 and the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 254a are covered by the extending portion 232 of the cover 230. This prevents the voltage electric wire 220 from slipping out of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 246 (the temperature electric wire 207b from slipping out of the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 254). Furthermore, the facing portion 231 of the cover 230 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 233b) covers the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 212a of the voltage detection terminal 210. As a result, the entire voltage detection terminal 210 is covered by the facing portion 231 of the cover 230, and therefore the voltage detection terminal 210 can be reliably protected.

[0124] Next, the assembly of the conductive module 203 and the power storage device 201 (see FIG. 9) will be described. As described above, the voltage detection unit 205 obtained after the attachment of the cover 230 to the housing 240 is completed (with the cover 230 locked in the provisionally locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 203 (see FIG. 9). Specifically, first, the flange portion 204a of the conductive plate 204 and the recessed portion 205a of the voltage detection unit 205 are fitted together, thereby connecting the voltage detection unit 205 to the left side of the conductive plate 204.

[0125] In this state, a portion of the flange portion 204a of the conductive plate 204 is positioned so as to overlap the underside of the tip portion 212a of the voltage detection terminal 210 (see Figure 11), and due to the presence of the notch 243 in the housing 240, the upper surface of the tip portion 212a of the voltage detection terminal 210 is exposed upward, and the lower surface of a portion of the flange portion 204a of the conductive plate 204 is exposed downward.

[0126] Next, the upper surface of tip portion 212a of voltage detection terminal 210 exposed upward and the lower surface of part of flange portion 204a of conductive plate 204 exposed downward are used to fasten tip portion 212a of voltage detection terminal 210 to part of flange portion 204a of conductive plate 204 by ultrasonic bonding, welding, or other method. Thereafter, cover 230 is moved from the provisional locking position to the full locking position, completing the assembly of voltage detection unit 205 and conductive plate 204.

[0127] Next, the flange portion 204b of the conductive plate 204 is fitted into the recessed portion 206a of the opposing unit 206, thereby connecting the opposing unit 206 to the right side of the conductive plate 204 to which the voltage detection unit 205 is attached (see FIG. 10, etc.). This completes the assembly of the conductive module 203.

[0128] The conductive module 203 obtained in this manner is used to assemble the electricity storage device 201 shown in Fig. 9. Specifically, the electricity storage modules 202 and the conductive modules 203 are stacked alternately in the vertical direction, and the stack is fixed with predetermined metal fittings or the like to obtain the electricity storage device 201.

[0129] (Modification of temperature detection sensor) Below, we will explain modified examples of the temperature detection sensor 207. In this modified example of the temperature detection sensor 207, the thickness of the second box portion 272 in the vertical direction is configured to be equal to that of the first box portion 271, and a spring portion 276 is provided instead of the press-fit protrusion 274 (see FIG. 15). That is, when the voltage detection terminal 210 is completely accommodated in the housing 240, the protrusion 213 is inserted between the spring portion 276 and the heat collection plate 207c, and is brought into direct contact with the heat collection plate 207c by the elastic force of the spring portion 276 (see FIG. 16).

[0130] According to the second embodiment, when the voltage detection terminal 210 is completely accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess, the protrusion 213 is pressed against the heat collection plate 207c connected to the sensor element 207a by the press-fit protrusion 274 (or the spring portion 276). This allows heat generated from the power storage module 202 to be transferred to the temperature detection sensor 207 via the voltage detection terminal 210 and the heat collection plate 207c. That is, according to the second embodiment, the heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor 207 is superior to that of the prior art, and therefore the temperature measurement performance is superior.

[0131] Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the temperature wire accommodating recesses 254a and 254b are provided, so that the temperature wire 207b can be drawn out from both the front and rear directions.

[0132] The invention embodied as the second embodiment is not limited to the second embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the invention. For example, the invention is not limited to the second embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc. are possible as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, location, etc. of each component in the second embodiment are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the invention.

[0133] Here, the features of the above-described embodiments of the voltage detection unit will be briefly summarized and listed below in [2-1].

[0134] [2-1] a plate-like housing (240) having recesses (205a) on its side surface that fit onto side edge portions (flange portions 204a) of conductive plates (204) respectively arranged between the stacked plurality of storage modules (202); a voltage detection terminal (210) accommodated in the housing (240) and electrically connected to the storage module (202); a temperature detection sensor (207) attached to the housing (240) to measure the temperature of the storage module (202); A voltage detection unit (205) comprising: The housing (240) is provided with a sensor assembly portion (256) to which the temperature detection sensor (207) is attached, and a terminal accommodating recess (256) communicating with the sensor assembly portion (256) to accommodate the voltage detection terminal (210), The temperature detection sensor (207) a sensor element (207a); a heat collecting plate (207c) connected to the sensor element (207a); and a pressing portion (press-fitting projection 274, spring portion 276) that presses a part (projection portion 213) of the voltage detection terminal (210) against the heat collecting plate (207c) when the voltage detection terminal (210) is completely accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess. A voltage detection unit (205).

[0135] According to the configuration [2-1] above, when the voltage detection terminal is fully accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess, a portion of the voltage detection terminal is pressed by the pressing portion against the heat collecting plate connected to the sensor element. This allows heat generated from the energy storage module to be transferred to the temperature detection sensor via the voltage detection terminal and the heat collecting plate. In other words, the configuration described above provides superior heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor compared to conventional configurations, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance.

[0136] <Third embodiment> The invention embodied as the third embodiment relates to a voltage detection unit. A voltage detection unit 305 according to the third embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings, FIGS.

[0137] The voltage detection unit according to the third embodiment has the following features. a plate-shaped housing having recesses on one side surface in the short direction that fit into side edge portions of conductive plates respectively arranged between the plurality of stacked energy storage modules; a voltage detection terminal accommodated in the housing and conductively connected to the power storage module via the conductive plate; a voltage wire conductively connected to the voltage detection terminal; A voltage detection unit comprising: a temperature detection sensor conductively connected to the voltage detection terminal; and a temperature wire electrically connected to the temperature detection sensor. It is a voltage detection unit.

[0138] According to the third embodiment, a temperature detection sensor (including a temperature wire) is connected to the voltage detection terminal, which is electrically connected to the power storage module via the conductive plate. This allows the temperature detection sensor to measure temperature via the voltage detection terminal, which has high thermal conductivity. In other words, according to the third embodiment, the temperature measurement performance is superior compared to conventional devices because the heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor is superior. Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, by connecting a temperature detection sensor to the voltage detection terminal, it becomes possible to detect voltage and temperature with one module.

[0139] For convenience of explanation, the following definitions are used to refer to "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower," as shown in Figure 18. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to each other.

[0140] The voltage detection unit 305 is typically used in a stacked-type energy storage device 301 shown in Fig. 18. The energy storage device 301 is configured by alternately stacking rectangular thin-plate-shaped chargeable and dischargeable energy storage modules 302 and rectangular thin-plate-shaped conductive modules 303 that can electrically connect adjacent energy storage modules 302 in a vertical direction. In the energy storage device 301, the multiple energy storage modules 302 are electrically connected in series via the conductive modules 303. The energy storage module 302 has a structure in which multiple battery cells (not shown) are built in, and the energy storage module 302 as a whole functions as a single chargeable and dischargeable battery.

[0141] 18, the conductive module 303 is configured to have an overall rectangular thin plate shape, including a rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive plate 304 (note that the conductive plate 304 also functions as a heat sink, as will be described later), a rectangular thin plate-shaped voltage detection unit 305 connected to the left side of the conductive plate 304, and a rectangular thin plate-shaped opposing unit 306 connected to the right side of the conductive plate 304. As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the conductive plate 304 and the voltage detection unit 305 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 304a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the left end face of the conductive plate 304 into a recessed portion 305a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the right end face of the voltage detection unit 305. The conductive plate 304 and the opposing unit 306 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 304b extending in the front-to-rear direction on the right end surface of the conductive plate 304 into a recess portion 306a extending in the front-to-rear direction on the left end surface of the opposing unit 306.

[0142] 19, in each conductive module 303 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 302, the conductive plate 304 is in direct contact with the upper and lower power storage modules 302. Therefore, the conductive plate 304 functions to provide electrical continuity between the lower surface of the upper power storage module 302 and the upper surface of the lower power storage module 302, and also functions as a heat sink that releases heat generated from the upper and lower power storage modules 302 to the outside.

[0143] In each conductive module 303 located between vertically adjacent storage modules 302, the voltage detection unit 305 includes a voltage detection terminal 310 (see FIG. 19, etc.) described below that contacts the conductive plate 304. The voltage detection unit 305 functions to output a signal indicating the voltage between the upper and lower storage modules 302 (specifically, the potential of the upper surface (output surface) of the lower storage module 302 relative to a reference zero potential) via a voltage wire 320 (see FIG. 18, etc.) connected to the voltage detection terminal 310. Note that although the voltage detection unit 305 is arranged on the left side of the conductive plate 304 in FIGS. 18 to 20, a voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 305 may be arranged on the right side of the conductive plate 304. In this case, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of the voltage detection unit 305 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 305) is used as the voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 305.

[0144] In each conductive module 303 located between adjacent storage modules 302 above and below, one of a voltage detection unit, a dummy unit, and a temperature detection unit is applied as the opposing unit 306 depending on the specifications of the storage device 301.

[0145] When opposing unit 306 is a voltage detection unit, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the entire configuration of voltage detection unit 305 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 305 described above) is used as opposing unit 306. In this case, voltage detection unit 305 is disposed on the left side of conductive plate 304, and a mirror product of voltage detection unit 305 is disposed on the right side of conductive plate 304. Opposing unit 306 (mirror product of voltage detection unit 305) performs the same function as voltage detection unit 305.

[0146] 18, when the opposing unit 306 is a dummy unit, a simple resin plate having a recess 306a extending in the front-to-rear direction is used as the opposing unit 306. In this case, the opposing unit 306 only serves to fill the gap between the upper and lower power storage modules 302.

[0147] When the opposing unit 306 is a temperature detection unit, a structure in which a temperature detection sensor (thermistor) is incorporated into a resin plate used as a dummy unit is used as the opposing unit 306, as shown in Fig. 18. In this case, the opposing unit 306 functions to output a signal indicating the temperature of the upper and lower power storage modules 302 via a temperature electric wire 307b (see Fig. 18) connected to the temperature detection sensor.

[0148] 21, the voltage detection unit 305 includes a housing 340, a voltage detection terminal 310 accommodated in the housing 340, a voltage wire 320 connected to the voltage detection terminal 310 and accommodated in the housing 340, a sensor element 307a (a temperature detection sensor, such as a thermistor) connected to the voltage detection terminal 310, a temperature wire 307b connected to the sensor element 307a and accommodated in the housing 340, and a cover 330 attached to the housing 340.

[0149] The voltage detection terminal 310 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating recess (reference numeral omitted) formed in the housing 340, the voltage electric wire 320 is accommodated in a voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 (see FIG. 21) (described later) formed in the housing 340, the sensor element 307a (see FIG. 21) is connected to a tip end 311a of a first portion 311 (described later) of the voltage detection terminal 310, the temperature electric wire 307b is accommodated in a temperature electric wire accommodating recess 354 (see FIG. 21) (described later) formed in the housing 340, and the cover 330 is attached to a cover attachment recess 341 (see FIG. 21) (described later) formed in the housing 340. Each of the components constituting the voltage detection unit 305 will be described below in order.

[0150] First, the voltage detection terminal 310 will be described. The metal voltage detection terminal 310 is formed by performing processing such as pressing on a single metal plate. The voltage detection terminal 310 is accommodated from above in a terminal accommodating recess of the housing 340. As shown in FIG. 21 , the voltage detection terminal 310 has a rectangular flat plate-like first portion 311 extending in the front-rear direction and a rectangular flat plate-like second portion 312 extending rightward from the front end of the first portion 311, and has a generally L-shaped flat plate shape as a whole when viewed from the top-bottom direction.

[0151] Sensor element 307a, to which one end of voltage wire 320 and one end of temperature wire 307b are connected, is fixed so as to be electrically connected to the upper surface of tip end 311a (i.e., the end on the rear end) of first portion 311, and one end of voltage wire 320 and sensor element 307a are integrally sealed by sealing member 380. The other end of voltage wire 320 is connected to a voltage measurement device (not shown) outside of power storage device 301. The other end of temperature wire 307b is connected to a temperature measurement device (not shown) outside of power storage device 301. As sealing member 380, for example, a resin mold, a potting material, or the like is used.

[0152] A part of the flange portion 304a of the conductive plate 304 is fixed to the underside of the tip portion 312a (i.e., the end portion on the right end side) of the second portion 312 by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding (see FIG. 20). A protrusion 313 that protrudes forward is formed on the front edge of the second portion 312. When the voltage detection terminal 310 is accommodated in the housing 340, the protrusion 313 is engaged with an engaging groove 345 (see FIG. 21) formed in the housing 340.

[0153] Next, the cover 330 will be described. The cover 330 is a resin molded product, and is attached to the cover attachment recess 341 of the housing 340 from the left. The cover 330 is composed of a facing portion 331 and an extending portion 332 that extends rearward from the facing portion 331. The facing portion 331 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage detection terminal 310, and the extending portion 332 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage electric wire 320.

[0154] The facing portion 331 is composed of a pair of identical flat plate portions 333 facing each other with a gap in the vertical direction, and a connecting portion 334 that connects the left end edges of the pair of flat plate portions 333 in the vertical direction along the entire front-to-rear direction. The facing portion 331 has a generally U-shaped configuration that opens to the right when viewed from the front-to-rear direction. Each flat plate portion 333 is composed of a generally square flat base portion 333a connected to the connecting portion 334 and a rectangular flat extension portion 333b that extends rightward from the front end of the base 333a, resulting in a generally L-shaped configuration as a whole when viewed from the vertical direction. The extension portion 332 extends flush and continuously rearward from the rear end edge of the upper flat plate portion 333 (more specifically, the upper base portion 333a) of the pair of flat plate portions 333 that make up the facing portion 331, and has a generally rectangular flat plate shape.

[0155] A pair of wire holding pieces 335 extending in the left-right direction are integrally formed on the extending portion 332 so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction. Each wire holding piece 335 protrudes downward from the underside of the extending portion 332, extends in the left-right direction, and further protrudes rightward from the left edge of the extending portion 332. When the cover 330 is attached to the housing 340, the wire holding pieces 335 function to hold the voltage wire 320 and the temperature wire 307b housed in the housing 340.

[0156] A locking portion (not shown) that protrudes upward toward the upper flat plate portion 333 is formed at a predetermined location on the lower flat plate portion 333 (more specifically, the lower base portion 333a) of the pair of flat plate portions 333 that make up the facing portion 331. This locking portion functions to lock the cover 330 at the temporary locking position and the regular locking position in cooperation with a temporary locking portion (not shown) and a regular locking portion (not shown) provided on the housing 340.

[0157] Next, the housing 340 will be described. The housing 340 is a resin molded product, and as shown in Figure 18 and other figures, has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-to-rear direction. A recess 305a that is recessed to the left and extends in the front-to-rear direction is formed on the right end surface of the housing 340. A flange portion 304a of the conductive plate 304 is fitted into the recess 305a (see Figures 19 and 20 and other figures).

[0158] At the locations on the top and bottom surfaces of housing 340 where cover 330 is attached, cover attachment recesses 341 are formed, each recess having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of cover 330 (see FIG. 21). The depth (vertical depth) of cover attachment recess 341 is equal to the thickness of the resin material that constitutes cover 330 (facing portion 331+extending portion 332). Therefore, when cover 330 is attached to housing 340, the surfaces of housing 340 and cover 330 are flush with each other (see FIG. 18).

[0159] A terminal accommodating recess is formed in the bottom surface 341a of the cover mounting recess 341 on the upper surface of the housing 340 at a location where the voltage detection terminal 310 is accommodated, and the recess has a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the voltage detection terminal 310. The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of the terminal accommodating recess is equal to the plate thickness of the voltage detection terminal 310. Therefore, when the voltage detection terminal 310 is mounted in the housing 340, the upper surface of the voltage detection terminal 310 and the bottom surface 341a of the cover mounting recess 341 are flush with each other.

[0160] A notch 343 that is recessed to the left in a generally rectangular shape when viewed from the top and bottom is formed on the right edge of the housing 340 at a position in the front-to-back direction where the tip 312a of the voltage detection terminal 310 is located. The recess 305a that extends in the front-to-back direction on the right end face of the housing 340 is divided by the notch 343. When the voltage detection terminal 310 is accommodated in the housing 340, the top and bottom surfaces of the tip 312a of the voltage detection terminal 310 are exposed by the notch 343.

[0161] In the terminal accommodating recess, a locking groove 345 is formed on the inner wall surface at the location where the protrusion 313 of the voltage detection terminal 310 (see Figure 21) is positioned, which is recessed forward and communicates with the recess 305a to correspond to the protrusion 313 (see Figure 21).

[0162] A voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 is formed in the upper surface of the housing 340 at a location where the voltage electric wire 320 is accommodated, and is recessed into a shape corresponding to the routing configuration of the voltage electric wire 320 when the voltage electric wire 320 is accommodated (see FIG. 21 ). The voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 is a series of grooves made up of a pair of straight portions 347 that extend linearly in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and a bent portion 348 that connects the pair of straight portions 347 and extends while bending so as to protrude to the left. The right groove side wall (wall facing left) and left groove side wall (wall facing right) of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 (pair of straight portions 347 + bent portion 348) each extend upward in parallel with the groove bottom wall of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 in the up-down direction.

[0163] The front end of the front straight portion 347 of the pair of straight portions 347 communicates with the terminal accommodating recess, and the rear end of the rear straight portion 347 of the pair of straight portions 347 forms an electric wire outlet 349 through which the voltage electric wire 320 extends from the rear edge of the housing 340. The front straight portion 347 of the pair of straight portions 347 is formed wider in the left-right direction than the rear straight portion 347. In this way, by including the bent portion 348 in the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 320 drawn out from the housing 340, the friction between the bent portion 348 and the voltage electric wire 320 can resist the external force, compared to when the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 is composed only of the straight portion 347. Therefore, a large external force is less likely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 310 and the voltage electric wire 320.

[0164] Each of the pair of straight portions 347 is provided near the boundary between the pair of straight portions 347 and the bent portion 348 with a narrow recess 351, which is a recess with a narrower width (left-right spacing) than the straight portion 347. The width of the narrow recess 351 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the voltage electric wire 320. Therefore, the narrow recess 351 functions to clamp the voltage electric wire 320 while pressing it in the left-right direction. By clamping the voltage electric wire 320 between the pair of narrow recesses 351, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 320 pulled out of the housing 340, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the narrow recess 351 and the voltage electric wire 320. Therefore, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 310 and the voltage electric wire 320. Furthermore, this effectively prevents the voltage electric wire 320 from slipping out of the bent portion 348 and being routed so as to straddle the bent portion 348 (i.e., to shortcut the bent portion 348).

