Battery pack inspection equipment

Abstract

To prevent a short circuit of a battery pack.SOLUTION: A battery pack inspection device 100 inspects a battery pack 10 which has a built-in battery and includes a bottom plate 12 conducted with a negative electrode, and positive electrode terminals 18a, 18b. The battery pack inspection device has: an installation base 120 for installing the battery pack 10 when the battery pack 10 is inspected; inspection terminals 132a, 132b arranged on a rear side of the installation base 120 and connected to the positive electrode terminals 18a, 18b of the battery pack 10; and positioning projections 121a, 121b arranged on a front side of the installation base 120 and fitted to through-holes 16 provided in the bottom plate 12 of the battery pack 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack inspection device for inspecting a battery pack. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to reuse a battery pack, it is sometimes necessary to inspect whether a used battery pack is normal. Patent Document 1 discloses a measuring device that measures battery state data relating to the state of electrical characteristics of a secondary battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-205253 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] To inspect a battery pack, an inspector connects the positive and negative terminals of the battery pack to the inspection terminals of an inspection device. If the inspector unintentionally brings the inspection terminal connected to the positive terminal of the battery pack into contact with the inspection terminal connected to the negative terminal, the battery pack may be short-circuited and damaged. However, the measuring device disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 does not sufficiently consider preventing short-circuiting of secondary batteries.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to prevent short circuits in a battery pack. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a battery pack inspection device for inspecting a battery pack having a bottom plate with a built-in battery and electrically connected to the negative electrode, and a positive terminal, characterized in that it comprises an installation stand on which the battery pack is placed when inspecting the battery pack, an inspection terminal arranged on the rear side of the installation stand and connected to the positive terminal of the battery pack, and a positioning protrusion arranged on the front of the installation stand and fitted into a through hole provided in the bottom plate of the battery pack. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a short circuit in the battery pack. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a battery pack. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery pack. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a view of the battery pack as seen from the front. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a view of the battery pack as seen from the rear side. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of the battery pack inspection device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the battery pack inspection device of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a front view of the battery pack inspection device of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a rear view of the battery pack inspection device of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an inspection procedure of the battery pack inspection device of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an installation stand of the battery pack inspection apparatus of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, a battery pack inspection device 100 for inspecting a battery pack 10 having a built-in battery, a bottom plate 12 electrically connected to the negative electrode, and positive electrode terminals 18a, 18b includes a mounting stand 120 on which the battery pack 10 is mounted during inspection, inspection terminals 132a, 132b arranged on the rear side of the mounting stand 120 and connected to the positive electrode terminals 18a, 18b of the battery pack 10, and positioning protrusions 121a, 121b arranged on the front side of the mounting stand 120 and fitted into through holes 16 provided in the bottom plate 12 of the battery pack 10. According to this embodiment, when the battery pack 10 is mounted on the mounting stand 120 of the battery pack inspection device 100, the positive electrode contacts and the negative electrode contacts are spaced apart from each other in the front and rear, thereby preventing short-circuiting of the battery pack 10. [Example]

[0010] Example 1 First, the battery pack 10 to be inspected by the battery pack inspection device 100 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a battery pack 10. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the battery pack 10. Fig. 3 is a view of the battery pack 10 as seen from the front side. Fig. 4 is a view of the battery pack 10 as seen from the rear side. In each figure, for ease of understanding, the front side of the battery pack 10 is indicated as "front," the right side as "right," and the upper side as "up."

[0011] The battery pack 10 has a built-in battery. Specifically, the battery pack 10 is a package of multiple battery cells. The battery pack 10 of this embodiment uses a lithium-ion battery, which is a secondary battery, as the battery. The battery pack 10 of this embodiment is detachably mounted on a vehicle. The battery pack 10 supplies power to a generator with motor function (Integrated Starter Generator) when accelerating the vehicle or restarting a stopped vehicle. Meanwhile, the battery pack 10 is charged by receiving power generated by the generator with motor function when the vehicle is decelerating.

[0012] The battery pack 10 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape and is composed of multiple components. Specifically, the battery pack 10 has a housing 11, positive terminals 18a and 18b, a power connector 19, and a control signal connector 20.

[0013] The housing 11 accommodates a plurality of battery cells, a control unit that controls the entire battery pack 10, a relay circuit, etc. The housing 11 has a bottom plate 12 and an exterior cover 13. The bottom plate 12 is disposed below the housing 11. The bottom plate 12 is made of a conductive material and is electrically connected to the negative electrode of the battery pack 10. The bottom plate 12 has two extension portions 14a, 14b that extend forward beyond the front surface of the exterior cover 13, and two extension portions 15a, 15b that extend rearward beyond the rear surface of the exterior cover 13. A circular through-hole 16 that penetrates vertically is formed in each of the extension portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b. When the battery pack 10 is mounted to a vehicle, it is mounted by inserting a bolt into the through-hole 16 in the bottom plate 12 and fastening it to a mounting portion disposed below the passenger seat or the like. The exterior cover 13 is disposed around the top and sides of the housing 11. The exterior cover 13 is made of an insulating material and protects the components housed inside the housing 11. A barcode 17 is attached to the top surface of the exterior cover 13 as identification information for identifying the battery pack 10.

[0014] The positive terminals 18a and 18b are located on the rear side of the rear surface of the housing 11, offset toward one side (left side) in the left-right direction. The positive terminals 18a and 18b are located apart in the left-right direction. Each of the positive terminals 18a and 18b protrudes upward, has a generally cylindrical shape with an axis extending in the vertical direction, and has a male thread formed in a portion thereof. When the battery pack 10 is mounted on a vehicle, the positive terminals 18a and 18b are fastened to vehicle-side connection cables via nuts. In the battery pack 10 of this embodiment, the positive terminal 18a is connected to an auxiliary machine or another battery pack via a connection cable, and the positive terminal 18b is connected to a generator with a motor function via a connection cable. A control unit of the battery pack 10 controls a relay circuit to transmit power to the auxiliary machine or another battery pack via the positive terminal 18a, and to transmit and receive power to the generator with a motor function via the positive terminal 18b. The positive terminals 18a and 18b are not limited to the shapes described above. Furthermore, the number of positive electrode terminals 18a, 18b may be one, not two.

[0015] The power supply connector 19 is disposed on the rear surface of the housing 11, approximately in the center in the left-right direction. When the battery pack 10 is mounted on a vehicle, a power supply cable on the vehicle side is connected to the power supply connector 19. By connecting the power supply cable on the vehicle side to the power supply connector 19 of this embodiment, the control unit of the battery pack 10 can receive power and be driven. The control signal connector 20 is disposed on the rear surface of the housing 11, biased toward the other side (right side) in the left-right direction. When the battery pack 10 is mounted on a vehicle, a communication cable on the vehicle side is connected to the control signal connector 20. By connecting the communication cable on the vehicle side to the control signal connector 20 of this embodiment, information can be transmitted and received between the control unit of the battery pack 10 and the vehicle's ECU.

[0016] When the battery pack 10 configured as described above has been used, in order to reuse the battery pack 10, the battery pack 10 is removed from the vehicle and inspected using the battery pack inspection device 100 to determine whether the battery pack 10 is normal.

[0017] Next, a battery pack inspection device 100 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the battery pack inspection device 100. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the battery pack inspection device 100. Fig. 7 is a view of the battery pack inspection device 100 as seen from the front side. Fig. 8 is a view of the battery pack inspection device 100 as seen from the rear side. In each figure, for ease of understanding, the front side of the battery pack inspection device 100 is indicated as "front," the right side as "right," and the upper side as "up."

[0018] The battery pack inspection device 100 inspects the state of electrical characteristics of a battery pack 10 as an inspection target set by an inspector. The battery pack inspection device 100 of this embodiment measures the state of electrical characteristics, such as the voltage value of the entire battery, the voltage value of each battery cell, and the charge amount (remaining capacity). However, the battery pack inspection device 100 may also inspect the state of other electrical characteristics.