[0165] A temperature electric wire accommodating recess 354 is formed in the upper surface of the housing 340 at a location where the temperature electric wire 307b is accommodated, and is recessed to have a shape corresponding to the routing form of the temperature electric wire 307b when the temperature electric wire 307b is accommodated (see FIG. 21). The temperature electric wire accommodating recess 354 is a series of grooves corresponding to the sensor element 307a and composed of the front straight portion 347 of the pair of straight portions 347 and a second straight portion 355 located on the right side of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 and extending linearly in the front-to-rear direction from the rear side of the front straight portion 347 of the pair of straight portions 347. The right groove side wall (wall facing left) and the left groove side wall (wall facing right) of the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 354 (the front straight portion 347 of the pair of straight portions 347 + the second straight portion 355) each extend upward in parallel in the vertical direction from the groove bottom wall of the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 354.

[0166] The front end of the second straight portion 355 communicates with the front straight portion 347 of the pair of straight portions 347, and the rear end of the second straight portion 355 forms a wire outlet 356 from which the temperature wire 307b extends from the rear edge of the housing 340. The second straight portion 355 is located to the right of the rear straight portion 347 of the pair of straight portions 347 and the bent portion 348 in the voltage wire accommodating recess 346, and is spaced apart from these in the left-right direction.

[0167] 21 , a pair of wire holding piece recesses 352 extending in the left-right direction are formed side by side at a distance in the front-rear direction in correspondence with the pair of wire holding pieces 335 on the bottom surface 341a of the cover mounting recess 341 on the upper surface of the housing 340, at positions where the pair of wire holding pieces 335 of the cover 330 are to be disposed. The pair of wire holding piece recesses 352 are disposed so as to sandwich the bent apex 348a (see FIG. 21 ) of the bent portion 348 of the voltage wire accommodating recess 346 in the front-rear direction. The bottom surfaces of the pair of wire holding piece recesses 352 are located above the bottom surfaces of the voltage wire accommodating recess 346 and the temperature wire accommodating recess 354.

[0168] Each wire retaining piece recess 352 extends in the left-right direction from the right edge of the upper surface of the housing 340, across the voltage wire accommodating recess 346 and the temperature wire accommodating recess 354, to the right-end inner wall 341b of the cover attachment recess 341 (see FIG. 21). Storage holes 353 recessed toward the right are formed in the right-end inner wall 341b of the cover attachment recess 341 at locations where the pair of wire retaining piece recesses 352 connect (see FIG. 21). When the cover 330 is attached to the housing 340, the extending ends (i.e., right ends) of the pair of wire retaining pieces 335 of the cover 330 are inserted into and stored in the pair of storage holes 353.

[0169] On the bottom surface 341a of the cover mounting recess 341 on the underside of the housing 340, at the same front-to-rear position as the position where the locking portion of the cover 330 is disposed, a temporary locking portion and a permanent locking portion, which are recesses recessed upward, are formed lined up in this order from left to right with a gap between them. The components that make up the voltage detection unit 305 have been described above.

[0170] Next, the procedure for assembling the voltage detection terminal 310 and the cover 330 to the housing 340 will be described. First, the sensor element 307a, to which the voltage wire 320 and the temperature wire 307b are connected, is connected to the voltage detection terminal 310 by ultrasonic bonding, welding, or another method, and then these are sealed together with the sealing member 380. The voltage detection terminal 310 is then housed in the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 340. To do this, the voltage detection terminal 310 is fitted into the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 340 from above so that the protrusion 313 enters the locking groove 345. When the voltage detection terminal 310 is completely housed in the housing 340, the top and bottom surfaces of the tip 312a of the voltage detection terminal 310 are exposed by the notch 343.

[0171] Next, the voltage electric wire 320 extending from the voltage detection terminal 310 accommodated in the housing 340 is accommodated in the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 (a pair of straight portions 347 and a bent portion 348) of the housing 340. To this end, the voltage electric wire 320 is fitted from above along the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 consisting of the pair of straight portions 347 and the bent portion 348. At this time, by pushing the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 320 located at the top of the pair of narrow recesses 351 downward, the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 320 are accommodated inside the pair of narrow recesses 351. When the accommodation of the voltage electric wire 320 in the housing 340 is complete, the voltage electric wire 320 extends rearward from the wire outlet 349 to the outside of the housing 340.

[0172] Similarly, the temperature electric wire 307b extending from the voltage detection terminal 310 (specifically, the sensor element 307a) accommodated in the housing 340 is accommodated in the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 354 (the front straight portion 347 of the pair of straight portions 347 and the second straight portion 355) of the housing 340. Therefore, the temperature electric wire 307b is fitted from above along the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 354 which is composed of the front straight portion 347 of the pair of straight portions 347 and the second straight portion 355. When the temperature electric wire 307b has been completely accommodated in the housing 340, the temperature electric wire 307b extends rearward from the electric wire outlet 356 to the outside of the housing 340.

[0173] Next, the cover 330 is attached to the housing 340. For this purpose, the cover 330 is attached from the left side to the cover attachment recess 341 of the housing 340 so that the facing portions 331 of the cover 330 sandwich the cover attachment recess 341 on the top and bottom surfaces of the housing 340 from above and below, so that the extending portions 332 of the cover 330 cover the cover attachment recess 341 on the top surface side of the housing 340, and so that the pair of wire holding pieces 335 of the cover 330 are housed in the pair of wire holding piece recesses 352 of the housing 340.

[0174] In the process of attaching the cover 330 to the housing 340, the locking portion of the cover 330 first slides onto the housing 340, enters the interior of the temporary locked portion, engages with the temporary locked portion, and is pressed against the right side surface of the temporary locked portion. This causes the cover 330 to be locked to the housing 340 at the temporary locked position, completing the attachment of the cover 330 to the housing 340 and obtaining the voltage detection unit 305. As will be described later, the voltage detection unit 305 obtained after the attachment of the cover 330 to the housing 340 is completed (with the cover 330 locked in the temporary locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 303 (see FIG. 18).

[0175] When the cover 330 is locked in the temporary locking position, the opposing portions 331 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 333b) of the cover 330 do not cover the tip portion 312a of the voltage detection terminal 310. Therefore, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 312a of the voltage detection terminal 310 are still exposed by the notch 343.

[0176] Furthermore, the pair of wire retaining pieces 335 of the cover 330 are positioned over the straight portion 347 and the bent portion 348 of the voltage wire accommodating recess 346 and over the opening of a portion of the second straight portion 355 of the temperature wire accommodating recess 354. This prevents the voltage wire 320 from slipping out of the voltage wire accommodating recess 346 and the temperature wire 307b from slipping out of the temperature wire accommodating recess 354. Furthermore, the extending ends of the pair of wire retaining pieces 335 are received in the pair of storage holes 353. This prevents misalignment of the pair of wire retaining pieces 335 and unintended deformation of the pair of wire retaining pieces 335 such as separating from the voltage wire accommodating recess 346 and the temperature wire accommodating recess 354. Furthermore, the extending portion 332 of the cover 330 is positioned over the opening of the bent vertex 348a of the bent portion 348 of the voltage wire accommodating recess 346. This effectively prevents the voltage electric wire 320 from slipping out of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 and being routed so as to straddle the bent portion 348 (i.e., to shortcut the bent portion 348). In this way, it is possible to reduce the possibility of a malfunction occurring due to the voltage electric wire 320 slipping out of the bent portion 348 of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346.

[0177] When cover 330 is locked in the temporary locking position, pushing cover 330 further to the left relative to housing 340 causes the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 335 of cover 330 to enter further into and be stored in the pair of storage holes 353, and the locking portions of cover 330 climb over the temporary locked portions and then enter inside and engage with the permanent locked portions, thereby locking cover 330 to housing 340 in the permanent locking position.

[0178] When the cover 330 is locked in the full locking position, the entire cover mounting recess 341 is covered by the cover 330, and the entire voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 and the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 354 are covered by the extending portion 332 of the cover 330. This prevents the voltage electric wire 320 from slipping out of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 346 and the temperature electric wire 307b from slipping out of the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 354. Furthermore, the facing portion 331 of the cover 330 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 333b) covers the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 312a of the voltage detection terminal 310. As a result, the entire voltage detection terminal 310 is covered by the facing portion 331 of the cover 330, and the voltage detection terminal 310 can be reliably protected.

[0179] Next, the assembly of the conductive module 303 and the power storage device 301 (see FIG. 18) will be described. As described above, the voltage detection unit 305 obtained after the attachment of the cover 330 to the housing 340 is completed (with the cover 330 locked in the provisionally locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 303 (see FIG. 18). Specifically, first, the flange portion 304a of the conductive plate 304 is fitted into the recessed portion 305a of the voltage detection unit 305, thereby connecting the voltage detection unit 305 to the left side of the conductive plate 304.

[0180] In this state, a portion of flange portion 304a of conductive plate 304 is positioned so as to overlap the underside of tip portion 312a of voltage detection terminal 310 (see Figure 20), and due to the presence of notch 343 in housing 340, the upper surface of tip portion 312a of voltage detection terminal 310 is exposed upward, and the lower surface of a portion of flange portion 304a of conductive plate 304 is exposed downward.

[0181] Next, using the upper surface of tip portion 312a of voltage detection terminal 310 exposed upward and the lower surface of part of flange portion 304a of conductive plate 304 exposed downward, tip portion 312a of voltage detection terminal 310 and part of flange portion 304a of conductive plate 304 are fixed together by ultrasonic bonding, welding, or other method. Thereafter, cover 330 is moved from the provisional locking position to the full locking position, completing the assembly of voltage detection unit 305 and conductive plate 304.

[0182] Next, the flange portion 304b of the conductive plate 304 is fitted into the recessed portion 306a of the opposing unit 306, thereby connecting the opposing unit 306 to the right side of the conductive plate 304 to which the voltage detection unit 305 is attached (see FIG. 19, etc.). This completes the assembly of the conductive module 303.

[0183] The conductive module 303 obtained in this manner is used to assemble the electricity storage device 301 shown in Fig. 18. Specifically, the electricity storage modules 302 and the conductive modules 303 are stacked alternately in the vertical direction, and the stack is fixed with predetermined metal fittings or the like to obtain the electricity storage device 301.

[0184] According to the third embodiment, a sensor element 307a (including a temperature wire 307b) which is a temperature detection sensor is connected to a voltage detection terminal 310 which is electrically connected to the power storage module 302 via a conductive plate 304. This allows the sensor element 307a to measure the temperature via the voltage detection terminal 310 which has high thermal conductivity. That is, according to the third embodiment, the heat conductivity to the sensor element 307a (temperature detection sensor) is superior to that of the prior art, and therefore the temperature measurement performance is superior.

[0185] Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, by connecting the sensor element 307a to the voltage detection terminal 310, it becomes possible to detect voltage and temperature with one module.

[0186] Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, the voltage wire 320 and the sensor element 307a, which are electrically connected to the voltage detection terminal 310, are sealed together by the sealing member 380, thereby integrating the voltage wire 320 and the temperature wire 307b. This results in superior tensile strength of these wires compared to when these wires are not integrated.

[0187] The invention embodied as the third embodiment is not limited to the third embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the invention. For example, the invention is not limited to the third embodiment, and appropriate modifications, improvements, etc. are possible. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, location, etc. of each component in the third embodiment are arbitrary and not limited as long as the invention can be achieved.

[0188] Here, the features of the above-described embodiments of the voltage detection unit will be briefly summarized and listed below in [3-1] to [3-2].

[0189] [3-1] a plate-shaped housing (340) having recesses (305a) on one side in the short direction thereof, the recesses (305a) being fitted onto side edge portions (flange portions 304b) of conductive plates (304) respectively arranged between the plurality of stacked storage modules (302); a voltage detection terminal (310) accommodated in the housing (340) and electrically connected to the storage module (302) via the conductive plate (304); a voltage wire (320) electrically connected to the voltage detection terminal (310); A voltage detection unit (305) comprising: a temperature detection sensor (sensor element 307a) electrically connected to the voltage detection terminal (310); and a temperature wire (307b) electrically connected to the temperature detection sensor (sensor element 307a). A voltage detection unit (305).

[0190] According to the configuration [3-1] above, a temperature detection sensor (including a temperature wire) is connected to the voltage detection terminal that is electrically connected to the power storage module via the conductive plate. This allows the temperature detection sensor to measure temperature via the voltage detection terminal, which has high thermal conductivity. In other words, the above configuration provides superior heat conductivity to the temperature detection sensor compared to conventional configurations, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance. Furthermore, with the above configuration, by connecting a temperature detection sensor to the voltage detection terminal, it becomes possible to detect voltage and temperature with one module.

[0191] [3-2] The voltage detection unit (305) according to the above [3-1], The voltage wire (320) electrically connected to the voltage detection terminal (310) and the temperature detection sensor (sensor element 307a) are sealed together by a sealing member (380). A voltage detection unit (305).

[0192] According to the configuration [3-2] above, the voltage wire and the temperature sensor, which are electrically connected to the voltage detection terminal, are sealed together with the sealing member, thereby integrating the voltage wire and the temperature wire, which results in superior tensile strength of the two wires compared to when the two wires are not integrated.

[0193] <Fourth embodiment> The invention embodied as the fourth embodiment relates to a voltage detection unit and a conducting module. Hereinafter, a voltage detection unit 405 and a conducting module 403 according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 22 to 26B.

[0194] The voltage detection unit according to the fourth embodiment has the following features. a plate-shaped housing having recesses on its side surface that fit into side edge portions of conductive plates respectively disposed between the plurality of stacked power storage modules; a voltage wire for detecting the voltage of the storage module; a temperature detection sensor that measures the temperature of the power storage module; a temperature wire connected to the temperature detection sensor; A voltage detection unit comprising: The temperature detection sensor is a heat-conductive housing that is assembled to the sensor assembly portion of the housing and has a recess that fits into the side edge portion; a sensor element housed inside the housing and connected to the temperature wire, The housing is provided with an extension coupling portion to which the voltage electric wire is connected. It is a voltage detection unit.

[0195] Furthermore, the conductive module according to the fourth embodiment has the following features. A conductive module including the voltage detection unit and the conductive plate, a contact protrusion that contacts an inner wall of the recess in the housing is provided on the side edge of the conductive plate; It is a conductive module.

[0196] According to the fourth embodiment, the side edge of the conductive plate is fitted into the recess provided in the housing of the temperature detection sensor, thereby enabling temperature measurement through the housing having heat conductivity. That is, according to the fourth embodiment, the heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor is superior to that of the conventional technology, and therefore the temperature measurement performance is superior. Furthermore, according to the fourth embodiment, the voltage wire is connected to the extending joint provided on the housing, so that it becomes possible to detect voltage and temperature with one module.

[0197] For convenience of explanation, the following definitions are used to refer to "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower," as shown in Figure 22. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to each other.

[0198] The voltage detection unit 405 is typically used in a stacked-type power storage device 401 shown in Fig. 22. The power storage device 401 is configured by alternately stacking rectangular thin-plate chargeable and dischargeable power storage modules 402 and rectangular thin-plate conductive modules 403 that can electrically connect adjacent power storage modules 402 in the vertical direction. In the power storage device 401, the multiple power storage modules 402 are electrically connected in series via the conductive modules 403. The power storage module 402 has a structure in which multiple battery cells (not shown) are built in, and the entire power storage module 402 functions as a single chargeable and dischargeable battery.

[0199] 22, the conductive module 403 is configured to have an overall rectangular thin plate shape, including a rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive plate 404 (note that the conductive plate 404 also functions as a heat sink, as will be described later), a rectangular thin plate-shaped voltage detection unit 405 connected to the left side of the conductive plate 404, and a rectangular thin plate-shaped opposing unit 406 connected to the right side of the conductive plate 404. As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the conductive plate 404 and the voltage detection unit 405 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 404a provided on the left end face of the conductive plate 404 and extending in the front-rear direction into a recessed portion 405a provided on the right end face of the voltage detection unit 405 and extending in the front-rear direction. The conductive plate 404 and the opposing unit 406 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 404b extending in the front-to-rear direction on the right end surface of the conductive plate 404 into a recess portion 406a extending in the front-to-rear direction on the left end surface of the opposing unit 406.

[0200] 23, in each conductive module 403 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 402, the conductive plate 404 is in direct contact with the upper and lower power storage modules 402. Therefore, the conductive plate 404 functions to provide electrical continuity between the lower surface of the upper power storage module 402 and the upper surface of the lower power storage module 402, and also functions as a heat sink that releases heat generated from the upper and lower power storage modules 402 to the outside.

[0201] In each conductive module 403 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 402, the voltage detection unit 405 includes a housing 470 (see FIG. 23, etc.) for the temperature detection sensor 407 that contacts the conductive plate 404. The voltage detection unit 405 functions to output a signal indicating the voltage between the upper and lower power storage modules 402 (specifically, the potential of the upper surface (output surface) of the lower power storage module 402 relative to a reference zero potential) via a voltage wire 420 (see FIG. 22, etc.) connected to this housing 470. Note that although the voltage detection unit 405 is arranged on the left side of the conductive plate 404 in FIGS. 22 to 24, a voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 405 may be arranged on the right side of the conductive plate 404. In this case, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the entire configuration of the voltage detection unit 405 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 405) is used as the voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 405.

[0202] In each conductive module 403 located between adjacent storage modules 402 above and below, one of a voltage detection unit, a dummy unit, and a temperature detection unit is applied as the opposing unit 406 depending on the specifications of the storage device 401.

[0203] When opposing unit 406 is a voltage detection unit, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the entire configuration of voltage detection unit 405 (i.e., a mirror product of the above-mentioned voltage detection unit 405) is used as opposing unit 406. In this case, voltage detection unit 405 is disposed on the left side of conductive plate 404, and a mirror product of voltage detection unit 405 is disposed on the right side of conductive plate 404. Opposing unit 406 (mirror product of voltage detection unit 405) performs the same function as voltage detection unit 405.

[0204] 22, a simple resin plate having a recess 406a extending in the front-rear direction is used as the opposing unit 406. In this case, the opposing unit 406 only serves to fill the gap between the upper and lower power storage modules 402.

[0205] When opposing unit 406 is a temperature detection unit, a structure in which a temperature detection sensor (thermistor) is incorporated into a resin plate used as a dummy unit is used as opposing unit 406, as shown in Fig. 22. In this case, opposing unit 406 functions to output a signal indicating the temperature of upper and lower power storage modules 402 via a temperature electric wire connected to the temperature detection sensor.

[0206] 25 , the voltage detection unit 405 includes a housing 440, a temperature detection sensor 407 attached to the housing 440, a voltage wire 420 connected to an extended joint 476 of a case 470 (described later) of the temperature detection sensor 407 and housed in the housing 440, a temperature wire 407b connected to a sensor element 407a of the temperature detection sensor 407 and housed in the housing 440, and a cover 430 attached to the housing 440.

[0207] Temperature detection sensor 407 is assembled to a sensor assembly portion 456 (see FIG. 25B) which will be described later and which is formed in housing 440, voltage electric wire 420 is housed in a voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 (see FIG. 25) which will be described later and which is formed in housing 440, temperature electric wire 407b is housed in a temperature electric wire accommodating recess 454 (see FIG. 25) which will be described later and which is formed in housing 440, and cover 430 is attached to a cover attachment recess 441 (see FIG. 25) which will be described later and which is formed in housing 440. Each of the components which make up voltage detection unit 405 will be described below in order.