[0019] The battery pack inspection device 100 is composed of a plurality of components. Specifically, the battery pack inspection device 100 has a base unit 110, an installation stand 120, a terminal connection unit 130, a protective cover 140, a display unit 150, and a sensor 160. The base unit 110 is a flat, approximately rectangular parallelepiped whose upper surface is larger than the bottom plate 12 of the battery pack 10. The base unit 110 houses an inspection control unit that controls the entire battery pack inspection device 100, a measurement circuit that measures the voltage value of the battery pack 10, etc.

[0020] The base unit 110 has a slot 111 on the front surface, and power supply terminals 112a and 112b and a fuse mounting portion 113 on the rear surface. A memory card is inserted into the slot 111. The memory card inserted into the slot 111 records measured values ​​and the like when the battery pack 10 is inspected. A power cable for supplying power to the battery pack inspection device 100 is connected to the power supply terminals 112a and 112b.

[0021] The installation stand 120 is a stand for installing the battery pack 10. The installation stand 120 is placed on the upper surface of the base unit 110. The installation stand 120 is a substantially plate-shaped member with a portion where the battery pack 10 is installed, and the portion is substantially the same size as the bottom plate 12 of the battery pack 10. An insulating material is used on the upper surface of the installation stand 120. Specifically, the installation stand 120 itself is, for example, a bakelite plate.

[0022] The installation stand 120 has positioning protrusions 121a, 121b and a restricting member 122. The positioning protrusions 121a, 121b position the battery pack 10 when it is installed on the installation stand 120. The positioning protrusions 121a, 121b are arranged at the front of the installation stand 120. The positioning protrusions 121a, 121b protrude upward in a substantially cylindrical shape from the upper surface of the installation stand 120, and are inserted into and fitted into the through-holes 16 of the extension portions 14a, 14b of the bottom plate 12 of the battery pack 10 when the battery pack 10 is installed on the installation stand 120. The outer diameters of the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b are set so that the outer peripheral surfaces of the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b contact the inner peripheral surface of the through-hole 16 when the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b are inserted into the through-hole 16. The positioning protrusions 121a, 121b are made of a conductive material and are electrically connected to the negative electrode of the battery pack inspection device 100 through the underside of the installation stand 120. The restricting members 122 restrict the battery pack 10 from moving inadvertently when the battery pack 10 is installed on the installation stand 120. The restricting members 122 are disposed at both the left and right ends and the rear end of the installation stand 120. The restricting members 122 are made of an insulating material.

[0023] Furthermore, the installation stand 120 is slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the base unit 110. Specifically, sliders 123a and 123b are attached to the underside of the installation stand 120, spaced apart in the left-right direction. Meanwhile, guide units 114a and 114b, which are long in the front-rear direction, are attached to the upper surface of the base unit 110, spaced apart in the left-right direction. The sliders 123a and 123b slide along the guide units 114a and 114b, respectively, causing the installation stand 120 to slide relative to the base unit 110. The guide units 114a and 114b have stoppers at their front and rear ends against which the sliders 123a and 123b abut. When the sliders 123a and 123b abut against the stoppers, the installation stand 120 stops sliding forward and backward. The inspector places the battery pack 10 on the installation stand 120 positioned at the front side, and after the installation, slides the installation stand 120 to the rear side, and inspects the battery pack 10 in the rear side position.

[0024] The terminal connection portion 130 is a portion for electrically connecting the battery pack 10 to the battery pack inspection device 100. The terminal connection portion 130 is disposed on the upper side and at the rear end of the base portion 110. Note that in Figures 6 and 8, the terminal connection portion 130 is hidden by a protective cover 140. Terminal connection portion 130 has terminal support portion 131, inspection terminals 132a and 132b, power supply terminals 133a and 133b, and communication terminals 134a and 134b. Terminal support portion 131 detachably supports each terminal of terminal connection portion 130. Terminal support portion 131 is attached to base portion 110 so as to face the rear surface of battery pack 10 when battery pack 10 is installed on installation stand 120.