[0208] First, temperature detection sensor 407 will be described. Temperature detection sensor 407 is typically a thermistor. Temperature detection sensor 407 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 470 made of a highly heat-conductive material such as metal and extending in the front-to-rear direction. Sensor element 407a (see FIG. 25B) is housed inside housing 470, and temperature electric wire 407b connected to sensor element 407a extends rearward from the rear end of housing 470. Temperature detection sensor 407 is assembled to sensor assembly portion 456 (see FIG. 25B) of housing 440, which will be described later. An extending end of temperature electric wire 407b is connected to a temperature measurement device (not shown) outside power storage device 401.

[0209] A recess 471 that is recessed leftward and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the right end surface of casing 470, corresponding to recess 405a of housing 440, which will be described later. Flange portion 404a of conductive plate 404 is fitted into recess 471 (see FIG. 26A). The front end surface of the casing 470 is formed with a locking recess (not shown) recessed rearward to correspond to a locking protrusion 457 of the housing 440, which will be described later.

[0210] Temperature detection sensor 407 is formed with an extending joint 476 that protrudes leftward from the left end surface of housing 470 (see FIG. 25B). Extended joint 476 is formed in a plate shape that extends in the front-to-rear direction corresponding to housing 470, and one end of voltage wire 420 is fixed to extending joint 476 so as to be electrically connected thereto. The other end of voltage wire 420 is connected to a voltage measurement device (not shown) outside power storage device 401.

[0211] The thickness of casing 470 in the vertical direction is equal to the thickness of substantially rectangular thin plate-shaped housing 440. Therefore, when temperature detection sensor 407 is attached to housing 440, the surface of housing 440 and the surface of temperature detection sensor 407 are flush with each other (see FIG. 26A).

[0212] Next, the cover 430 will be described. The cover 430 is a resin molded product, and is attached to the cover attachment recess 441 of the housing 440 from the left. The cover 430 is composed of a facing portion 431 and an extending portion 432 that extends rearward from the facing portion 431. The facing portion 431 mainly functions to cover and protect the extending joint portion 476 of the temperature detection sensor 407, and the extending portion 432 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage electric wire 420.

[0213] The facing portion 431 is composed of a pair of identical flat plate portions 433 facing each other with a gap in the up-down direction, and a connecting portion 434 that connects the left end edges of the pair of flat plate portions 433 extending in the front-to-rear direction along the entire front-to-rear direction. The facing portion 431 has a generally U-shape that opens to the right when viewed in the front-to-rear direction. Each flat plate portion 433 is formed in a generally rectangular flat plate shape that is connected to the connecting portion 434. The extending portion 432 extends flush and continuously rearward from the rear end edge of the upper flat plate portion 433 of the pair of flat plate portions 433 that make up the facing portion 431, and has a generally rectangular flat plate shape.

[0214] A pair of wire holding pieces 435 extending in the left-right direction are integrally formed on the extending portion 432 so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction. Each wire holding piece 435 protrudes downward from the underside of the extending portion 432, extends in the left-right direction, and further protrudes rightward from the left edge of the extending portion 432. When the cover 430 is attached to the housing 440, the wire holding piece 435 functions to hold the voltage wire 420 and the temperature wire 407b housed in the housing 440.

[0215] A locking portion (not shown) that protrudes upward toward the upper flat plate portion 433 is formed at a predetermined location on the lower flat plate portion 433 of the pair of flat plate portions 433 that make up the facing portion 431. This locking portion functions to lock the cover 430 in the main locking position in cooperation with a main locked portion (not shown) provided on the housing 440.

[0216] Next, the housing 440 will be described. The housing 440 is a resin molded product, and as shown in Figure 22 and other figures, has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction. A recess 405a that is recessed to the left and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the right end surface of the housing 440. A flange portion 404a of the conductive plate 404 is fitted into the recess 405a (see Figures 23 and 24 and other figures).

[0217] Cover mounting recesses 441 having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of cover 430 are formed on the top and bottom surfaces of housing 440 at locations where cover 430 is attached (see FIG. 25). The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of cover mounting recess 441 is equal to the thickness of the resin material that constitutes cover 430 (facing portion 431+extending portion 432). Therefore, when cover 430 is attached to housing 440, the surface of housing 440 and the surface of cover 430 become flush with each other (see FIGS. 22 and 26A).

[0218] At the right edge of housing 440, at the position in the front-rear direction where temperature detection sensor 407 is disposed, there is formed a sensor assembly portion 456 that has a shape corresponding to the overall shape of temperature detection sensor 407 and is recessed leftward so as to have a substantially rectangular shape when viewed in the vertical direction (see FIG. 25B). A locking protrusion 457 that protrudes rearward is formed at the front edge of sensor assembly portion 456. Recess 405a that extends in the front-rear direction on the right end face of housing 440 is divided by sensor assembly portion 456. When temperature detection sensor 407 is assembled to housing 440, recess 405a and recess 471 are communicated in the front-rear direction.

[0219] A voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 is formed in the upper surface of the housing 440 at a location where the voltage electric wire 420 is accommodated, and is recessed to have a shape corresponding to the routing configuration of the voltage electric wire 420 when the voltage electric wire 420 is accommodated (see FIG. 25 ). The voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 is a series of grooves made up of a pair of straight portions 447 that extend linearly in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and a bent portion 448 that connects the pair of straight portions 447 and extends while bending so as to protrude to the left. The right groove side wall (wall facing left) and left groove side wall (wall facing right) of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 (pair of straight portions 447 + bent portion 448) each extend upward in parallel with the groove bottom wall of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 in the vertical direction.

[0220] The front end of the front straight portion 447 of the pair of straight portions 447 communicates with the sensor assembly portion 456, and the rear end of the rear straight portion 447 of the pair of straight portions 447 forms an electric wire outlet 449 through which the voltage electric wire 420 extends from the rear edge of the housing 440. In this way, by having the bent portion 448 in the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 420 drawn out from the housing 440, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the bent portion 448 and the voltage electric wire 420, compared to when the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 is composed of only the straight portion 447. Therefore, a large external force is less likely to be applied to the contact point between the temperature detection sensor 407 and the voltage electric wire 420.

[0221] Narrow recesses 451, which are recesses whose width (left-right spacing) is narrower than that of the straight portions 447, are provided in the pair of straight portions 447 near their boundaries with the bent portions 448. The width of the narrow recesses 451 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the voltage electric wire 420. Therefore, they function to clamp the voltage electric wire 420 while pressing it in the left-right direction. By clamping the voltage electric wire 420 between the pair of narrow recesses 451, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 420 drawn out from the housing 440, the friction between the narrow recesses 451 and the voltage electric wire 420 makes it possible to resist the external force. Therefore, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the extension joint 476 of the casing 470 and the voltage electric wire 420. Furthermore, it is possible to strongly prevent the voltage electric wire 420 from being routed so as to slip out of the bent portion 448 and straddle the bent portion 448 (that is, to shortcut the bent portion 448).

[0222] A temperature-checking-wire accommodating recess 454 is formed in the upper surface of the housing 440 at a location where the temperature-checking wire 407b is accommodated. The temperature-checking-wire accommodating recess 454 is a groove extending in a straight line in the front-to-rear direction at the location where the temperature-checking wire 407b is accommodated (see FIG. 25). The temperature-checking-wire accommodating recess 454 has a right-side groove sidewall (the wall facing left) and a left-side groove sidewall (the wall facing right) that extend upward in parallel from the groove bottom wall of the temperature-checking-wire accommodating recess 454.

[0223] The front end of temperature electric wire accommodating recess 454 communicates with sensor assembly portion 456, and the rear end of temperature electric wire accommodating recess 454 forms electric wire outlet 455 through which temperature electric wire 407b extends from the rear edge of housing 440. Temperature electric wire accommodating recess 454 is spaced to the right of voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 and is disposed approximately parallel to the pair of straight portions 447 in the left-right direction.

[0224] 25, a pair of wire holding piece recesses 452 extending in the left-right direction are formed side by side at a distance in the front-rear direction in correspondence with the pair of wire holding pieces 435 on the bottom surface 441a of the cover mounting recess 441 on the upper surface of the housing 440, at positions where the pair of wire holding pieces 435 of the cover 430 are to be disposed. The pair of wire holding piece recesses 452 are disposed so as to sandwich the bent vertex 448a (see FIG. 25) of the bent portion 448 of the voltage wire accommodating recess 446 in the front-rear direction. The bottom surfaces of the pair of wire holding piece recesses 452 are located above the bottom surfaces of the voltage wire accommodating recess 446 and the temperature wire accommodating recess 454.

[0225] Each wire retaining piece recess 452 extends in the left-right direction from the right edge of the upper surface of the housing 440, across the voltage wire accommodating recess 446 and the temperature wire accommodating recess 454, to the right-end inner wall 441b of the cover attachment recess 441 (see FIG. 25). Storage holes 453 recessed toward the right are formed in the right-end inner wall 441b of the cover attachment recess 441 at locations where the pair of wire retaining piece recesses 452 connect (see FIG. 26). When the cover 430 is attached to the housing 440, the extending ends (i.e., right ends) of the pair of wire retaining pieces 435 of the cover 430 are inserted into and stored in the pair of storage holes 453.

[0226] A main locked portion, which is a recess recessed upward, is formed on bottom surface 441a of cover mounting recess 441 on the underside of housing 440 at the same front-to-rear position as the position where the locking portion of cover 430 is disposed. The components that make up voltage detection unit 405 have been described above.

[0227] Next, a procedure for assembling the temperature detection sensor 407 and the cover 430 to the housing 440 will be described. First, the voltage wire 420 is connected to the extended joint 476 of the temperature detection sensor 407 by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding, and then the temperature detection sensor 407 is assembled to the sensor assembly portion 456 of the housing 440. For this purpose, the temperature detection sensor 407 is assembled to the sensor assembly portion 456 of the housing 440 so that the locking protrusion 457 of the housing 440 engages with the locking recess (not shown) of the temperature detection sensor 407. When the assembly of the temperature detection sensor 407 to the housing 440 is complete, the recess 471 of the temperature detection sensor 407 communicates with the recess 405a in the front-rear direction.

[0228] Next, the voltage electric wire 420 extending from the temperature detection sensor 407 assembled in the housing 440 is accommodated in the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 (pair of straight portions 447+bent portion 448) of the housing 440. To do this, the voltage electric wire 420 is fitted from above along the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 consisting of the pair of straight portions 447 and the bent portion 448. At this time, by pushing the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 420 located at the top of the pair of narrow recesses 451 downward, the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 420 are accommodated inside the pair of narrow recesses 451. When the accommodation of the voltage electric wire 420 in the housing 440 is complete, the voltage electric wire 420 extends rearward from the electric wire outlet 449 to the outside of the housing 440.

[0229] Similarly, temperature electric wire 407b extending from temperature detection sensor 407 (specifically, sensor element 407a) assembled in housing 440 is housed in temperature electric wire housing recess 454 of housing 440. For this purpose, temperature electric wire 407b is fitted from above along temperature electric wire housing recess 454. When temperature electric wire 407b has been completely housed in housing 440, temperature electric wire 407b extends rearward from electric wire outlet 455 to the outside of housing 440.

[0230] Next, the cover 430 is attached to the housing 440. For this purpose, the cover 430 is attached from the left side to the cover attachment recess 441 of the housing 440 so that the facing portions 431 of the cover 430 sandwich the cover attachment recess 441 on the top and bottom surfaces of the housing 440 from above and below, so that the extending portions 432 of the cover 430 cover the cover attachment recess 441 on the top surface side of the housing 440, and so that the pair of wire holding pieces 435 of the cover 430 are housed in the pair of wire holding piece recesses 452 of the housing 440.

[0231] During the process of attaching the cover 430 to the housing 440, the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 435 of the cover 430 enter further into and are stored in the pair of storage holes 453, and the locking portion of the cover 430 first slides into the housing 440, enters inside the main locked portion, engages with the main locked portion, and is pressed against the right side surface of the main locked portion. As a result, the cover 430 is locked to the housing 440 at the main locked position, completing the attachment of the cover 430 to the housing 440 and obtaining the voltage detection unit 405. As will be described later, the voltage detection unit 405 obtained after the attachment of the cover 430 to the housing 440 is used to assemble the conductive module 403 (see FIG. 22).

[0232] When the cover 430 is locked in the full locking position, the entire cover mounting recess 441 is covered by the cover 430, and the entire voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 and the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 454 are covered by the extending portion 432 of the cover 430. This prevents the voltage electric wire 420 from slipping out of the voltage electric wire accommodating recess 446 and the temperature electric wire 407b from slipping out of the temperature electric wire accommodating recess 454. Furthermore, the facing portion 431 of the cover 430 covers the upper surface of the extending joint portion 476 of the temperature detection sensor 407 (see FIG. 26A ). This ensures that the voltage electric wire 420 is covered by the facing portion 431 of the cover 430. In this state, the temperature detection sensor 407 is exposed to the outside except for the extending joint portion 476.

[0233] Next, the assembly of the conductive module 403 and the power storage device 401 (see FIG. 22) will be described. As described above, the voltage detection unit 405 obtained after the cover 430 has been attached to the housing 440 is used to assemble the conductive module 403 (see FIG. 22). Specifically, first, the flange portion 404a of the conductive plate 404 is fitted into the recessed portion 405a of the voltage detection unit 405, thereby connecting the voltage detection unit 405 to the left side of the conductive plate 404, and the assembly of the voltage detection unit 405 and the conductive plate 404 is completed. In this state, the flange portion 404a of the conductive plate 404 is fitted into the recessed portion 471 of the temperature detection sensor 407.

[0234] Next, the flange portion 404b of the conductive plate 404 is fitted into the recessed portion 406a of the opposing unit 406, thereby connecting the opposing unit 406 to the right side of the conductive plate 404 to which the voltage detection unit 405 is attached (see FIG. 23, etc.). This completes the assembly of the conductive module 403.

[0235] The conductive module 403 obtained in this manner is used to assemble the electricity storage device 401 shown in Fig. 22. Specifically, the electricity storage modules 402 and the conductive modules 403 are stacked alternately in the vertical direction, and the stack is fixed with predetermined metal fittings or the like to obtain the electricity storage device 401.

[0236] According to the fourth embodiment, the flange portion 404b of the conductive plate 404 is fitted into the recess 471 provided in the housing 470 of the temperature detection sensor 407, thereby enabling temperature measurement via the heat-conductive housing 470. That is, according to the fourth embodiment, the heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor 407 is superior to that of the prior art, and therefore the temperature measurement performance is superior.

[0237] Furthermore, according to the fourth embodiment, the voltage wire 420 is connected to the extension joint 476 provided on the housing 470, so that it becomes possible to detect voltage and temperature with one module.

[0238] The invention embodied as the fourth embodiment is not limited to the fourth embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the invention. For example, the invention is not limited to the fourth embodiment, and appropriate modifications, improvements, etc. are possible. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, location, etc. of each component in the fourth embodiment are arbitrary and not limited as long as the invention can be achieved.

[0239] (Variation) In the fourth embodiment, the flange portion 404b of the conductive plate 404 is press-fitted into the recess 471 of the housing 470 to engage with it, but as shown in FIG. 26B, a contact protrusion 404aa may be provided on the flange portion 404b, and the contact protrusion 404aa may be brought into contact with the inner wall of the recess 471 to engage with it.

[0240] Here, the features of the above-described voltage detection unit and conductive module according to the embodiments will be briefly summarized and listed below in [4-1] to [4-2].

[0241] [4-1] a plate-like housing (440) having recesses (405a) on its side surface that fit onto side edge portions (flange portions 404b) of conductive plates (404) respectively arranged between the stacked plurality of storage modules (402); a voltage wire (420) for detecting the voltage of the storage module (402); a temperature detection sensor (407) for measuring the temperature of the storage module (402); a temperature wire (407b) connected to the temperature sensor (407); A voltage detection unit (405) comprising: The temperature detection sensor (407) a heat-conductive casing (470) that is assembled to the sensor assembly portion (456) of the housing (440) and has a recess (471) that fits onto the side edge portion (flange portion 404b); a sensor element (407a) housed inside the housing (470) and connected to the temperature wire (407b), The housing (470) is provided with an extension joint (476) to which the voltage wire (420) is connected. A voltage detection unit (405).

[0242] According to the configuration [4-1] above, the side edge of the conductive plate is fitted into the recess provided in the housing of the temperature detection sensor, thereby enabling temperature measurement through the housing, which has heat conductivity. In other words, according to the above configuration, the heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor is superior to that of conventional devices, and therefore the temperature measurement performance is superior. Furthermore, according to the above configuration, by connecting the voltage wire to the extending joint provided on the housing, it becomes possible to detect voltage and temperature with one module.

[0243] [4-2] A conductive module (403) comprising the voltage detection unit (405) described in [4-1] above and the conductive plate (404), The side edge portion (flange portion 404b) of the conductive plate (404) is provided with a contact protrusion (404aa) that contacts the inner wall of the recess (471) in the housing (470). Conductive module (403).

[0244] The configuration [4-2] above can achieve the same effects as the configuration [4-1] above.

[0245] Fifth Embodiment The invention embodied as the fifth embodiment relates to a conductive module. Hereinafter, a conductive module 503 according to the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings, FIGS.

[0246] The conductive module according to the fifth embodiment has the following features. a plate-shaped conductive plate disposed between each of the plurality of stacked power storage modules; a temperature detection sensor that measures the temperature of the power storage module; a temperature wire electrically connected to the temperature detection sensor; A conductive module comprising: a plurality of sensor accommodating portions capable of accommodating the temperature detection sensors are provided on at least one side surface of the conductive plate in a first direction intersecting with a plate thickness direction; The plurality of sensor housings include: They extend in the first direction and are arranged side by side in a second direction intersecting the plate thickness direction and the first direction. It is a conductive module.

[0247] According to the fifth embodiment, the temperature detection sensors can be accommodated in a plurality of sensor accommodating sections provided on the conductive plate. This allows the temperature detection sensors to directly measure the heat generated by the power storage module and transferred to the conductive plate from the conductive plate. That is, according to the fifth embodiment, the heat transfer to the temperature detection sensors is superior to conventional devices, and the temperature measurement performance is also superior because the temperature detection sensors are located closer to the center of the power storage module (conductive plate), which is the heat source.

[0248] For ease of explanation, the following definitions are used for "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down" as shown in FIG. 27, etc. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to each other. The front-rear direction corresponds to the "plate thickness direction." The front-rear direction also corresponds to the "first direction." The left-right direction also corresponds to the "second direction."

[0249] The voltage detection unit 505 is typically used in a stacked type power storage device 501 shown in Fig. 27. The power storage device 501 is configured by alternately stacking rectangular thin plate-shaped chargeable and dischargeable power storage modules 502 and rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive modules 503 that can electrically connect adjacent power storage modules 502 in the vertical direction. In the power storage device 501, the multiple power storage modules 502 are electrically connected in series via the conductive modules 503. The power storage module 502 has a structure in which multiple battery cells (not shown) are built in, and the entire power storage module 502 functions as a single chargeable and dischargeable battery.