[0025] The inspection terminals 132a, 132b are connected to the positive terminals 18a, 18b of the battery pack 10 when inspecting the battery pack 10. Connecting the inspection terminals 132a, 132b to the positive terminals 18a, 18b of the battery pack 10 enables the battery pack inspection device 100 to inspect the state of the electrical characteristics of the battery pack 10. The inspection terminals 132a, 132b are arranged biased to one side (left side) in the left-right direction of the terminal support portion 131. The inspection terminals 132a and 132b are arranged apart from each other in the left-right direction. The inspection terminals 132a, 132b each protrude forward and have a substantially cylindrical shape with an axis aligned in the front-to-rear direction. For example, a probe pin with a head can be used as the inspection terminals 132a, 132b. The number of inspection terminals 132a is not limited to one; multiple inspection terminals 132a may be arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. Similarly, the number of inspection terminals 132b is not limited to one, and multiple inspection terminals 132b may be arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. Note that the number of inspection terminals 132a, 132b may be other than two, and may be one. Here, the number of inspection terminals 132a, 132b is the same as the number of positive electrode terminals 18a, 18b of battery pack 10.

[0026] The power supply terminals 133a, 133b are connected to the power supply connector 19 of the battery pack 10 when inspecting the battery pack 10. By connecting the power supply terminals 133a, 133b to the power supply connector 19, the control unit of the battery pack 10 can receive power and be driven. The power supply terminals 133a, 133b are disposed approximately in the center in the left-right direction of the terminal support part 131. The power supply terminals 133a, 133b each protrude forward and have a substantially cylindrical shape with an axis along the front-rear direction. For example, a probe pin with a head can be used as the power supply terminals 133a, 133b.

[0027] The communication terminals 134a, 134b are connected to the control signal connector 20 of the battery pack 10 when the battery pack 10 is inspected. By connecting the communication terminals 134a, 134b to the control signal connector 20, information can be transmitted and received between the control unit of the battery pack 10 and the inspection control unit of the battery pack inspection device 100. The communication terminals 134a, 134b are arranged biased toward the other side (right side) in the left-right direction of the terminal support part 131. The communication terminals 134a, 134b each protrude forward and have a substantially cylindrical shape with an axis along the front-rear direction. For example, a probe pin with a head can be used as the communication terminals 134a, 134b.

[0028] Here, when the installation stand 120 is positioned at the front side, the inspection terminals 132a, 132b, the power supply terminals 133a, 133b, and the communication terminals 134a, 134b are not connected to, and are separated from, the positive terminals 18a, 18b, the power supply connector 19, and the control signal connector 20 of the battery pack 10, respectively. On the other hand, when the installation stand 120 is slid to the rear side, the inspection terminals 132a, 132b, the power supply terminals 133a, 133b, and the communication terminals 134a, 134b are connected to, respectively, the positive terminals 18a, 18b, the power supply connector 19, and the control signal connector 20 of the battery pack 10.

[0029] Protective cover 140 is a cover for covering terminal connection portion 130. Protective cover 140 is disposed on the upper side and rear end of base portion 110. Protective cover 140 has top surface 141a, right side surface 141b, left side surface 141c, and rear surface 141d. Protective cover 140 covers terminal connection portion 130 from above, sides (both left and right in this case), and rear with top surface 141a, right side surface 141b, left side surface 141c, and rear surface 141d. Covering terminal connection portion 130 with protective cover 140 prevents an inspector from unintentionally touching inspection terminals 132a and 132b, power supply terminals 133a and 133b, and communication terminals 134a and 134b.

[0030] The display unit 150 is a component for displaying various pieces of information to the inspector. The display unit 150 is disposed on the upper surface of the protective cover 140, biased toward the other side (right side) in the left-right direction. The display surface of the display unit 150 faces the front, and more specifically, faces diagonally upward and forward. That is, the display surface of the display unit 150 is disposed so that it can be seen by the inspector in front of the battery pack inspection device 100. In other words, the inspector performs the inspection while facing the battery pack inspection device 100 from the front. The display unit 150 has lighting display units 151a to 151e and a detail display unit 152. The lighting display units 151a to 151e turn on or off to indicate whether the battery pack inspection device 100 is powered on, whether an inspection is in progress, whether the inspection has passed, or whether the inspection has failed, etc. The lighting display units 151a to 151e may use, for example, LEDs. The detail display unit 152 displays information about the battery pack inspection device 100 or the battery pack 10. Specifically, the detail display unit 152 displays the status of the battery pack inspection device 100, the inspection results of the battery pack 10, the voltage value of the entire battery, the voltage value of each battery cell, etc. The detail display unit 152 also displays operation instructions for the inspector, error messages, etc. The detail display unit 152 may use, for example, a liquid crystal display.