[0250] 27, the conductive module 503 is configured to have an overall rectangular thin plate shape, including a rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive plate 504 (note that the conductive plate 504 also functions as a heat sink, as will be described later), a rectangular thin plate-shaped voltage detection unit 505 connected to the left side of the conductive plate 504, and a rectangular thin plate-shaped opposing unit 506 connected to the right side of the conductive plate 504. As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the conductive plate 504 and the voltage detection unit 505 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 504a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the left end surface of the conductive plate 504 into a recessed portion 505a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the right end surface of the voltage detection unit 505. The conductive plate 504 and the opposing unit 506 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 504b extending in the front-to-rear direction on the right end surface of the conductive plate 504 into a recess portion 506a extending in the front-to-rear direction on the left end surface of the opposing unit 506.

[0251] 28, in each conductive module 503 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 502, the conductive plate 504 is in direct contact with the upper and lower power storage modules 502. Therefore, the conductive plate 504 functions to provide electrical continuity between the lower surface of the upper power storage module 502 and the upper surface of the lower power storage module 502, and also functions as a heat sink that releases heat generated from the upper and lower power storage modules 502 to the outside.

[0252] In each conductive module 503 located between vertically adjacent storage modules 502, the voltage detection unit 505 includes a voltage detection terminal 510 (see FIG. 28, etc.) described below that contacts the conductive plate 504. The voltage detection unit 505 functions to output a signal indicating the voltage between the upper and lower storage modules 502 (specifically, the potential of the upper surface (output surface) of the lower storage module 502 relative to a reference zero potential) via a voltage wire 520 (see FIG. 28, etc.) connected to the voltage detection terminal 510. Note that although the voltage detection unit 505 is arranged on the left side of the conductive plate 504 in FIGS. 27 and 28, a voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 505 may be arranged on the right side of the conductive plate 504. In this case, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of the voltage detection unit 505 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 505) is used as the voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 505.

[0253] In each conductive module 503 located between adjacent storage modules 502 above and below, one of a voltage detection unit, a dummy unit, and a temperature detection unit is applied as the opposing unit 506 depending on the specifications of the storage device 501.

[0254] When opposing unit 506 is a voltage detection unit, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the entire configuration of voltage detection unit 505 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 505 described above) is used as opposing unit 506. In this case, voltage detection unit 505 is disposed on the left side of conductive plate 504, and a mirror product of voltage detection unit 505 is disposed on the right side of conductive plate 504. Opposing unit 506 (mirror product of voltage detection unit 505) performs the same function as voltage detection unit 505.

[0255] 27, a simple resin plate having a recess 506a extending in the front-rear direction is used as the opposing unit 506. In this case, the opposing unit 506 only serves to fill the gap between the upper and lower power storage modules 502.

[0256] 27, a structure in which a temperature detection sensor (not shown, for example a thermistor) is incorporated into a resin plate used as a dummy unit is used as the opposing unit 506. In this case, the opposing unit 506 functions to output a signal indicating the temperature of the upper and lower power storage modules 502 via a temperature electric wire connected to the temperature detection sensor.

[0257] 29 , the voltage detection unit 505 includes a housing 540, a voltage detection terminal 510 housed in the housing 540, a voltage wire 520 connected to the voltage detection terminal 510 and housed in the housing 540, and a cover 530 attached to the housing 540.

[0258] Voltage detection terminal 510 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating recess (reference numeral omitted) formed in housing 540, voltage electric wire 520 is accommodated in an electric wire accommodating recess 546 (see FIG. 30) to be described later formed in housing 540, and cover 530 is attached to a cover attachment recess 541 (see FIG. 30) to be described later formed in housing 540. Each of the components constituting voltage detection unit 505 will be described below in order.

[0259] First, the voltage detection terminal 510 will be described. The metal voltage detection terminal 510 is formed by performing processing such as pressing on a single metal plate. The voltage detection terminal 510 is accommodated from above in a terminal accommodating recess of the housing 540. As shown in FIG. 30 , the voltage detection terminal 510 has a rectangular flat plate-like first portion 511 extending in the front-rear direction and a rectangular flat plate-like second portion 512 extending rightward from the front end of the first portion 511, and has a generally L-shaped flat plate shape as a whole when viewed from the top-bottom direction.

[0260] One end of a voltage wire 520 is fixed to the underside of a front end 511a (i.e., the end on the rear end side) of the first portion 511 so as to be electrically connected. The other end of the voltage wire 520 is connected to a voltage measurement device (not shown) outside the power storage device 501. A part of a flange portion 504a of the conductive plate 504 is fixed to the underside of a front end 512a (i.e., the end on the right end side) of the second portion 512 by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding (see FIG. 29).

[0261] A protrusion 513 that protrudes forward is formed on the front edge of the second portion 512. When the voltage detection terminal 510 is accommodated in the housing 540, the protrusion 513 is engaged with an engaging groove 545 (see FIG. 30) formed in the housing 540.

[0262] Next, the cover 530 will be described. The cover 530 is a resin molded product, and is attached to the cover attachment recess 541 of the housing 540 from the left. The cover 530 is composed of a facing portion 531 and an extending portion 532 that extends rearward from the facing portion 531. The facing portion 531 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage detection terminal 510, and the extending portion 532 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage electric wire 520.

[0263] The facing portion 531 is composed of a pair of identical flat plate portions 533 facing each other with a gap in the vertical direction, and a connecting portion 534 that connects the left end edges of the pair of flat plate portions 533 extending in the front-rear direction along the entire front-rear direction. The facing portion 531 has a generally U-shaped configuration that opens to the right when viewed from the front-rear direction. Each flat plate portion 533 is composed of a generally square flat plate-like base portion 533a connected to the connecting portion 534 and a rectangular flat plate-like extending portion 533b extending rightward from the front end of the base 533a, and has a generally L-shaped configuration as a whole when viewed from the vertical direction. The extending portion 532 extends flush and continuously rearward from the rear end edge of the upper flat plate portion 533 (more specifically, the upper base portion 533a) of the pair of flat plate portions 533 that make up the facing portion 531, and has a generally rectangular flat plate-like configuration.

[0264] A pair of wire holding pieces 535 extending in the left-right direction are integrally formed on the extending portion 532 so as to be aligned at a distance in the front-rear direction. Each wire holding piece 535 protrudes downward from the underside of the extending portion 532, extends in the left-right direction, and further protrudes rightward from the left edge of the extending portion 532. When the cover 530 is attached to the housing 540, the wire holding pieces 535 function to hold the voltage wires 520 housed in the housing 540.

[0265] A locking portion (not shown) that protrudes upward toward the upper flat plate portion 533 is formed at a predetermined location on the lower flat plate portion 533 (more specifically, the lower base portion 533a) of the pair of flat plate portions 533 that make up the facing portion 531. This locking portion functions to lock the cover 530 at the temporary locking position and the regular locking position in cooperation with a temporary locking portion (not shown) and a regular locking portion (not shown) provided on the housing 540.

[0266] Next, the housing 540 will be described. The housing 540 is a resin molded product, and as shown in FIG. 27 and other figures, has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction. A recess 505a that is recessed to the left and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the right end surface of the housing 540. A flange portion 504a of the conductive plate 504 is fitted into the recess 505a (see FIG. 29 and other figures).

[0267] At the locations on the top and bottom surfaces of housing 540 where cover 530 is attached, cover attachment recesses 541 are formed, each recess having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of cover 530 (see FIG. 30). The depth (vertical depth) of cover attachment recess 541 is equal to the thickness of the resin material that constitutes cover 530 (facing portion 531+extending portion 532). Therefore, when cover 530 is attached to housing 540, the surface of housing 540 and the surface of cover 530 are flush with each other (see FIG. 27).

[0268] A terminal accommodating recess having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the voltage detection terminal 510 is formed in the bottom surface 541a of the cover mounting recess 541 on the upper surface of the housing 540 at a location where the voltage detection terminal 510 is accommodated (see FIG. 30). The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of the terminal accommodating recess is equal to the plate thickness of the voltage detection terminal 510. Therefore, when the voltage detection terminal 510 is mounted in the housing 540, the upper surface of the voltage detection terminal 510 and the bottom surface 541a of the cover mounting recess 541 are flush with each other.

[0269] A notch 543 that is recessed leftward and has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the top and bottom is formed on the right edge of the housing 540 at a position in the front-to-back direction where the tip 512a of the voltage detection terminal 510 is disposed. The recess 505a that extends in the front-to-back direction on the right end face of the housing 540 is divided by the notch 543. When the voltage detection terminal 510 is accommodated in the housing 540, the top and bottom surfaces of the tip 512a of the voltage detection terminal 510 are exposed by the notch 543.

[0270] A through-hole 544 extending in the front-rear direction and penetrating in the up-down direction is formed in the terminal accommodating recess at a location where the tip 511a of the voltage detection terminal 510 is disposed. When the voltage detection terminal 510 is accommodated in the housing 540, one end (contact point) of the voltage electric wire 520 connected to the voltage detection terminal 510 enters the through-hole 544. In other words, the through-hole 544 functions as a relief portion to prevent interference between the bottom surface of the terminal accommodating recess and the one end of the voltage electric wire 520.

[0271] In the terminal accommodating recess, a locking groove 545 is formed on the inner wall surface at the location where the protrusion 513 (see Figure 30) of the voltage detection terminal 510 is positioned, which is recessed forward and communicates with the recess 505a to correspond to the protrusion 513 (see Figure 30).

[0272] A wire accommodating recess 546 is formed in the upper surface of the housing 540 at a location where the voltage wire 520 is accommodated, and is recessed to have a shape corresponding to the routing configuration of the voltage wire 520 when the voltage wire 520 is accommodated (see FIG. 30 ). The wire accommodating recess 546 is a series of grooves made up of a pair of straight portions 547 that extend linearly in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and a bent portion 548 that connects the pair of straight portions 547 and extends while bending so as to protrude to the left. The right groove side wall (wall facing left) and left groove side wall (wall facing right) of the wire accommodating recess 546 (pair of straight portions 547 + bent portion 548) each extend upward in parallel with the groove bottom wall of the wire accommodating recess 546 in the up-down direction.

[0273] The front end of the front straight portion 547 of the pair of straight portions 547 communicates with the terminal accommodating recess, and the rear end of the rear straight portion 547 of the pair of straight portions 547 forms a wire outlet 549 through which the voltage electric wire 520 extends from the rear edge of the housing 540. In this way, since the wire accommodating recess 546 has the bent portion 548, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 520 drawn out from the housing 540, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the bent portion 548 and the voltage electric wire 520, compared to when the wire accommodating recess 546 is composed of only the straight portion 547. Therefore, a large external force is less likely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 510 and the voltage electric wire 520.

[0274] Narrow recesses 551, which are recesses whose width (left-right spacing) is narrower than that of the straight portions 547, are provided in the pair of straight portions 547 near their boundaries with the bent portions 548. The width of the narrow recesses 551 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the voltage electric wire 520. Therefore, the narrow recesses 551 function to clamp the voltage electric wire 520 while pressing it in the left-right direction. By clamping the voltage electric wire 520 between the pair of narrow recesses 551, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 520 pulled out of the housing 540, the friction between the narrow recesses 551 and the voltage electric wire 520 makes it possible to resist the external force. Therefore, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 510 and the voltage electric wire 520. Furthermore, this effectively prevents the voltage electric wire 520 from slipping out of the bent portion 548 and being routed across the bent portion 548 (i.e., shortcutting the bent portion 548).

[0275] 30 , a pair of wire holding piece recesses 552 extending in the left-right direction are formed side by side at a distance in the front-rear direction in correspondence with the pair of wire holding pieces 535 on the bottom surface 541a of the cover mounting recess 541 on the upper surface side of the housing 540, at positions where the pair of wire holding pieces 535 of the cover 530 are to be disposed. The pair of wire holding piece recesses 552 are disposed so as to sandwich a bending vertex 548a (see FIG. 30 ) of the bending portion 548 of the wire accommodating recess 546 therebetween in the front-rear direction. The bottom surfaces of the pair of wire holding piece recesses 552 are located above the bottom surface of the wire accommodating recess 546.

[0276] Each electric wire retaining piece recess 552 extends in the left-right direction from the right edge of the upper surface of the housing 540, across the electric wire accommodating recess 546, to the right-end inner wall 541b of the cover attachment recess 541 (see FIG. 30). A storage hole 553 recessed toward the right is formed in each of the locations on the right-end inner wall 541b of the cover attachment recess 541 where the pair of electric wire retaining piece recesses 552 connect (see FIG. 30). When the cover 530 is attached to the housing 540, the extending ends (i.e., right ends) of the pair of electric wire retaining pieces 535 of the cover 530 are inserted into and stored in the pair of storage holes 553.

[0277] On the bottom surface 541a of the cover mounting recess 541 on the underside of the housing 540, at the same front-to-rear position as the position where the locking portion of the cover 530 is disposed, a temporary locking portion and a permanent locking portion, which are recesses recessed upward, are formed lined up in this order from left to right with a gap between them. The components that make up the voltage detection unit 505 have been described above.

[0278] Next, a procedure for assembling the voltage detection terminal 510 and the cover 530 to the housing 540 will be described. First, the voltage detection terminal 510, to which the voltage electric wire 520 has been connected in advance by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding, is accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 540. To this end, the voltage detection terminal 510 is fitted into the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 540 from above so that the protrusion 513 enters the locking groove 545 and one end (contact point) of the voltage electric wire 520 enters the through-hole 544. When the voltage detection terminal 510 has been accommodated in the housing 540, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 512a of the voltage detection terminal 510 are exposed by the notch 543.

[0279] Next, the voltage electric wire 520 extending from the voltage detection terminal 510 accommodated in the housing 540 is accommodated in the wire accommodating recess 546 (the pair of straight portions 547 and the bent portion 548) of the housing 540. To this end, the voltage electric wire 520 is fitted from above along the wire accommodating recess 546 consisting of the pair of straight portions 547 and the bent portion 548. At this time, by pushing the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 520 located at the top of the pair of narrow recesses 551 downward, the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 520 are accommodated inside the pair of narrow recesses 551. When the accommodation of the voltage electric wire 520 in the housing 540 is complete, the voltage electric wire 520 extends rearward from the wire outlet 549 to the outside of the housing 540.

[0280] Next, the cover 530 is attached to the housing 540. For this purpose, the cover 530 is attached from the left side to the cover attachment recess 541 of the housing 540 so that the facing portions 531 of the cover 530 sandwich the cover attachment recess 541 on the upper and lower surfaces of the housing 540 from above and below, so that the extending portions 532 of the cover 530 cover the cover attachment recess 541 on the upper surface side of the housing 540, and so that the pair of wire holding pieces 535 of the cover 530 are housed in the pair of wire holding piece recesses 552 of the housing 540.

[0281] In the process of attaching the cover 530 to the housing 540, the locking portion of the cover 530 first slides onto the housing 540, enters the interior of the temporary locked portion, engages with the temporary locked portion, and is pressed against the right side surface of the temporary locked portion. This causes the cover 530 to be locked to the housing 540 at the temporary locked position, completing the attachment of the cover 530 to the housing 540 and obtaining the voltage detection unit 505. As will be described later, the voltage detection unit 505 obtained after the attachment of the cover 530 to the housing 540 is completed (with the cover 530 locked at the temporary locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 503 (see FIG. 28).

[0282] When the cover 530 is locked in the temporary locking position, the opposing portions 531 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 533b) of the cover 530 do not cover the tip portion 512a of the voltage detection terminal 510. Therefore, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 512a of the voltage detection terminal 510 are still exposed by the notch 543.

[0283] Furthermore, the pair of wire holding pieces 535 of the cover 530 are disposed over the openings of the straight portion 547 and the bent portion 548 of the wire accommodating recess 546. This prevents the voltage wire 520 from slipping out of the wire accommodating recess 546. Furthermore, the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 535 are received in the pair of storage holes 553. This prevents the pair of wire holding pieces 535 from shifting in position or from unintentionally deforming the pair of wire holding pieces 535 away from the wire accommodating recess 546. Furthermore, the extending portion 532 of the cover 530 is disposed over the opening of the bent vertex 548a of the bent portion 548 of the wire accommodating recess 546. This effectively prevents the voltage wire 520 from slipping out of the wire accommodating recess 546 and being routed so as to straddle the bent portion 548 (i.e., to shortcut the bent portion 548). In this way, the possibility of the voltage electric wire 520 coming out of the bent portion 548 of the electric wire accommodating recess 546 causing a particular problem can be reduced.

[0284] When cover 530 is locked in the temporary locking position, pushing cover 530 further to the left relative to housing 540 causes the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 535 of cover 530 to enter further into and be stored in the pair of storage holes 553, and the locking portions of cover 530 climb over the temporary locked portions and then enter inside and engage with the permanent locked portions, thereby locking cover 530 to housing 540 in the permanent locking position.

[0285] When the cover 530 is locked in the full locking position, the entire area of ​​the cover mounting recess 541 is covered by the cover 530, and the entire electric wire accommodating recess 546 is covered by the extending portion 532 of the cover 530. This prevents the voltage electric wire 520 from slipping out of the electric wire accommodating recess 546. Furthermore, the facing portion 531 of the cover 530 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 533b) covers the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 512a of the voltage detection terminal 510. As a result, the entire voltage detection terminal 510 is covered by the facing portion 531 of the cover 530, and therefore the voltage detection terminal 510 can be reliably protected.

[0286] Next, the temperature detection sensor 507 accommodated in the conductive plate 504 according to the fifth embodiment will be described. First, the sensor accommodating portion 504c of the conductive plate 504 will be described. A plurality of sensor accommodating portions 504c capable of accommodating the temperature detection sensors 507 are provided on the rear end surface of the conductive plate 504 (see FIG. 31). The plurality of sensor accommodating portions 504c each extend linearly in the front-rear direction and are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The plurality of sensor accommodating portions 504c may be formed as through-holes extending from the rear end surface to the front end surface of the conductive plate 504, or as grooves recessed forward from the rear end surface of the conductive plate 504. The inner peripheral shape of the plurality of sensor accommodating portions 504c is formed to correspond to the outer peripheral shape of the housing 570 of the temperature detection sensor 507.

[0287] Next, temperature detection sensor 507 will be described. Temperature detection sensor 507 is typically a thermistor. Temperature detection sensor 507 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 570 extending in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 31). Sensor element 507a is housed inside housing 570, and temperature wire 507b connected to sensor element 507a extends rearward from the rear end of housing 570. Temperature detection sensor 507 is housed in sensor housing portion 504c of conductive plate 504 from the rear. The extending end of temperature wire 507b is connected to a temperature measurement device (not shown) outside power storage device 501. This concludes the description of temperature detection sensor 507.

[0288] Next, the assembly of the conductive module 503 and the power storage device 501 (see FIG. 27) will be described. As described above, the voltage detection unit 505 obtained after the attachment of the cover 530 to the housing 540 is completed (with the cover 530 locked in the provisionally locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 503 (see FIG. 27). Specifically, first, the flange portion 504a of the conductive plate 504 is fitted into the recessed portion 505a of the voltage detection unit 505, thereby connecting the voltage detection unit 505 to the left side of the conductive plate 504.