[0031] The display unit 150 also has a power switch 153 and an inspection start / stop switch 154. The power switch 153 is a switch that is operated to turn on or off the power to the battery pack inspection device 100. The inspection start / stop switch 154 is a switch that is operated to start inspection of the next battery pack 10. However, the power switch 153 or the inspection start / stop switch 154 is not limited to being included in the display unit 150, and may also be included in the base unit 110 or the like.

[0032] The sensor 160 detects the identification information of the battery pack 10. The sensor 160 is disposed on the upper surface of the protective cover 140, biased toward one side in the left-right direction (the left side). The sensor 160 may be, for example, a barcode reader. The sensor 160 detects the barcode attached to the upper surface of the exterior cover 13 of the battery pack 10, and transmits information about the detected barcode to the inspection control unit.

[0033] In the battery pack inspection device 100 configured as described above, the inspection terminals 132a, 132b connected to the positive electrode terminals 18a, 18b of the battery pack 10 are arranged on the rear side of the installation stand 120, and the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b inserted into the through-holes 16 of the bottom plate 12 that are electrically connected to the negative electrode of the battery pack 10 are arranged on the front part of the installation stand 120. Therefore, when the battery pack 10 is installed on the installation stand 120 of the battery pack inspection device 100, the positive electrode side contacts and the negative electrode side contacts are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction, thereby preventing a short circuit in the battery pack 10.

[0034] Next, we will explain the inspection procedure using the battery pack inspection device 100. Here, it is assumed that the battery pack 10 to be inspected has been removed from the vehicle in advance. Also, it is assumed that a memory card has been inserted into the slot 111 of the base unit 110 of the battery pack inspection device 100.

[0035] First, the inspector turns on the power switch 153 of the battery pack inspection device 100. Next, the inspector places the battery pack 10 to be inspected on the placement stand 120 . Fig. 9(a) is a plan view showing a state in which the battery pack 10 is installed on the installation stand 120. Note that Fig. 9(a) shows a state in which the protective cover 140 has been removed. The battery pack 10 is positioned relative to the installation stand 120 by an inspector inserting the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b of the installation stand 120 into the through-holes 16 of the extensions 14a, 14b of the bottom plate 12 of the battery pack 10. At this time, at least a portion of the outer circumferential surfaces of the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 16, thereby establishing electrical continuity between the negative electrode of the battery pack 10 and the negative electrode of the battery pack inspection device 100 through the underside of the installation stand 120. In addition, a restricting member 122 of the installation stand 120 restricts the battery pack 10 from moving inadvertently. When the battery pack 10 is installed, the inspection control unit of the battery pack inspection device 100 displays a message on the detail display unit 152 instructing the user to slide the installation stand backward.

[0036] Next, the examiner slides the setting table 120 rearward until the sliders 123a and 123b abut against the stoppers. Fig. 9(b) is a plan view showing a state in which the installation base 120 has been slid rearward, with the protective cover 140 removed. The inspector slides the installation stand 120 rearward until it stops, whereby the inspection terminals 132a, 132b contact the positive terminals 18a, 18b of the battery pack 10, the power supply terminals 133a, 133b contact the power supply connector 19 of the battery pack 10, and the communication terminals 134a, 134b contact the control signal connector 20 of the battery pack 10. Therefore, the inspection terminals 132a, 132b are connected to the positive terminals 18a, 18b, the power supply terminals 133a, 133b are connected to the power supply connector 19, and the communication terminals 134a, 134b are connected to the control signal connector 20. At this time, since the positive electrode side contacts and the negative electrode side contacts are spaced apart from each other in the front and rear, a short circuit in the battery pack 10 can be prevented.