[0289] In this state, a portion of flange portion 504a of conductive plate 504 is positioned so as to overlap the underside of tip portion 512a of voltage detection terminal 510 (see Figure 29), and due to the presence of notch 543 in housing 540, the upper surface of tip portion 512a of voltage detection terminal 510 is exposed upward, and the lower surface of a portion of flange portion 504a of conductive plate 504 is exposed downward.

[0290] Next, using the upper surface of tip portion 512a of voltage detection terminal 510 exposed upward and the lower surface of part of flange portion 504a of conductive plate 504 exposed downward, tip portion 512a of voltage detection terminal 510 and part of flange portion 504a of conductive plate 504 are fixed by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding. Thereafter, cover 530 is moved from the provisional locking position to the full locking position, and the assembly of voltage detection unit 505 and conductive plate 504 is completed.

[0291] Next, the flange portion 504b of the conductive plate 504 is fitted into the recessed portion 506a of the opposing unit 506, thereby connecting the opposing unit 506 to the right side of the conductive plate 504 on which the voltage detection unit 505 is assembled (see FIG. 27, etc.).

[0292] Next, the temperature detection sensors 507 are housed in the sensor housing portions 504c by being press-fitted from behind into the sensor housing portions 504c of the conductive plate 504. The number of temperature detection sensors 507 is determined appropriately, and the locations of the sensor housing portions 504c in which the temperature detection sensors 507 are housed are also determined appropriately.

[0293] The conductive module 503 obtained in this manner is used to assemble the electricity storage device 501 shown in Fig. 27. Specifically, the electricity storage modules 502 and the conductive modules 503 are stacked alternately in the vertical direction, and the stack is fixed with predetermined metal fittings or the like to obtain the electricity storage device 501.

[0294] According to the fifth embodiment, the temperature detection sensors 507 are configured to be able to be housed in a plurality of sensor housing portions 504c provided in the conductive plate 504. This allows the temperature detection sensors 507 to directly measure the temperature of the heat generated from the power storage module 502 and transferred to the conductive plate 504 from the conductive plate 504. That is, according to the fifth embodiment, the heat transfer to the temperature detection sensors 507 is superior to conventional ones, and the temperature measurement performance is also superior because the temperature detection sensors 507 are located closer to the center of the power storage module 502 (conductive plate 504), which is the heat source.

[0295] The invention embodied as the fifth embodiment is not limited to the fifth embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the invention. For example, the invention is not limited to the fifth embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc. are possible as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, location, etc. of each component in the fifth embodiment are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the invention.

[0296] Here, the features of the embodiments of the conductive module described above will be briefly summarized and listed below in [5-1] to [5-2].

[0297] [5-1] a plate-shaped conductive plate (504) disposed between each of the plurality of stacked storage modules (502); a temperature detection sensor (507) for measuring the temperature of the storage module (502); a temperature wire (507b) electrically connected to the temperature sensor (507); A conductive module (503) comprising: a plurality of sensor accommodating portions (504c) capable of accommodating the temperature detection sensors (507) are provided on at least one side surface of the conductive plate (504) in a first direction intersecting with the plate thickness direction; The plurality of sensor housing portions (504c) are They extend in the first direction and are arranged side by side in a second direction intersecting the plate thickness direction and the first direction. Conductive module (503).

[0298] According to the configuration [5-1] above, the temperature detection sensors can be accommodated in a plurality of sensor accommodating sections provided on the conductive plate. This allows the temperature detection sensors to directly measure the heat generated by the power storage module and transferred to the conductive plate from the conductive plate. In other words, the configuration above provides superior heat transfer to the temperature detection sensors compared to conventional configurations, and also provides superior temperature measurement performance because the temperature detection sensors are located closer to the center of the power storage module (conductive plate), which is the heat source.

[0299] [5-2] The conductive module (503) according to the above [5-1], The conductive plate (504) has flanges (504a, 504b) on at least one side edge in the second direction that can be fitted with a mating unit. Conductive module (503).

[0300] According to the configuration [5-2] above, a flange portion is formed on the conductive plate, and thus a mating unit such as a voltage detection unit or a temperature detection unit can be connected to the conductive plate by the flange portion.

[0301] Sixth Embodiment The invention embodied as the sixth embodiment relates to a conductive module. Hereinafter, a conductive module 603 according to the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings, FIGS.

[0302] The conductive module according to the sixth embodiment has the following features. a plate-shaped conductive plate disposed between each of the plurality of stacked power storage modules; a plate-shaped temperature detection unit having a temperature detection sensor that measures the temperature of the power storage module and is connected to a side edge portion of the conductive plate; a thermally conductive sheet positioned between the conductive plate, the temperature detection unit, and the power storage module; A conductive module comprising: The thermally conductive sheet is The conductive plate is attached to the plate surfaces of the conductive plate and the temperature detection unit so as to straddle the conductive plate and the temperature detection unit. It is a conductive module.

[0303] According to the sixth embodiment, the thermally conductive sheet is positioned between the conductive plate and the temperature detection unit and the power storage module, and is attached to the plate surfaces of the conductive plate and the temperature detection unit so as to straddle the conductive plate and the temperature detection unit. This allows heat generated from the power storage module to be transferred to the temperature detection sensor of the temperature detection unit via the thermally conductive sheet. In other words, the sixth embodiment provides superior heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor compared to conventional devices, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance.

[0304] For convenience of explanation, the following definitions are used to refer to "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower," as shown in Figure 32. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to each other.

[0305] The voltage detection unit 605 is typically used in a stacked-type power storage device 601 shown in Fig. 32. The power storage device 601 is configured by alternately stacking rectangular thin-plate chargeable and dischargeable power storage modules 602 and rectangular thin-plate conductive modules 603 that can electrically connect adjacent power storage modules 602 in the vertical direction. In the power storage device 601, the multiple power storage modules 602 are electrically connected in series via the conductive modules 603. The power storage module 602 has a structure in which multiple battery cells (not shown) are built inside, and the entire power storage module 602 functions as a single chargeable and dischargeable battery.

[0306] 32, the conductive module 603 is configured to have an overall rectangular thin plate shape, including a rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive plate 604 (note that the conductive plate 604 also functions as a heat sink, as will be described later), a rectangular thin plate-shaped voltage detection unit 605 connected to the left side of the conductive plate 604, and a rectangular thin plate-shaped opposing unit 606 connected to the right side of the conductive plate 604. As shown in FIGS. 32 and 34, the conductive plate 604 and the voltage detection unit 605 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 604a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the left end face of the conductive plate 604 into a recessed portion 605a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the right end face of the voltage detection unit 605. The conductive plate 604 and the opposing unit 606 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 604b extending in the front-to-rear direction on the right end surface of the conductive plate 604 into a recess 606a extending in the front-to-rear direction on the left end surface of the opposing unit 606.

[0307] 34, in each conductive module 603 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 602, the conductive plate 604 is in direct contact with the upper and lower power storage modules 602. Therefore, the conductive plate 604 functions to provide electrical continuity between the lower surface of the upper power storage module 602 and the upper surface of the lower power storage module 602, and also functions as a heat sink that releases heat generated from the upper and lower power storage modules 602 to the outside.

[0308] In each conductive module 603 located between vertically adjacent storage modules 602, the voltage detection unit 605 includes a voltage detection terminal 610 (see FIG. 33, etc.) described below that contacts the conductive plate 604. The voltage detection unit 605 functions to output a signal indicating the voltage between the upper and lower storage modules 602 (specifically, the potential of the upper surface (output surface) of the lower storage module 602 relative to a reference zero potential) via a voltage wire 620 (see FIG. 32, etc.) connected to the voltage detection terminal 610. Note that although the voltage detection unit 605 is arranged on the left side of the conductive plate 604 in FIGS. 32 to 34, a voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 605 may be arranged on the right side of the conductive plate 604. In this case, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of the voltage detection unit 605 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 605) is used as the voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 605.

[0309] In each conductive module 603 located between adjacent storage modules 602 above and below, one of a voltage detection unit, a dummy unit, and a temperature detection unit is applied as the opposing unit 606 depending on the specifications of the storage device 601.

[0310] When the opposing unit 606 is a voltage detection unit, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the entire configuration of the voltage detection unit 605 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 605 described above) is used as the opposing unit 606. In this case, the voltage detection unit 605 is disposed on the left side of the conductive plate 604, and the mirror product of the voltage detection unit 605 is disposed on the right side of the conductive plate 604. The opposing unit 606 (mirror product of the voltage detection unit 605) performs the same function as the voltage detection unit 605.

[0311] 32, a simple resin plate having a recess 606a extending in the front-rear direction is used as the opposing unit 606. In this case, the opposing unit 606 only serves to fill the gap between the upper and lower power storage modules 602.

[0312] When opposing unit 606 is a temperature detection unit, as shown in Fig. 32, a structure in which temperature detection sensor 607 (thermistor) is incorporated into a resin plate used as a dummy unit is used as opposing unit 606 (this will be described later). In this case, opposing unit 606 functions to output a signal indicating the temperature of upper and lower power storage modules 602 via temperature electric wire 607b (see Fig. 32) connected to temperature detection sensor 607.

[0313] In each conductive module 603 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 602, when the opposing unit 606 is a temperature detection unit, the conductive module 603 includes a thermally conductive sheet 608 located between the conductive plate 604 and the opposing unit 606, and the power storage module 602, as shown in FIG. 33 . The thermally conductive sheet 608 is a known thermally conductive sheet made of a resin such as silicone or acrylic blended with a metal filler, and is attached to the lower end surfaces of the conductive plate 604 and the opposing unit 606 so as to straddle these. In other words, the thermally conductive sheet 608 is disposed so as to fill the gaps between the conductive plate 604 and the opposing unit 606, and the power storage module 602. For this reason, the thermally conductive sheet 608 preferably adheres closely to the conductive plate 604 and the opposing unit 606, and the power storage module 602, and is preferably formed to follow the surface shapes (such as minute irregularities) of these elements.

[0314] 36 , the voltage detection unit 605 includes a housing 640, a voltage detection terminal 610 housed in the housing 640, a voltage wire 620 connected to the voltage detection terminal 610 and housed in the housing 640, and a cover 630 attached to the housing 640.

[0315] The voltage detection terminal 610 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating recess (reference numeral omitted) formed in the housing 640, the voltage electric wire 620 is accommodated in a wire accommodating recess 646 (see FIG. 36) to be described later formed in the housing 640, and the cover 630 is attached to a cover attachment recess 641 (see FIG. 36) to be described later formed in the housing 640. Each of the components constituting the voltage detection unit 605 will be described below in order.

[0316] First, the voltage detection terminal 610 will be described. The metal voltage detection terminal 610 is formed by performing processing such as pressing on a single metal plate. The voltage detection terminal 610 is accommodated from above in a terminal accommodating recess of the housing 640. As shown in FIG. 36 , the voltage detection terminal 610 has a rectangular flat plate-like first portion 611 extending in the front-rear direction and a rectangular flat plate-like second portion 612 extending rightward from the front end of the first portion 611, and has a generally L-shaped flat plate shape as a whole when viewed from the top-bottom direction.

[0317] One end of a voltage wire 620 is fixed to the underside of a front end 611a (i.e., the end on the rear end side) of the first portion 611 so as to be electrically connected. The other end of the voltage wire 620 is connected to a voltage measurement device (not shown) outside the power storage device 601. A part of a flange portion 604a of the conductive plate 604 is fixed to the underside of a front end 612a (i.e., the end on the right end side) of the second portion 612 by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding (see FIG. 34).

[0318] A protrusion 613 that protrudes forward is formed on the front edge of the second portion 612. When the voltage detection terminal 610 is accommodated in the housing 640, the protrusion 613 is engaged with an engaging groove 645 (see FIG. 35) formed in the housing 640.

[0319] Next, cover 630 will be described. Cover 630 is a resin molded product, and is attached to cover attachment recess 641 of housing 640 from the left. Cover 630 is composed of facing portion 631 and extension portion 632 extending rearward from facing portion 631. Facing portion 631 mainly functions to cover and protect voltage detection terminal 610, and extension portion 632 mainly functions to cover and protect voltage electric wire 620.

[0320] The facing portion 631 is composed of a pair of identical flat plate portions 633 facing each other with a gap in the vertical direction, and a connecting portion 634 that connects the left end edges of the pair of flat plate portions 633 extending in the front-rear direction along the entire front-rear direction. The facing portion 631 has a generally U-shaped configuration that opens to the right when viewed from the front-rear direction. Each flat plate portion 633 is composed of a generally square flat plate-like base portion 633a connected to the connecting portion 634 and a rectangular flat plate-like extending portion 633b that extends rightward from the front end of the base 633a, and has a generally L-shaped configuration as a whole when viewed from the vertical direction. The extending portion 632 extends flush and continuously rearward from the rear end edge of the upper flat plate portion 633 (more specifically, the upper base portion 633a) of the pair of flat plate portions 633 that make up the facing portion 631, and has a generally rectangular flat plate-like configuration.

[0321] A pair of wire holding pieces 635 extending in the left-right direction are integrally formed on the extending portion 632 so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction. Each wire holding piece 635 protrudes downward from the underside of the extending portion 632, extends in the left-right direction, and further protrudes rightward from the left edge of the extending portion 632. When the cover 630 is attached to the housing 640, the wire holding piece 635 functions to hold the voltage wire 620 housed in the housing 640.

[0322] A locking portion (not shown) that protrudes upward toward the upper flat plate portion 633 is formed at a predetermined location on the lower flat plate portion 633 (more specifically, the lower base portion 633a) of the pair of flat plate portions 633 that make up the facing portion 631. This locking portion functions to lock the cover 630 at the temporary locking position and the regular locking position in cooperation with a temporary locked portion (not shown) and a regular locked portion (not shown) provided on the housing 640.

[0323] Next, the housing 640 will be described. The housing 640 is a resin molded product, and as shown in Figure 32 and other figures, has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction. A recess 605a that is recessed to the left and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the right end surface of the housing 640. A flange portion 604a of the conductive plate 604 is fitted into the recess 605a (see Figures 34 and 35 and other figures).

[0324] At the locations on the top and bottom surfaces of housing 640 where cover 630 is attached, cover attachment recesses 641 are formed that are recessed and have a shape that corresponds to the overall shape of cover 630 (see FIG. 36). The depth (vertical depth) of cover attachment recess 641 is equal to the thickness of the resin material that constitutes cover 630 (facing portion 631+extending portion 632). Therefore, when cover 630 is attached to housing 640, the surface of housing 640 and the surface of cover 630 become flush with each other (see FIG. 32).

[0325] A terminal accommodating recess having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the voltage detection terminal 610 is formed in the bottom surface 641a of the cover mounting recess 641 on the upper surface of the housing 640 at a location where the voltage detection terminal 610 is accommodated (see FIG. 36). The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of the terminal accommodating recess is equal to the plate thickness of the voltage detection terminal 610. Therefore, when the voltage detection terminal 610 is mounted in the housing 640, the upper surface of the voltage detection terminal 610 and the bottom surface 641a of the cover mounting recess 641 are flush with each other.

[0326] A notch 643 that is recessed leftward and has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the top and bottom is formed on the right edge of the housing 640 at a position in the front-to-back direction where the tip 612a of the voltage detection terminal 610 is disposed. The recess 605a extending in the front-to-back direction on the right end face of the housing 640 is divided by the notch 643. When the voltage detection terminal 610 is accommodated in the housing 640, the top and bottom surfaces of the tip 612a of the voltage detection terminal 610 are exposed by the notch 643.

[0327] A through-hole 644 extending in the front-rear direction and penetrating in the up-down direction is formed in the terminal accommodating recess at a location where the tip portion 611a of the voltage detection terminal 610 is disposed. When the voltage detection terminal 610 is accommodated in the housing 640, one end (contact point) of the voltage electric wire 620 connected to the voltage detection terminal 610 enters the through-hole 644. In other words, the through-hole 644 functions as a relief portion to prevent interference between the bottom surface of the terminal accommodating recess and the one end of the voltage electric wire 620.

[0328] In the terminal accommodating recess, a locking groove 645 is formed on the inner wall surface at the location where the protrusion 613 of the voltage detection terminal 610 (see Figure 36) is positioned, which is recessed forward and communicates with the recess 605a to correspond to the protrusion 613 (see Figure 35).

[0329] A wire accommodating recess 646 is formed in the upper surface of the housing 640 at a location where the voltage wire 620 is accommodated, and is recessed to have a shape corresponding to the routing configuration of the voltage wire 620 when the voltage wire 620 is accommodated (see FIG. 36 ). The wire accommodating recess 646 is a series of grooves made up of a pair of straight portions 647 that extend linearly in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and a bent portion 648 that connects the pair of straight portions 647 and extends while bending so as to protrude to the left. The right groove side wall (wall facing left) and left groove side wall (wall facing right) of the wire accommodating recess 646 (pair of straight portions 647 + bent portion 648) each extend upward in parallel in the vertical direction from the groove bottom wall of the wire accommodating recess 646.

[0330] The front end of the front straight portion 647 of the pair of straight portions 647 communicates with the terminal accommodating recess, and the rear end of the rear straight portion 647 of the pair of straight portions 647 forms a wire outlet 649 through which the voltage electric wire 620 extends from the rear edge of the housing 640. In this way, by having the bent portion 648 in the wire accommodating recess 646, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 620 drawn out from the housing 640, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the bent portion 648 and the voltage electric wire 620, compared to when the wire accommodating recess 646 is composed of only the straight portion 647. Therefore, a large external force is less likely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 610 and the voltage electric wire 620.

[0331] Each of the pair of straight portions 647 is provided near the boundary between the pair of straight portions 647 and the bent portion 648 with a narrow recess 651, which is a recess with a narrower width (left-right spacing) than the straight portion 647. The width of the narrow recess 651 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the voltage electric wire 620. Therefore, the narrow recess 651 functions to clamp the voltage electric wire 620 while pressing it in the left-right direction. By clamping the voltage electric wire 620 between the pair of narrow recesses 651, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 620 pulled out of the housing 640, the friction between the narrow recess 651 and the voltage electric wire 620 can resist the external force. Therefore, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 610 and the voltage electric wire 620. Furthermore, it is possible to strongly prevent the voltage electric wire 620 from being routed so as to slip out of the bent portion 648 and straddle the bent portion 648 (i.e., to shortcut the bent portion 648).

[0332] 35, a pair of wire holding piece recesses 652 extending in the left-right direction are formed side by side at a distance in the front-rear direction in correspondence with the pair of wire holding pieces 635 on the bottom surface 641a of the cover mounting recess 641 on the upper surface side of the housing 640, at positions where the pair of wire holding pieces 635 of the cover 630 are to be disposed. The pair of wire holding piece recesses 652 are disposed so as to sandwich a bending vertex 648a (see FIG. 36) of the bending portion 648 of the wire accommodating recess 646 therebetween in the front-rear direction. The bottom surfaces of the pair of wire holding piece recesses 652 are located above the bottom surface of the wire accommodating recess 646.

[0333] Each electric wire holding piece recess 652 extends in the left-right direction from the right edge of the upper surface of the housing 640, across the electric wire accommodating recess 646, to the right-end inner wall 641b of the cover attachment recess 641 (see FIG. 36). A storage hole 653 recessed toward the right is formed in each of the locations on the right-end inner wall 641b of the cover attachment recess 641 where the pair of electric wire holding piece recesses 652 connect (see FIG. 36). When the cover 630 is attached to the housing 640, the extending ends (i.e., right ends) of the pair of electric wire holding pieces 635 of the cover 630 are inserted into and stored in the pair of storage holes 653.

[0334] On the bottom surface 641a of the cover mounting recess 641 on the underside of the housing 640, at the same front-to-rear position as the position where the locking portion of the cover 630 is disposed, a temporary locking portion and a permanent locking portion, which are recesses recessed upward, are formed lined up in this order from left to right with a gap between them. The components that make up the voltage detection unit 605 have been described above.

[0335] Next, a procedure for assembling the voltage detection terminal 610 and the cover 630 to the housing 640 will be described. First, the voltage detection terminal 610, to which the voltage electric wire 620 has been connected in advance by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding, is accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 640. To this end, the voltage detection terminal 610 is fitted into the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 640 from above so that the protrusion 613 enters the locking groove 645 and one end (contact point) of the voltage electric wire 620 enters the through-hole 644. When the accommodation of the voltage detection terminal 610 in the housing 640 is complete, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 612a of the voltage detection terminal 610 are exposed by the notch 643.

[0336] Next, the voltage electric wire 620 extending from the voltage detection terminal 610 accommodated in the housing 640 is accommodated in the wire accommodating recess 646 (a pair of straight portions 647 and a bent portion 648) of the housing 640. For this purpose, the voltage electric wire 620 is fitted from above along the wire accommodating recess 646 consisting of the pair of straight portions 647 and the bent portion 648. At this time, by pushing the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 620 located at the top of the pair of narrow recesses 651 downward, the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 620 are accommodated inside the pair of narrow recesses 651. When the accommodation of the voltage electric wire 620 in the housing 640 is complete, the voltage electric wire 620 extends rearward from the wire outlet 649 to the outside of the housing 640.

[0337] Next, the cover 630 is attached to the housing 640. For this purpose, the cover 630 is attached from the left side to the cover attachment recess 641 of the housing 640 so that the facing portions 631 of the cover 630 sandwich the cover attachment recess 641 on the top and bottom surfaces of the housing 640 from above and below, so that the extending portions 632 of the cover 630 cover the cover attachment recess 641 on the top surface side of the housing 640, and so that the pair of wire holding pieces 635 of the cover 630 are housed in the pair of wire holding piece recesses 652 of the housing 640.

[0338] In the process of attaching the cover 630 to the housing 640, the locking portion of the cover 630 first slides onto the housing 640, enters the interior of the temporary locked portion, engages with the temporary locked portion, and is pressed against the right side surface of the temporary locked portion. As a result, the cover 630 is locked to the housing 640 at the temporary locked position, completing the attachment of the cover 630 to the housing 640 and obtaining the voltage detection unit 605. As will be described later, the voltage detection unit 605 obtained after the attachment of the cover 630 to the housing 640 is completed (with the cover 630 locked at the temporary locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 603 (see FIG. 32).

[0339] When the cover 630 is locked in the temporary locking position, the opposing portions 631 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 633b) of the cover 630 do not cover the tip portion 612a of the voltage detection terminal 610. Therefore, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 612a of the voltage detection terminal 610 are still exposed by the notch 643.

[0340] Furthermore, the pair of wire holding pieces 635 of the cover 630 are disposed over the openings of the straight portion 647 and the bent portion 648 of the wire accommodating recess 646. This prevents the voltage wire 620 from slipping out of the wire accommodating recess 646. Furthermore, the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 635 are received in the pair of storage holes 653. This prevents the pair of wire holding pieces 635 from shifting in position or from unintentionally deforming the pair of wire holding pieces 635 away from the wire accommodating recess 646. Furthermore, the extending portion 632 of the cover 630 is disposed over the opening of the bent vertex 648a of the bent portion 648 of the wire accommodating recess 646. This effectively prevents the voltage wire 620 from slipping out of the wire accommodating recess 646 and being routed so as to straddle the bent portion 648 (i.e., to shortcut the bent portion 648). In this way, the possibility of the voltage electric wire 620 coming out of the bent portion 648 of the electric wire receiving recess 646 causing a particular problem can be reduced.

[0341] When cover 630 is locked in the temporary locking position, pushing cover 630 further to the left relative to housing 640 causes the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 635 of cover 630 to enter further into and be stored in the pair of storage holes 653, and the locking portions of cover 630 climb over the temporary locked portions and then enter inside and engage with the permanent locked portions, thereby locking cover 630 to housing 640 in the permanent locking position.

[0342] When the cover 630 is locked in the full locking position, the entire area of ​​the cover attachment recess 641 is covered by the cover 630, and therefore the entire electric wire accommodating recess 646 is covered by the extending portion 632 of the cover 630. This prevents the voltage electric wire 620 from slipping out of the electric wire accommodating recess 646. Furthermore, the facing portion 631 of the cover 630 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 633b) covers the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 612a of the voltage detection terminal 610. As a result, the entire voltage detection terminal 610 is covered by the facing portion 631 of the cover 630, and therefore the voltage detection terminal 610 can be reliably protected.

[0343] A specific configuration of the opposing unit 606 according to the sixth embodiment when it is a temperature detection unit will be described below. As shown in Fig. 32, the opposing unit 606 includes a housing 660, a temperature detection sensor 607 housed in the housing 660, and a temperature wire 607b connected to the temperature detection sensor 607. The temperature detection sensor 607 is housed in a sensor housing recess 661 (see Fig. 37) described below that is formed in the housing 660. Each of the components that make up the opposing unit 606, which is a temperature detection unit, will be described below.

[0344] First, the housing 660 will be described. The housing 660 is a resin molded product, and has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction, as shown in Fig. 32 etc. At the center in the left-right direction of the rear end face of the housing 660, a sensor accommodating recess 661 is formed, which is recessed forward in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped extending in the front-rear direction, corresponding to the overall shape of the casing of the temperature detection sensor 607.

[0345] Next, the temperature detection sensor 607 will be described. The temperature detection sensor 607 is typically a thermistor. The temperature detection sensor 607 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing extending in the front-rear direction. A sensor element 607a (see FIG. 37) is housed inside the housing, and a temperature electric wire 607b connected to the sensor element 607a extends rearward from the rear end of the housing. The temperature detection sensor 607 is housed in a sensor housing recess 661 of the housing 660 from the rear. The extending end of the temperature electric wire 607b is connected to a temperature measuring device (not shown) outside the power storage device 601. The components constituting the opposing unit 606, which is a temperature detection unit, have been described above.

[0346] Next, a description will be given of the procedure for assembling the temperature detection sensor 607 into the housing 660. To mount the temperature detection sensor 607 in the housing 660, the temperature detection sensor 607 is inserted into the sensor accommodating recess 661 of the housing 660 from the rear.

[0347] Next, the assembly of the conductive module 603 and the power storage device 601 (see FIG. 32) will be described. As described above, the voltage detection unit 605 obtained after the attachment of the cover 630 to the housing 640 is completed (with the cover 630 locked in the provisionally locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 603 (see FIG. 32). Specifically, first, the flange portion 604a of the conductive plate 604 is fitted into the recessed portion 605a of the voltage detection unit 605, thereby connecting the voltage detection unit 605 to the left side of the conductive plate 604.

[0348] In this state, a portion of the flange portion 604a of the conductive plate 604 is positioned so as to overlap the underside of the tip portion 612a of the voltage detection terminal 610 (see Figure 35), and due to the presence of the notch 643 in the housing 640, the upper surface of the tip portion 612a of the voltage detection terminal 610 is exposed upward, and the lower surface of a portion of the flange portion 604a of the conductive plate 604 is exposed downward.

[0349] Next, the upper surface of tip portion 612a of voltage detection terminal 610 exposed upward and the lower surface of part of flange portion 604a of conductive plate 604 exposed downward are used to fasten tip portion 612a of voltage detection terminal 610 to part of flange portion 604a of conductive plate 604 by ultrasonic bonding, welding, or other method. Thereafter, cover 630 is moved from the provisional locking position to the full locking position, completing the assembly of voltage detection unit 605 and conductive plate 604.

[0350] Next, the flange portion 604b of the conductive plate 604 is fitted into the recessed portion 606a of the opposing unit 606, thereby connecting the opposing unit 606 to the right side of the conductive plate 604 on which the voltage detection unit 605 is assembled (see FIG. 34, etc.).

[0351] Next, a thermally conductive sheet 608 is attached to the bottom surfaces of the conductive plate 604 and the opposing unit 606, which is a temperature detection unit, so as to straddle these. This completes the assembly of the conductive module 603.

[0352] The conductive module 603 obtained in this manner is used to assemble the electricity storage device 601 shown in Fig. 32. Specifically, the electricity storage modules 602 and the conductive modules 603 are stacked alternately in the vertical direction, and the stack is fixed with predetermined metal fittings or the like to obtain the electricity storage device 601.

[0353] In this state, the thermally conductive sheet 608 is positioned between the conductive plate 604 and the opposing unit 606, which is a temperature detection unit, and the storage module 602, and heat generated from the storage module 602 is conducted to the temperature detection sensor 607.

[0354] According to the sixth embodiment, the thermally conductive sheet 608 is positioned between the conductive plate 604 and the opposing unit 606, which is a temperature detection unit, and the power storage module 602, and is attached to the surfaces of these plates so as to straddle the conductive plate 604 and the opposing unit 606, which is a temperature detection unit. This allows heat generated from the power storage module 602 to be transferred to the temperature detection sensor 607 of the opposing unit 606, which is a temperature detection unit, via the conductive plate 604 and the thermally conductive sheet 608. That is, according to the above configuration, the heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor 607 is superior to that of conventional configurations, and therefore the temperature measurement performance is superior.

[0355] The invention embodied as the sixth embodiment is not limited to the sixth embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the invention. For example, the invention is not limited to the sixth embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc. are possible as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, location, etc. of each component in the sixth embodiment are arbitrary and not limited as long as the invention can be achieved.

[0356] Here, the features of the embodiments of the conductive module described above will be briefly summarized and listed below in [6-1] to [6-2].

[0357] [6-1] a plate-shaped conductive plate (604) disposed between each of the plurality of stacked storage modules (602); a plate-shaped temperature detection unit (opposing unit 606) having a temperature detection sensor (607) for measuring the temperature of the storage module (602) and connected to a side edge portion (flange portion 604b) of the conductive plate (604); a thermally conductive sheet (608) positioned between the conductive plate (604), the temperature detection unit (opposing unit 606), and the storage module (602); A conductive module (603) comprising: The heat conductive sheet (608) The conductive plate (604) and the temperature detection unit (opposing unit 606) are attached to the plate surfaces of the conductive plate (604) and the temperature detection unit (opposing unit 606) so as to straddle the conductive plate (604) and the temperature detection unit (opposing unit 606). Conductive module (603).

[0358] According to the configuration [6-1] above, the thermally conductive sheet is positioned between the conductive plate and the temperature detection unit and the power storage module, and is attached to the plate surfaces of the conductive plate and the temperature detection unit so as to straddle the conductive plate and the temperature detection unit. This allows heat generated from the power storage module to be transferred to the temperature detection sensor of the temperature detection unit via the thermally conductive sheet. In other words, the above configuration provides superior heat transfer to the temperature detection sensor compared to conventional configurations, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance.

[0359] [6-2] The conductive module (603) according to the above [6-1], The power storage device further includes a voltage detection unit (605) having a voltage detection terminal (610) conductively connected to the power storage module (602) via the conductive plate (604). Conductive module (603).

[0360] According to the configuration [6-2] above, the conductive module further includes a voltage detection unit, so that an abnormal voltage in the power storage module can be detected.

[0361] Seventh Embodiment The invention embodied as the seventh embodiment relates to a temperature detection unit. Hereinafter, a temperature detection unit (for example, opposing unit 706) according to the seventh embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings, FIGS. 38 to 43.

[0362] The temperature detection unit according to the seventh embodiment has the following features. a long plate-shaped housing having recesses on one side in the shorter direction that fit into side edge portions of conductive plates respectively arranged between the plurality of stacked power storage modules; a temperature detection sensor attached to the housing to measure the temperature of the power storage module; A temperature detection unit comprising: a sensor accommodating recess for accommodating the temperature detection sensor is provided at a substantially central portion of the housing in the longitudinal direction; It is a temperature detection unit.

[0363] According to the seventh embodiment, a sensor accommodating recess for accommodating a temperature detection sensor is provided in the approximate center of the housing in the longitudinal direction. This allows the temperature detection sensor to be positioned closer to the conductive plate than in the past. In other words, with the above configuration, the temperature detection sensor is closer to the center of the power storage module (conductive plate), which is the heat source, than in the past, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance.

[0364] For the sake of convenience, the following definitions are used for the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower," as shown in FIG. 38 and elsewhere. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to one another. The front-rear direction corresponds to the "longitudinal direction" of the invention embodied as the seventh embodiment. The left-right direction corresponds to the "shortitudinal direction" of the invention embodied as the seventh embodiment.

[0365] The voltage detection unit 705 is typically used in a stacked type power storage device 701 shown in Fig. 38. The power storage device 701 is configured by alternately stacking rectangular thin plate-shaped chargeable and dischargeable power storage modules 702 and rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive modules 703 that can electrically connect adjacent power storage modules 702 in the vertical direction. In the power storage device 701, the multiple power storage modules 702 are electrically connected in series via the conductive modules 703. The power storage module 702 has a structure in which multiple battery cells (not shown) are built in, and the entire power storage module 702 functions as a single chargeable and dischargeable battery.

[0366] 38, the conductive module 703 is configured to have an overall rectangular thin plate shape, including a rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive plate 704 (note that the conductive plate 704 also functions as a heat sink, as will be described later), a rectangular thin plate-shaped voltage detection unit 705 connected to the left side of the conductive plate 704, and a rectangular thin plate-shaped opposing unit 706 connected to the right side of the conductive plate 704. As shown in FIGS. 38 and 39, the conductive plate 704 and the voltage detection unit 705 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 704a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the left end face of the conductive plate 704 into a recessed portion 705a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the right end face of the voltage detection unit 705. The conductive plate 704 and the opposing unit 706 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 704b extending in the front-to-rear direction on the right end surface of the conductive plate 704 into a recess portion 706a extending in the front-to-rear direction on the left end surface of the opposing unit 706.

[0367] 39, in each conductive module 703 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 702, the conductive plate 704 is in direct contact with the upper and lower power storage modules 702. Therefore, the conductive plate 704 functions to provide electrical continuity between the lower surface of the upper power storage module 702 and the upper surface of the lower power storage module 702, and also functions as a heat sink that releases heat generated from the upper and lower power storage modules 702 to the outside.

[0368] In each conductive module 703 located between vertically adjacent storage modules 702, the voltage detection unit 705 includes a voltage detection terminal 710 (see FIG. 39, etc.) described below that contacts the conductive plate 704. The voltage detection unit 705 functions to output a signal indicating the voltage between the upper and lower storage modules 702 (specifically, the potential of the upper surface (output surface) of the lower storage module 702 relative to a reference zero potential) via a voltage wire 720 (see FIG. 38, etc.) connected to the voltage detection terminal 710. Note that although the voltage detection unit 705 is arranged on the left side of the conductive plate 704 in FIGS. 38 to 40, a voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 705 may be arranged on the right side of the conductive plate 704. In this case, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of the voltage detection unit 705 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 705) is used as the voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 705.

[0369] In each conductive module 703 located between adjacent storage modules 702 above and below, the opposing unit 706 is one of a voltage detection unit, a dummy unit, and a temperature detection unit, depending on the specifications of the storage device 701.

[0370] When opposing unit 706 is a voltage detection unit, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the entire configuration of voltage detection unit 705 (i.e., a mirror product of the above-mentioned voltage detection unit 705) is used as opposing unit 706. In this case, voltage detection unit 705 is disposed on the left side of conductive plate 704, and a mirror product of voltage detection unit 705 is disposed on the right side of conductive plate 704. Opposing unit 706 (mirror product of voltage detection unit 705) performs the same function as voltage detection unit 705.

[0371] 38, a simple resin plate having a recess 706a extending in the front-to-rear direction is used as the opposing unit 706. In this case, the opposing unit 706 only serves to fill the gap between the upper and lower power storage modules 702.

[0372] When opposing unit 706 is a temperature detection unit, a structure in which temperature detection sensor 707 (thermistor) is incorporated into a resin plate used as a dummy unit is used as opposing unit 706, as shown in Fig. 38 (this will be described later). In this case, opposing unit 706 functions to output a signal indicating the temperature of upper and lower power storage modules 702 via temperature electric wire 707b (see Fig. 38) connected to temperature detection sensor 707.

[0373] The following describes a specific configuration of the voltage detection unit 705 according to the seventh embodiment. As shown in Fig. 41 , the voltage detection unit 705 includes a housing 740, a voltage detection terminal 710 housed in the housing 740, a voltage wire 720 connected to the voltage detection terminal 710 and housed in the housing 740, and a cover 730 attached to the housing 740.

[0374] The voltage detection terminal 710 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating recess (reference numeral omitted) formed in the housing 740, the voltage electric wire 720 is accommodated in a wire accommodating recess 746 (see FIG. 41) to be described later formed in the housing 740, and the cover 730 is attached to a cover attachment recess 741 (see FIG. 41) to be described later formed in the housing 740. Each of the components constituting the voltage detection unit 705 will be described below in order.

[0375] First, the voltage detection terminal 710 will be described. The metal voltage detection terminal 710 is formed by performing processing such as pressing on a single metal plate. The voltage detection terminal 710 is accommodated from above in a terminal accommodating recess of the housing 740. As shown in FIG. 41 , the voltage detection terminal 710 has a rectangular flat plate-like first portion 711 extending in the front-to-rear direction, and a rectangular flat plate-like second portion 712 extending rightward from the front end of the first portion 711, and has a generally L-shaped flat plate shape as a whole when viewed from the top-to-bottom direction.

[0376] One end of a voltage wire 720 is fixed to the underside of a front end 711a (i.e., the end on the rear end side) of the first portion 711 so as to be electrically connected. The other end of the voltage wire 720 is connected to a voltage measurement device (not shown) outside the power storage device 701. A part of a flange portion 704a of the conductive plate 704 is fixed to the underside of a front end 712a (i.e., the end on the right end side) of the second portion 712 by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding (see FIG. 40).

[0377] A protrusion 713 that protrudes forward is formed on the front edge of the second portion 712. When the voltage detection terminal 710 is accommodated in the housing 740, the protrusion 713 is engaged with an engaging groove 745 (see FIG. 41) formed in the housing 740.