[0037] Next, the battery pack inspection device 100 begins inspection. First, the sensor 160 detects the barcode attached to the battery pack 10 and transmits information about the detected barcode to the inspection control unit. The inspection control unit controls the control unit of the battery pack 10 to drive the relay circuit, and measures the voltage value of the entire battery output from the positive terminal 18a or the positive terminal 18b and the voltage value of each battery cell via a measurement circuit. The inspection control unit also acquires information about the charge amount from the control unit of the battery pack 10. At this time, the inspection control unit displays on the lighting display units 151a to 151e or the detail display unit 152 that inspection is in progress. When the measurement is completed, the inspection control unit records information about each voltage value and charge amount in association with the barcode information on a memory card and displays it on the detail display unit 152. The inspection control unit also determines whether each measured value is within a predetermined range. If the measurement value is within a predetermined range, the inspection control unit displays on the lighting display units 151a to 151e and the detail display unit 152 that the inspection has passed, and if the measurement value is not within the predetermined range, the inspection control unit displays on the lighting display units 151a to 151e and the detail display unit 152 that the inspection has not passed.

[0038] Next, the inspector slides the installation base 120 forward until the sliders 123a and 123b abut against the stoppers, thereby disconnecting the inspection terminals 132a and 132b from the positive terminals 18a and 18b, the power terminals 133a and 133b from the power connector 19, and the communication terminals 134a and 134b from the control signal connector 20. Next, the inspector removes the battery pack 10 from the installation base 120. If the inspector wants to inspect a different battery pack 10, he or she presses the inspection start / stop switch 154 and repeats the inspection method described above. On the other hand, when all inspections are completed, the inspector turns off the power switch 153 to end the inspection. Even when inspecting multiple battery packs 10, the memory card records information about the measured values ​​and charge amounts of the battery packs 10 in association with information about the barcodes attached to the battery packs 10, so the inspector can determine whether each of the multiple battery packs 10 can be reused even after inspection.

[0039] As described above, the battery pack inspection device 100 of this embodiment includes the installation stand 120 on which the battery pack 10 is placed when inspecting the battery pack 10, the inspection terminals 132a, 132b that are arranged on the rear side of the installation stand 120 and connect to the positive terminals 18a, 18b of the battery pack 10, and the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b that are arranged on the front side of the installation stand 120 and fit into the through holes 16 provided in the bottom plate 12 of the battery pack 10. Therefore, when the battery pack 10 is installed on the installation stand 120 of the battery pack inspection device 100, the positive electrode side contacts and the negative electrode side contacts are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction, which makes it possible to prevent a short circuit in the battery pack 10.

[0040] Furthermore, in the battery pack inspection device 100 of this embodiment, an insulating material is used on the upper surface of the installation stand 120 except for the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b, which further prevents short circuits in the battery pack 10. Furthermore, the inspection terminals 132a and 132b are arranged on the rear side of the installation stand 120, and the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b that are electrically connected to the negative electrode are arranged on the front side of the installation stand 120, and an insulating material is used on the upper surface of the installation stand 120. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an inspector from touching the inspection terminals 132a and 132b and the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b simultaneously when the battery pack 10 is not installed.

[0041] In addition, in the battery pack inspection device 100 of this embodiment, the installation stand 120 on which the battery pack 10 is installed can be slid rearward away from the inspector, and by sliding it rearward, the inspection terminals 132a, 132b are connected to the positive terminals 18a, 18b of the battery pack 10. Therefore, when inspecting the battery pack, the distance between the inspector and the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b increases, which prevents the inspector from touching the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b. In addition, by the inspector sliding the installation stand 120 rearward, the inspection terminals 132a, 132b are connected to the positive terminals 18a, 18b of the battery pack 10, making it easy for the operator to perform the connection work.

[0042] Furthermore, the battery pack inspection device 100 of this embodiment has a protective cover 140 that covers the inspection terminals 132a, 132b from above and from the sides. Therefore, when the installation stand 120 is slid rearward, the inspection terminals 132a, 132b are covered by the protective cover 140, which prevents an inspector from touching the positive terminals 18a, 18b of the battery pack 10.