[0378] Next, cover 730 will be described. Cover 730 is a resin molded product, and is attached to cover attachment recess 741 of housing 740 from the left. Cover 730 is composed of a facing portion 731 and an extending portion 732 that extends rearward from facing portion 731. Facing portion 731 mainly functions to cover and protect voltage detection terminal 710, and extending portion 732 mainly functions to cover and protect voltage electric wire 720.

[0379] The facing portion 731 is composed of a pair of identical flat plate portions 733 facing each other with a gap in the vertical direction, and a connecting portion 734 that connects the left end edges of the pair of flat plate portions 733 extending in the front-rear direction along the entire front-rear direction. The facing portion 731 has a generally U-shaped configuration that opens to the right when viewed from the front-rear direction. Each flat plate portion 733 is composed of a generally square flat plate-like base portion 733a connected to the connecting portion 734 and a rectangular flat plate-like extending portion 733b that extends rightward from the front end of the base 733a, resulting in a generally L-shaped configuration as a whole when viewed from the vertical direction. The extending portion 732 extends flush and continuously rearward from the rear end edge of the upper flat plate portion 733 (more specifically, the upper base portion 733a) of the pair of flat plate portions 733 that make up the facing portion 731, and has a generally rectangular flat plate-like configuration.

[0380] A pair of wire holding pieces 735 extending in the left-right direction are integrally formed on the extending portion 732 so as to be aligned at a distance in the front-rear direction. Each wire holding piece 735 protrudes downward from the underside of the extending portion 732, extends in the left-right direction, and further protrudes rightward from the left edge of the extending portion 732. When the cover 730 is attached to the housing 740, the wire holding piece 735 functions to hold the voltage wire 720 housed in the housing 740.

[0381] A locking portion (not shown) that protrudes upward toward the upper flat plate portion 733 is formed at a predetermined location on the lower flat plate portion 733 (more specifically, the lower base portion 733a) of the pair of flat plate portions 733 that make up the facing portion 731. This locking portion functions to lock the cover 730 at the temporary locking position and the final locking position in cooperation with a temporary locked portion (not shown) and a final locked portion (not shown) that are provided on the housing 740.

[0382] Next, the housing 740 will be described. The housing 740 is a resin molded product, and as shown in Figure 38 and other figures, has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction. A recess 705a that is recessed to the left and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the right end surface of the housing 740. A flange portion 704a of the conductive plate 704 is fitted into the recess 705a (see Figures 39 and 40 and other figures).

[0383] At the locations on the top and bottom surfaces of housing 740 where cover 730 is attached, cover attachment recesses 741 are formed that are recessed and have a shape that corresponds to the overall shape of cover 730 (see FIG. 41). The depth (vertical depth) of cover attachment recess 741 is equal to the thickness of the resin material that constitutes cover 730 (facing portion 731+extending portion 732). Therefore, when cover 730 is attached to housing 740, the surface of housing 740 and the surface of cover 730 become flush with each other (see FIG. 38).

[0384] A terminal accommodating recess having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the voltage detection terminal 710 is formed in the bottom surface 741a of the cover mounting recess 741 on the upper surface of the housing 740 at a location where the voltage detection terminal 710 is accommodated (see FIG. 41). The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of the terminal accommodating recess is equal to the plate thickness of the voltage detection terminal 710. Therefore, when the voltage detection terminal 710 is attached to the housing 740, the upper surface of the voltage detection terminal 710 and the bottom surface 741a of the cover mounting recess 741 are flush with each other.

[0385] A notch 743 that is recessed leftward and has a generally rectangular shape when viewed from the top and bottom is formed on the right edge of the housing 740 at a position in the front-to-back direction where the tip 712a of the voltage detection terminal 710 is located. The recess 705a that extends in the front-to-back direction on the right end face of the housing 740 is divided by the notch 743. When the voltage detection terminal 710 is accommodated in the housing 740, the top and bottom surfaces of the tip 712a of the voltage detection terminal 710 are exposed by the notch 743.

[0386] A through-hole 744 extending in the front-rear direction and penetrating in the up-down direction is formed in the terminal accommodating recess at a location where the tip 711a of the voltage detection terminal 710 is disposed. When the voltage detection terminal 710 is accommodated in the housing 740, one end (contact point) of the voltage electric wire 720 connected to the voltage detection terminal 710 enters the through-hole 744. In other words, the through-hole 744 functions as a relief portion to prevent interference between the bottom surface of the terminal accommodating recess and the one end of the voltage electric wire 720.

[0387] In the terminal accommodating recess, a locking groove 745 is formed on the inner wall surface at the location where the protrusion 713 of the voltage detection terminal 710 (see Figure 41) is positioned, which is recessed forward and communicates with the recess 705a to correspond to the protrusion 713 (see Figure 41).

[0388] A wire accommodating recess 746 is formed in the upper surface of the housing 740 at a location where the voltage wire 720 is accommodated, and is recessed to have a shape corresponding to the routing configuration of the voltage wire 720 when the voltage wire 720 is accommodated (see FIG. 41 ). The wire accommodating recess 746 is a series of grooves made up of a pair of straight portions 747 that extend linearly in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and a bent portion 748 that connects the pair of straight portions 747 and extends while bending so as to protrude to the left. The right groove side wall (wall facing left) and left groove side wall (wall facing right) of the wire accommodating recess 746 (pair of straight portions 747 + bent portion 748) each extend upward in parallel with the groove bottom wall of the wire accommodating recess 746 in the up-down direction.

[0389] The front end of the front straight portion 747 of the pair of straight portions 747 communicates with the terminal accommodating recess, and the rear end of the rear straight portion 747 of the pair of straight portions 747 forms a wire outlet 749 through which the voltage electric wire 720 extends from the rear edge of the housing 740. In this way, by having the bent portion 748 in the wire accommodating recess 746, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 720 drawn out from the housing 740, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the bent portion 748 and the voltage electric wire 720, compared to when the wire accommodating recess 746 is composed of only the straight portion 747. For this reason, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 710 and the voltage electric wire 720.

[0390] Narrow recesses 751, which are recesses whose width (left-right spacing) is narrower than that of the straight portions 747, are provided in the pair of straight portions 747 near their boundaries with the bent portions 748. The width of the narrow recesses 751 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the voltage electric wire 720. Therefore, they function to clamp the voltage electric wire 720 while pressing it in the left-right direction. By clamping the voltage electric wire 720 between the pair of narrow recesses 751, even if an unintended external force is applied to the voltage electric wire 720 pulled out of the housing 740, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the narrow recesses 751 and the voltage electric wire 720. Therefore, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 710 and the voltage electric wire 720. Furthermore, this effectively prevents the voltage electric wire 720 from slipping out of the bent portion 748 and being routed across the bent portion 748 (i.e., shortcutting the bent portion 748).

[0391] As shown in Fig. 41 , a pair of wire holding piece recesses 752 extending in the left-right direction are formed side by side at a distance in the front-rear direction in a location on the bottom surface 741a of the cover mounting recess 741 on the upper surface side of the housing 740 where the pair of wire holding pieces 735 of the cover 730 are to be disposed, corresponding to the pair of wire holding pieces 735. The pair of wire holding piece recesses 752 are disposed so as to sandwich a bending vertex 748a (see Fig. 41 ) of the bending portion 748 of the wire accommodating recess 746 therebetween in the front-rear direction. The bottom surfaces of the pair of wire holding piece recesses 752 are located above the bottom surface of the wire accommodating recess 746.

[0392] Each electric wire retaining piece recess 752 extends in the left-right direction from the right edge of the upper surface of the housing 740, across the electric wire accommodating recess 746, to the right-end inner wall 741b of the cover attachment recess 741 (see FIG. 41). Storage holes 753 recessed toward the right are formed in the right-end inner wall 741b of the cover attachment recess 741 at locations where the pair of electric wire retaining piece recesses 752 connect (see FIG. 41). When the cover 730 is attached to the housing 740, the extending ends (i.e., right ends) of the pair of electric wire retaining pieces 735 of the cover 730 are inserted into and stored in the pair of storage holes 753.

[0393] On the bottom surface 741a of the cover mounting recess 741 on the underside of the housing 740, at the same front-to-rear position as the position where the locking portion of the cover 730 is disposed, a temporary locking portion and a permanent locking portion, which are recesses recessed upward, are formed lined up in this order from left to right with a gap between them. The components that make up the voltage detection unit 705 have been described above.

[0394] Next, the procedure for assembling the voltage detection terminal 710 and the cover 730 to the housing 740 will be described. First, the voltage detection terminal 710, to which the voltage electric wire 720 has been connected in advance by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding, is accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 740. To this end, the voltage detection terminal 710 is fitted into the terminal accommodating recess of the housing 740 from above so that the protrusion 713 enters the locking groove 745 and one end (contact point) of the voltage electric wire 720 enters the through-hole 744. When the voltage detection terminal 710 has been accommodated in the housing 740, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 712a of the voltage detection terminal 710 are exposed by the notch 743.

[0395] Next, the voltage electric wire 720 extending from the voltage detection terminal 710 accommodated in the housing 740 is accommodated in the wire accommodating recess 746 (a pair of straight portions 747 and a bent portion 748) of the housing 740. For this purpose, the voltage electric wire 720 is fitted from above along the wire accommodating recess 746 consisting of the pair of straight portions 747 and the bent portion 748. At this time, by pushing the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 720 located at the top of the pair of narrow recesses 751 downward, the pair of portions of the voltage electric wire 720 are accommodated inside the pair of narrow recesses 751. When the accommodation of the voltage electric wire 720 in the housing 740 is complete, the voltage electric wire 720 extends rearward from the wire outlet 749 to the outside of the housing 740.

[0396] Next, the cover 730 is attached to the housing 740. For this purpose, the cover 730 is attached from the left side to the cover attachment recess 741 of the housing 740 so that the facing portions 731 of the cover 730 sandwich the cover attachment recess 741 on the top and bottom surfaces of the housing 740 from above and below, so that the extending portions 732 of the cover 730 cover the cover attachment recess 741 on the top surface side of the housing 740, and so that the pair of wire holding pieces 735 of the cover 730 are housed in the pair of wire holding piece recesses 752 of the housing 740.

[0397] In the process of attaching the cover 730 to the housing 740, the locking portion of the cover 730 first slides onto the housing 740, enters the interior of the temporary locked portion, engages with the temporary locked portion, and is pressed against the right side surface of the temporary locked portion. This causes the cover 730 to be locked to the housing 740 at the temporary locked position, completing the attachment of the cover 730 to the housing 740 and obtaining the voltage detection unit 705. As will be described later, the voltage detection unit 705 obtained after the attachment of the cover 730 to the housing 740 is completed (with the cover 730 locked in the temporary locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 703 (see FIG. 38).

[0398] When the cover 730 is locked in the temporary locking position, the opposing portion 731 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 733b) of the cover 730 does not cover the tip portion 712a of the voltage detection terminal 710. Therefore, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 712a of the voltage detection terminal 710 are still exposed by the notch 743.

[0399] Furthermore, the pair of wire holding pieces 735 of the cover 730 are disposed over the openings of the straight portion 747 and the bent portion 748 of the wire accommodating recess 746. This prevents the voltage wire 720 from slipping out of the wire accommodating recess 746. Furthermore, the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 735 are received in the pair of storage holes 753. This prevents the pair of wire holding pieces 735 from shifting in position or from unintentionally deforming the pair of wire holding pieces 735 away from the wire accommodating recess 746. Furthermore, the extending portion 732 of the cover 730 is disposed over the opening of the bent vertex 748a of the bent portion 748 of the wire accommodating recess 746. This effectively prevents the voltage wire 720 from slipping out of the wire accommodating recess 746 and being routed so as to straddle the bent portion 748 (i.e., to shortcut the bent portion 748). In this way, the possibility of the voltage electric wire 720 coming out of the bent portion 748 of the electric wire receiving recess 746 causing a particular problem can be reduced.

[0400] When cover 730 is locked in the temporary locking position, pushing cover 730 further to the left relative to housing 740 causes the extending ends of the pair of wire holding pieces 735 of cover 730 to enter further into and be stored in the pair of storage holes 753, and the locking portions of cover 730 climb over the temporary locked portions and then enter inside and engage with the permanent locked portions, thereby locking cover 730 to housing 740 in the permanent locking position.

[0401] When the cover 730 is locked in the full locking position, the entire area of ​​the cover mounting recess 741 is covered by the cover 730, and therefore the entire electric wire accommodating recess 746 is covered by the extending portion 732 of the cover 730. This prevents the voltage electric wire 720 from slipping out of the electric wire accommodating recess 746. Furthermore, the facing portion 731 of the cover 730 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extending portions 733b) covers the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 712a of the voltage detection terminal 710. As a result, the entire voltage detection terminal 710 is covered by the facing portion 731 of the cover 730, so that the voltage detection terminal 710 can be reliably protected.

[0402] A specific configuration of the opposing unit 706 according to the seventh embodiment when it is a temperature detection unit will be described below. As shown in Fig. 38, the opposing unit 706 includes a housing 760, a temperature detection sensor 707 housed in the housing 760, and a temperature wire 707b connected to the temperature detection sensor 707. The temperature detection sensor 707 is housed in a sensor housing recess 761 (see Fig. 42) described below that is formed in the housing 760. Each of the components that make up the opposing unit 706, which is a temperature detection unit, will be described below.

[0403] First, the housing 760 will be described. The housing 760 is a resin molded product, and as shown in FIG. 38 etc., has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction. A recess 706a that is recessed to the right and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the left end surface of the housing 760. A flange portion 704b of the conductive plate 704 is fitted into the recess 706a (see FIG. 39).

[0404] A sensor accommodating recess 761 is formed in the center of the front-rear direction on the left end surface of the housing 760. The sensor accommodating recess 761 is recessed rightward in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped that extends across the entire left-right direction of the housing 760, corresponding to the overall shape of the casing 770 of the temperature detection sensor 707 (see FIG. 42). The sensor accommodating recess 761 penetrates in the vertical direction. Therefore, the sensor accommodating recess 761 has an opening 761b that opens in both the vertical and horizontal directions (see FIG. 42).

[0405] In addition, housing 760 is provided with a connecting portion 763 in a lower portion of the right-hand region of sensor accommodating recess 761, which connects housing 760 divided into front and rear by sensor accommodating recess 761. In other words, housing 760 divided into front and rear by sensor accommodating recess 761 is integrated by connecting portion 763 (i.e., housing 760 is not substantially divided into front and rear).

[0406] A plurality of protrusions 762 that protrude inward in the front-rear direction (toward each other) and extend in the left-right direction are formed on a pair of inner wall surfaces facing each other in the left-right direction of the sensor accommodating recess 761 (see FIG. 42). These protrusions 762 are to be inserted into grooves (reference numerals omitted) of the temperature detection sensor 707.

[0407] An electric wire accommodating recess 764 that is recessed leftward and extends in the front-rear direction is formed in the right end face of the housing 760 rearward of the sensor accommodating recess 761 (see FIGS. 42 and 43). Retaining ribs 765 that protrude inward in the vertical direction (toward each other) and extend in the front-rear direction are formed on a pair of inner wall surfaces that face each other in the vertical direction of the electric wire accommodating recess 764 (see FIG. 43).

[0408] Next, temperature detection sensor 707 will be described. Temperature detection sensor 707 is typically a thermistor. Temperature detection sensor 707 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 770 extending in the left-right direction. A sensor element (not shown) is housed inside housing 770, and temperature electric wire 707b connected to the sensor element extends rearward from the right end of housing 770. Temperature detection sensor 707 is housed in sensor housing recess 761 of housing 760 from the left. The extending end of temperature electric wire 707b is connected to a temperature measurement device (not shown) outside power storage device 701.

[0409] The lower wall portion 770b of the housing 770 is formed to be shorter in the left-right direction than the upper wall portion 770a in order to correspond to the connecting portion 763. When the temperature detection sensor 707 is attached to the sensor accommodating recess 761, the right end face of the lower wall portion 770b and the left end face of the connecting portion 763 are butted against each other.

[0410] A pair of grooves 771 penetrating in the left-right direction are formed on a pair of front and rear end faces of the housing 770, corresponding to a pair of protrusions 762 of the sensor accommodating recess 761 (see Figure 42).

[0411] The thickness of casing 770 in the vertical direction is equal to the thickness of housing 760, which is a substantially rectangular thin plate. Therefore, when temperature detection sensor 707 is attached to housing 760, the surface of housing 760 and the surface of temperature detection sensor 707 are flush with each other (see FIG. 38). The components that make up opposing unit 706, which is a temperature detection unit, have been described above.

[0412] Next, a procedure for assembling the temperature detection sensor 707 into the housing 760 will be described. To attach the temperature detection sensor 707 to the housing 760, first, the temperature electric wire 707b is routed in the electric wire accommodating recess 764 of the housing 760. Then, the temperature detection sensor 707 is inserted from the left into the sensor accommodating recess 761 of the housing 760 so that the pair of protrusions 762 provided in the sensor accommodating recess 761 are inserted into the pair of grooves provided in the casing 770 of the temperature detection sensor 707.

[0413] When temperature detection sensor 707 is completely attached to housing 760, temperature wire 707b is prevented from protruding to the right by retaining rib 765 of wire accommodating recess 764. The top and bottom surfaces (flat surfaces) of housing 770 are exposed to the outside from upper and lower openings 761b of sensor accommodating recess 761 (see FIG. 38).

[0414] Next, the assembly of the conductive module 703 and the power storage device 701 (see FIG. 38) will be described. As described above, the voltage detection unit 705 obtained after the attachment of the cover 730 to the housing 740 is completed (with the cover 730 locked in the provisionally locked position) is used to assemble the conductive module 703 (see FIG. 38). Specifically, first, the flange portion 704a of the conductive plate 704 and the recessed portion 705a of the voltage detection unit 705 are fitted together, thereby connecting the voltage detection unit 705 to the left side of the conductive plate 704.

[0415] In this state, a portion of the flange portion 704a of the conductive plate 704 is positioned so as to overlap the underside of the tip portion 712a of the voltage detection terminal 710 (see Figure 40), and due to the presence of the notch 743 in the housing 740, the upper surface of the tip portion 712a of the voltage detection terminal 710 is exposed upward, and the lower surface of a portion of the flange portion 704a of the conductive plate 704 is exposed downward.

[0416] Next, the upper surface of tip portion 712a of voltage detection terminal 710 exposed upward and the lower surface of part of flange portion 704a of conductive plate 704 exposed downward are used to fasten tip portion 712a of voltage detection terminal 710 to part of flange portion 704a of conductive plate 704 by ultrasonic bonding, welding, or other method. Thereafter, cover 730 is moved from the provisional locking position to the full locking position, completing the assembly of voltage detection unit 705 and conductive plate 704.

[0417] Next, the flange portion 704b of the conductive plate 704 is fitted into the recess 706a of the facing unit 706 and the left-end recess (reference numeral omitted) of the temperature detection sensor 707, thereby connecting the facing unit 706 to the right side of the conductive plate 704 to which the voltage detection unit 705 is attached (see FIG. 39, etc.). This completes the assembly of the conductive module 703.

[0418] The conductive module 703 obtained in this manner is used to assemble the electricity storage device 701 shown in Fig. 38. Specifically, electricity storage modules 702 and conductive modules 703 are stacked alternately in the vertical direction, and the stack is fixed with predetermined metal fittings or the like to obtain the electricity storage device 701.