[0043] <Example 2> Next, a battery pack inspection device 200 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that a description of the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted, and the description will focus on the configuration different from the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a portion of the battery pack inspection device 200. As shown in FIG. The battery pack inspection device 200 has a wall member 210 that surrounds the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b. The wall member 210 is attached to the installation base 120 and can transition between a first state and a second state. Specifically, the wall member 210 has a first wall portion 211a, a second wall portion 211b, and side wall portions 212a and 212b. The first wall portion 211a and the second wall portion 211b are generally plate-shaped and elongated in the left-right direction, and are configured to be perpendicular to each other. The side wall portions 212a and 212b are located at the right and left ends of the wall member 210 and are joined to the first wall portion 211a and the second wall portion 211b. The wall member 210 is rotatably supported by rotational portions 125a and 125b provided on the installation base 120. The rotating portions 125a and 125b protrude upward from both the left and right ends of the installation base 120, and support the side wall portions 212a and 212b of the wall member 210 by means of a rotating shaft (not shown) that runs in the left-right direction.

[0044] FIG. 10(a) is a diagram showing the wall member 210 in the first state. In the first state, the wall member 210 covers the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b from the front and both the left and right sides. On the other hand, the wall member 210 does not cover the upper sides of the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b, and the upper sides of the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b are open. Specifically, the first wall portion 211a is located in front of the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b, and the second wall portion 211b is located below the installation base 120. Therefore, the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b are covered from the front by the first wall portion 211a. In the first state, the upper sides of the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b are open, allowing an inspector to install or remove the battery pack 10 on the installation base 120. With the battery pack 10 placed on the placement stand 120, the inspector transitions to the second state by rotating the wall member 210 rearward by approximately 90 degrees around the left and right rotation parts 125a and 125b.

[0045] Fig. 10(b) is a diagram showing the wall member 210 in the second state. Note that the battery pack 10 is omitted from Fig. 10(b). In the second state, the wall member 210 covers the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b from above, the front, and both the left and right sides. That is, in the second state, in addition to the first state, the wall member 210 covers the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b from above. Specifically, the first wall portion 211a is positioned above the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b, and the second wall portion 211b is positioned in front of the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b. Therefore, the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b are covered from above by the first wall portion 211a and from the front by the second wall portion 211b. In the second state, the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b are covered from above and from the front by the second wall portion 211b, so that the examiner can be prevented from accidentally touching the positioning protrusions 121a, 121b. With the battery pack 10 placed on the placement stand 120, the inspector transitions the wall member 210 to the second state, and then slides the placement stand 120 toward the rear.

[0046] As described above, the battery pack inspection device 200 of this embodiment has the wall member 210 that surrounds the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b, thereby preventing an inspector from accidentally touching the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b. In this embodiment, the wall member 210 is attached to the installation stand 120, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the wall member 210 may be attached to the base 110. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the wall member 210 is rotatable relative to the installation base 120, but this is not limitative, and the wall member 210 may not be rotatable while remaining in the first state.

[0047] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications and the like are possible within the scope of the present invention. In the above-described embodiments, the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b are always protruding, but this is not limiting. For example, when the battery pack 10 is placed on the placement stand 120, the weight of the battery pack 10 may be utilized to cause the positioning protrusions 121a and 121b to protrude upward. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 10: Battery pack 11: Housing 12: Bottom plate 16: Through hole 18a, 18b: Positive terminal 100, 200: Battery pack inspection device 110: Base 120: Installation stand 130: Terminal connection part 132a, 132b: Inspection terminal 140: Protective cover 150: Display part 210: Wall member

Claims

1. A battery pack inspection device for inspecting a battery pack having a built-in battery, a bottom plate electrically connected to a negative electrode, and a positive electrode terminal, a mounting stand on which the battery pack is mounted when the battery pack is inspected; an inspection terminal disposed on the rear side of the installation stand and connected to the positive terminal of the battery pack; a positioning protrusion disposed at the front of the installation stand and adapted to fit into a through hole provided in the bottom plate of the battery pack.

2. 2. The battery pack inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of the installation base is made of an insulating material except for the positioning protrusions.

3. The installation base is slidable rearward, 3. The battery pack inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the inspection terminal and the positive terminal of the battery pack are connected by sliding the installation base rearward.

4. 4. The battery pack inspection device according to claim 3, further comprising a protective cover that covers the inspection terminals from above and from the sides.

5. 5. The battery pack inspection device according to claim 1, further comprising a wall member that covers the positioning protrusion from the periphery.

Images