[0419] According to the seventh embodiment, a sensor accommodating recess 761 for accommodating a temperature detection sensor 707 is provided in approximately the center in the front-to-rear direction of the housing 760. This allows the temperature detection sensor 707 to be disposed closer to the conductive plate 704 than in the past. That is, according to the seventh embodiment, the temperature detection sensor 707 is closer to the center of the power storage module 702 (conductive plate 704), which is a heat source, than in the past, and therefore the temperature measurement performance is excellent.

[0420] Furthermore, according to the seventh embodiment, an electric wire accommodating recess 764 is provided on the right end surface of the housing 760 so as to extend in the front-to-rear direction, thereby making it possible to prevent the opposing unit 706, and in turn the power storage device 701, from becoming larger in the left-to-right direction compared to when the temperature electric wire 707b is extended outward from the left-to-right direction.

[0421] The invention embodied as the seventh embodiment is not limited to the seventh embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the invention. For example, the invention is not limited to the seventh embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc. are possible as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, location, etc. of each component in the seventh embodiment are arbitrary and not limited as long as the invention can be achieved.

[0422] Here, the features of the above-described embodiments of the temperature detection unit will be briefly summarized and listed below in [7-1] to [7-3].

[0423] [7-1] a long plate-shaped housing (760) having recesses (706a) on one side in the short direction thereof, the recesses (706a) being fitted onto side edge portions (flange portions 704b) of conductive plates (704) respectively arranged between the plurality of stacked storage modules (702); a temperature detection sensor (707) attached to the housing (760) to measure the temperature of the storage module (702); A temperature detection unit (opposing unit 706) comprising: A sensor accommodating recess (761) for accommodating the temperature detection sensor (707) is provided at approximately the center of the housing (760) in the longitudinal direction. Temperature detection unit (opposite unit 706).

[0424] According to the configuration [7-1] above, a sensor accommodating recess for accommodating a temperature detection sensor is provided in the approximate center of the housing in the longitudinal direction. This allows the temperature detection sensor to be positioned closer to the conductive plate than in the past. In other words, according to the configuration above, the temperature detection sensor is closer to the center of the energy storage module (conductive plate), which is the heat source, than in the past, resulting in superior temperature measurement performance.

[0425] [7-2] The temperature detection unit (opposing unit 706) described in [7-1] above, The housing (760) has, on the other side surface in the short direction, an electric wire accommodating recess (764) for accommodating a temperature electric wire (707b) extending in the longitudinal direction and connected to the temperature detection sensor (707) toward the outside. Temperature detection unit (opposite unit 706).

[0426] According to the configuration [7-2], the housing has a wire accommodating recess on the other side in the short direction, through which the temperature wire that extends in the longitudinal direction and is connected to the temperature detection sensor extends outward. This makes it possible to prevent the temperature detection unit from becoming larger in the short direction than when the temperature wire extends outward from the short direction.

[0427] [7-3] The temperature detection unit (opposing unit 706) described in [7-2] above, The electric wire receiving recess (764) is provided with a holding rib (765) for holding the temperature electric wire (707b). Temperature detection unit (opposite unit 706).

[0428] According to the configuration [7-3] above, the retaining rib is provided in the electric wire accommodating recess, so that the temperature electric wire can be prevented from jumping out from the electric wire accommodating recess.

[0429] Eighth Embodiment The invention embodied as an eighth embodiment relates to a voltage detection unit configured so that a voltage detection terminal to be electrically connected to a detection target is housed in a plate-shaped housing, and a power storage device. A voltage detection unit 805 and a power storage device 801 according to the eighth embodiment will be described below with reference to Figs. 44 to 55. For ease of explanation, the following terms are defined as follows, as shown in Fig. 44 and elsewhere: "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," "up-down direction," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down." The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to one another.

[0430] The voltage detection unit 805 is typically used in a stacked type power storage device 801 shown in Fig. 44. The power storage device 801 is configured by alternately stacking rectangular thin plate-shaped chargeable and dischargeable power storage modules 802 and rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive modules 803 that can electrically connect adjacent power storage modules 802 in the vertical direction. In the power storage device 801, the multiple power storage modules 802 are electrically connected in series via the conductive modules 803. The power storage module 802 has a structure in which multiple battery cells (not shown) are built inside, and the entire power storage module 802 functions as a single chargeable and dischargeable battery.

[0431] 44, the conductive module 803 is configured to have an overall rectangular thin plate shape, including a rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive plate 804 (note that the conductive plate 804 also functions as a heat sink, as will be described later), a rectangular thin plate-shaped voltage detection unit 805 connected to the left side of the conductive plate 804, and a rectangular thin plate-shaped opposing unit 806 connected to the right side of the conductive plate 804. As shown in FIGS. 44 to 46 (see FIG. 45 in particular), the conductive plate 804 and the voltage detection unit 805 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 804a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the left end face of the conductive plate 804 into a recessed portion 805a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the right end face of the voltage detection unit 805. The conductive plate 804 and the opposing unit 806 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 804b extending in the front-to-rear direction on the right end surface of the conductive plate 804 into a recess portion 806a extending in the front-to-rear direction on the left end surface of the opposing unit 806.

[0432] 45, in each conductive module 803 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 802, the conductive plate 804 is in direct contact with the upper and lower power storage modules 802. Therefore, the conductive plate 804 functions to provide electrical continuity between the lower surface of the upper power storage module 802 and the upper surface of the lower power storage module 802, and also functions as a heat sink that releases heat generated from the upper and lower power storage modules 802 to the outside.

[0433] In each conductive module 803 located between vertically adjacent storage modules 802, the voltage detection unit 805 includes a voltage detection terminal 810 (see FIG. 45 ), which will be described later and which contacts the conductive plate 804. The voltage detection unit 805 functions to output a signal indicating the voltage between the upper and lower storage modules 802 (specifically, the potential of the upper surface (output surface) of the lower storage module 802 relative to a reference zero potential) via an electric wire 820 (see FIG. 44 , etc.) connected to the voltage detection terminal 810. Note that although the voltage detection unit 805 is arranged on the left side of the conductive plate 804 in FIGS. 44 to 46 , a voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 805 may be arranged on the right side of the conductive plate 804. In this case, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of the voltage detection unit 805 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 805) is used as the voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 805.

[0434] In each conductive module 803 located between adjacent storage modules 802 above and below, the opposing unit 806 is one of a voltage detection unit, a dummy unit, and a temperature detection unit, depending on the specifications of the storage device 801.

[0435] When opposing unit 806 is a voltage detection unit, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the entire configuration of voltage detection unit 805 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 805 described above) is used as opposing unit 806. In this case, voltage detection unit 805 is disposed on the left side of conductive plate 804, and a mirror product of voltage detection unit 805 is disposed on the right side of conductive plate 804. Opposing unit 806 (mirror product of voltage detection unit 805) performs the same function as voltage detection unit 805.

[0436] When the opposing unit 806 is a dummy unit, a simple resin plate having a recess 806a (see FIG. 45) extending in the front-to-rear direction is used as the opposing unit 806. In this case, the opposing unit 806 only serves to fill the gap between the upper and lower power storage modules 802.

[0437] When opposing unit 806 is a temperature detection unit, as shown in Fig. 44, a structure in which temperature sensor 807 (thermistor) is incorporated into a resin plate used as a dummy unit is used as opposing unit 806. In this case, opposing unit 806 functions to output a signal indicating the temperature of upper and lower power storage modules 802 via electric wire 807a (see Fig. 44) connected to temperature sensor 807.

[0438] The specific configuration of a voltage detection unit 805 according to the eighth embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 47 to Fig. 55. As shown in Fig. 47, the voltage detection unit 805 includes a housing 840, a voltage detection terminal 810 housed in the housing 840, an electric wire 820 connected to the voltage detection terminal 810 and housed in the housing 840, and a cover 830 attached to the housing 840.

[0439] The voltage detection terminal 810 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating recess 842 (see FIG. 47) which will be described later and which is formed in the housing 840, the electric wire 820 is accommodated in an electric wire accommodating recess 846 (see FIG. 47) which will be described later and which is formed in the housing 840, and the cover 830 is attached to a cover attachment recess 841 (see FIG. 47) which will be described later and which is formed in the housing 840. Each of the components which make up the voltage detection unit 805 will be described below in order.

[0440] First, the voltage detection terminal 810 will be described. The metal voltage detection terminal 810 is formed by performing processing such as pressing on a single metal plate. The voltage detection terminal 810 is accommodated from above in a terminal accommodating recess 842 of a housing 840. As shown in FIG. 47 , the voltage detection terminal 810 has a rectangular flat plate-like first portion 811 extending in the front-to-rear direction, and a rectangular flat plate-like second portion 812 extending rightward from the rear end of the first portion 811, and has a generally L-shaped flat plate shape as a whole when viewed from the top-to-bottom direction.

[0441] One end of an electric wire 820 is fixed to the underside of a tip 811a (i.e., the end on the front end side) of the first portion 811 so as to be electrically connected (see also FIG. 49). The other end of the electric wire 820 is connected to a voltage measurement device (not shown) outside the power storage device 801. A part of a flange 804a of the conductive plate 804 is fixed to the underside of a tip 812a (i.e., the end on the right end side) of the second portion 812 by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding (see FIG. 46).

[0442] A protrusion 813 that protrudes rearward is formed on the rear edge of the second portion 812. When the voltage detection terminal 810 is accommodated in the housing 840, the protrusion 813 is engaged with an engaging groove 845 (see FIG. 48) formed in the housing 840.

[0443] Next, the cover 830 will be described. The cover 830 is a resin molded product, and is attached to the cover attachment recess 841 of the housing 840 from the left. The cover 830 is composed of a facing portion 831 and an extending portion 832 that extends forward from the facing portion 831. The facing portion 831 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage detection terminal 810, and the extending portion 832 mainly functions to cover and protect the electric wire 820.

[0444] The facing portion 831 is composed of a pair of flat plate portions 833 facing each other with a gap in the up-down direction, and a connecting portion 834 that connects the left end edges of the pair of flat plate portions 833 extending in the front-to-rear direction in the up-down direction over the entire front-to-rear direction. When viewed in the front-to-rear direction, the facing portion 831 has a generally U-shape that opens to the right. The right end edge of each flat plate portion 833 has a stepped shape that slopes leftward as it extends forward. The extending portion 832 extends flush and continuously forward from the front end edge of the upper flat plate portion 833 of the pair of flat plate portions 833 that make up the facing portion 831, and has a generally rectangular flat plate shape. In this example, the right edge (upper right edge 830b of cover 830) formed by the upper flat plate portion 833 and the extension portion 832 has four end faces a1 to a4 that face to the right (extend in the front-to-back direction) and are positioned differently in the left-to-right direction (see Figure 48), and the right edge (lower right edge 830b of cover 830) formed by the lower flat plate portion 833 has five end faces b1 to b5 that face to the right (extend in the front-to-back direction) and are positioned differently in the left-to-right direction (see Figure 49).

[0445] A pair of wire holding pieces 835 extending in the left-right direction are integrally formed on the extending portion 832 so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction. As can be seen from FIG. 49 , each wire holding piece 835 protrudes downward from the underside of the extending portion 832, extends in the left-right direction, and protrudes further rightward from the right edge of the extending portion 832. When the cover 830 is attached to the housing 840, the wire holding piece 835 functions to hold the wires 820 housed in the housing 840. Furthermore, a wall-shaped push wall 858 is formed on the front end of the extending portion 832, extending downward from the front edge of the extending portion 832 and extending in the left-right direction.

[0446] Of the pair of flat plate portions 833 constituting the facing portion 831, a locking portion 836 that protrudes upward toward the upper flat plate portion 833 is formed at a predetermined location on the lower flat plate portion 833 (see FIGS. 50 to 55). The locking portion 836 cooperates with a first temporary locked portion 855, a second temporary locked portion 856, and a full locked portion 857, which are provided on the housing 840 and will be described later, to lock the cover 830 at a first temporary locked position (see FIG. 50), a second temporary locked position (see FIG. 52), and a full locked position (see FIG. 54).

[0447] Next, the housing 840 will be described. The housing 840 is a resin molded product, and as shown in FIG. 44 etc., has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction. A recess 805a that is recessed to the left and extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the right end surface of the housing 840. A flange portion 804a of the conductive plate 804 is fitted into the recess 805a (see FIG. 45).

[0448] Cover attachment recesses 841 having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of cover 830 are formed in the upper and lower surfaces of housing 840 at locations where cover 830 is attached (see FIGS. 47 to 49). Of right end inner walls 841b defining the right ends of the pair of upper and lower cover attachment recesses 841, the upper right end inner wall 841b has three end faces c2 to c4 that face leftward (extending in the front-to-rear direction) and are positioned at different times in the left-right direction, corresponding to the three end faces a2 to a4 of upper right end edge 830b of cover 830 (see FIG. 48), and the lower right end inner wall 841b has four end faces d2 to d5 that face leftward (extending in the front-to-rear direction) and are positioned at different times in the left-right direction, corresponding to the four end faces b2 to b5 of lower right end edge 830b of cover 830 (see FIG. 49). The depth (vertical depth) of cover mounting recess 841 is equal to the thickness of the resin material that constitutes cover 830 (facing portion 831+extending portion 832). Therefore, when cover 830 is mounted on housing 840, the surface of housing 840 and the surface of cover 830 are flush with each other (see FIGS. 44 and 54).

[0449] A terminal accommodating recess 842 having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the voltage detection terminal 810 is formed in the bottom surface 841a of the cover mounting recess 841 on the upper side of the housing 840 at a location where the voltage detection terminal 810 is accommodated (see FIG. 47). The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of the terminal accommodating recess 842 is equal to the plate thickness of the voltage detection terminal 810. Therefore, when the voltage detection terminal 810 is mounted in the housing 840, the upper surface of the voltage detection terminal 810 and the bottom surface 841a of the cover mounting recess 841 are flush with each other (see FIGS. 51, 53, and 55).

[0450] A notch 843 that is recessed leftward and has a generally rectangular shape when viewed from the top and bottom is formed on the right edge of the housing 840 at a position in the front-to-back direction where the tip 812a of the voltage detection terminal 810 is disposed. The recess 805a that extends in the front-to-back direction on the right end face of the housing 840 is divided by the notch 843. When the voltage detection terminal 810 is accommodated in the housing 840, the top and bottom surfaces of the tip 812a of the voltage detection terminal 810 are exposed by the notch 843 (see FIG. 53).

[0451] A through-hole 844 extending in the front-rear direction and penetrating in the up-down direction is formed in the terminal accommodating recess 842 at a location where the tip 811a of the voltage detection terminal 810 is disposed (see FIG. 47, etc.). When the voltage detection terminal 810 is accommodated in the housing 840, one end (contact point) of the electric wire 820 connected to the voltage detection terminal 810 enters the through-hole 844 (see FIG. 49). In other words, the through-hole 844 functions as a relief portion to prevent interference between the bottom surface 842a of the terminal accommodating recess 842 and the one end of the electric wire 820.

[0452] In the terminal accommodating recess 842, a locking groove 845 is formed on the inner wall surface at the location where the protrusion 813 of the voltage detection terminal 810 (see Figure 47) is positioned, which is recessed rearward and communicates with the recess 805a to correspond to the protrusion 813 (see Figure 48).

[0453] An electric wire accommodating recess 846 is formed in a portion of the bottom surface 841a of the upper cover mounting recess 841 of the housing 840 where the electric wire 820 is accommodated, the electric wire accommodating recess 846 being recessed and having a shape corresponding to the routing form of the electric wire 820 when accommodated (see FIG. 47 ). The electric wire accommodating recess 846 is a series of grooves made up of a pair of straight portions 847 that extend linearly in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and a bent portion 848 that connects the pair of straight portions 847 and extends while bending so as to protrude to the left. The rear end of the rear straight portion 847 of the pair of straight portions 847 communicates with the terminal accommodating recess 842, and the front end of the front straight portion 847 of the pair of straight portions 847 forms an electric wire outlet 849 through which the electric wire 820 extends from the front edge of the housing 840. In this way, compared to when the wire accommodating recess 846 is configured only with the straight portion 847, by having the bent portion 848, even if an unintended external force is applied to the wire 820 pulled out of the housing 840, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the bent portion 848 and the wire 820. Therefore, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 810 and the wire 820.

[0454] Narrow recesses 851, which are recesses whose width (distance in the left-right direction) is narrower than that of the straight portions 847, are provided in the pair of straight portions 847 near their boundaries with the bent portions 848. The width of the narrow recesses 851 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the electric wire 820. Therefore, the narrow recesses 851 function to clamp the electric wire 820 while pressing it in the left-right direction. By clamping the electric wire 820 between the pair of narrow recesses 851, even if an unintended external force is applied to the electric wire 820 pulled out from the housing 840, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the narrow recesses 851 and the electric wire 820. Therefore, a large external force is unlikely to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 810 and the electric wire 820.

[0455] 47 , a pair of wire holding piece recesses 852 extending in the left-right direction are formed side by side at a distance in the front-rear direction in correspondence with the pair of wire holding pieces 835 on the bottom surface 841a of the upper cover mounting recess 841 of the housing 840, at positions where the pair of wire holding pieces 835 of the cover 830 are arranged. The pair of wire holding piece recesses 852 are arranged so as to sandwich the apex of the bent portion 848 of the wire accommodating recess 846 in the front-rear direction.

[0456] Each electric wire retaining piece recess 852 extends in the left-right direction from the left edge of the top surface of the housing 840, across the electric wire accommodating recess 846, to the right-end inner wall 841b of the upper cover attachment recess 841 (see FIG. 47). Storage holes 853 recessed toward the right are formed in the right-end inner wall 841b of the upper cover attachment recess 841 at locations where the pair of electric wire retaining piece recesses 852 connect (see FIG. 47). When the cover 830 is attached to the housing 840, the extending ends (i.e., right ends) of the pair of electric wire retaining pieces 835 of the cover 830 are inserted into and stored in the pair of storage holes 853.

[0457] As shown in Fig. 49, a guide portion 854, a first temp...

Claims

1. a conductive plate disposed between each of the plurality of stacked power storage modules; a battery stack plate having a plate-shaped insulating housing with a fitting groove recessed into the side surface of the plate for fitting into the side edge portion of the conductive plate; a sealing material supply groove provided on each of the front and rear surfaces of the insulating housing along the extending direction of the fitting groove; a through hole communicating the sealing material supply groove and the fitting groove; a sealing material that is filled in the fitting groove in advance and that is extruded from the fitting groove through the through hole and the sealing material supply groove onto the front and rear surfaces of the insulating housing when the side edge portion of the conductive plate is fitted into the fitting groove, sandwiched between the plurality of power storage modules, Plate-shaped member.

2. the sealing material supply groove is formed continuously in a wavy, meandering shape along the extension direction of the fitting groove; The plate-like member according to claim 1 .

3. the through holes are formed at each vertex of the sealing material supply groove formed in a corrugated shape on the fitting groove side; The plate-like member according to claim 2 .

4. A plate-shaped member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, Battery stack.

Images