Wiring Module

Abstract

To provide a wiring module.SOLUTION: A wiring module 20 is assembled to a battery multilayer body 11L formed by stacking a plurality of laminate type batteries 11 including electrode leads 12 and including a bonding part 13 where the electrode leads 12 of the laminate type batteries 11 are overlapped and bonded together, in such a way that the wiring module is assembled in an assembling direction that is orthogonal to a plate thickness direction of the bonding part 13. The wiring module 20 includes a terminal 30, a wire 45 connected to the terminal 30, and a protector 50 that holds the terminal 30 and the wire 45. Of the electrode leads 12, the electrode lead that forms the bonding part 13 is a bonding electrode lead 12A. The terminal 30 includes an electrode connection part 31 to be electrically connected to the bonding electrode lead 12A. The protector 50 includes a protector main body 51, and a terminal accommodation part 56 that positions and accommodates the terminal 30. The terminal accommodation part 56 is coupled to the protector main body 51 through a hinge part 57 in such a way that free movement is possible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wiring module. [Background technology]

[0002] High-voltage battery packs used in electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and the like typically have a large number of stacked battery cells electrically connected in series or parallel by a wiring module. A known example of such a wiring module is described in JP-A-2020-527848 (Patent Document 1 below). The battery module described in Patent Document 1 includes a cell assembly in which a plurality of battery cells, each having electrode leads at its front and rear ends, are stacked in the left-right direction; a module housing configured to house the cell assembly in an internal space defined by four side walls (top, bottom, left, and right); and end frames attached to the front and back of the cell assembly and electrically connecting the cell assembly to an external device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2020-527848 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above configuration, the cell assembly has a portion where the electrode leads of adjacent battery cells are bent close to each other, overlapped, and electrically connected, eliminating the need for a bus bar connecting the electrode leads. The electrode leads are electrically connected to module terminals provided on the end frame. However, the portion where the electrode leads are connected is prone to large manufacturing tolerances, particularly in the front-to-rear direction, due to the bending of the electrode leads and the welding of the electrode leads. Therefore, when the end frame is assembled to the cell assembly, welding may be performed without sufficient contact between the electrode leads and the module terminals, resulting in poor electrical connection. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The wiring module of the present disclosure is a wiring module that is assembled to a battery stack that is constructed by stacking a plurality of laminated batteries each having an electrode lead, and that has a joint where the electrode leads of the laminated batteries are overlapped and joined, in an assembly direction that is perpendicular to the plate thickness direction of the joint, and that includes terminals, electric wires connected to the terminals, and a protector that holds the terminals and the electric wires, wherein the electrode leads that constitute the joint are joined electrode leads, and the terminals have electrode connection portions that are electrically connected to the joined electrode leads, and the protector includes a protector main body and a terminal accommodating portion that positions and accommodates the terminals, and the terminal accommodating portion is freely movable and connected to the protector main body via a hinge portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a wiring module that can suppress poor contact between an electrode lead and a terminal. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the electricity storage module according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a front view of the electricity storage module. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of the electricity storage module showing the periphery of the terminal accommodating portion. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the electricity storage module. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the electricity storage module showing the periphery of the terminal accommodating portion. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the protector showing the periphery of the terminal accommodating portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the terminal. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a battery stack. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows how the wiring module is assembled to the battery stack in the assembly direction. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a view showing a state in which the hinge portion is not deformed in the BB cross section of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a view showing a state in which the end of the joining electrode lead is in contact with the inclined surface in the cross section taken along the line BB in FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a view showing a state in which the joining electrode lead and the electrode connecting portion are connected in a state in which the terminal accommodating portion has moved forward due to deformation of the hinge portion in the BB cross section of FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a view showing a state in which the joining electrode lead and the electrode connecting portion are connected in a state in which the terminal accommodating portion has moved rearward due to deformation of the hinge portion in the BB cross section of FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along CC in FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a state in which the joining electrode lead is arranged further rearward as it moves toward the left side in the DD cross section of FIG. [Figure 18]FIG. 18 is a view showing a state in which the joining electrode lead has a warped portion in the EE cross section of FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line FF in FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is an enlarged front view of the electricity storage module showing the periphery of the terminal accommodating portion according to the second embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along line GG in FIG. [Figure 22] 22 is a view showing a state in which the terminal accommodating portion is rotated in the GG cross section of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.

[0009] (1) The wiring module of the present disclosure is a wiring module that is assembled to a battery stack that is configured by stacking a plurality of laminated batteries each having an electrode lead, and that has a joint where the electrode leads of the laminated batteries are overlapped and joined, in an assembly direction that is perpendicular to the plate thickness direction of the joint, and that includes terminals, electric wires connected to the terminals, and a protector that holds the terminals and the electric wires, and those of the electrode leads that form the joint are joined electrode leads, and the terminals have electrode connecting portions that are electrically connected to the joined electrode leads, and the protector includes a protector body and a terminal accommodating portion that positions and accommodates the terminals, and the terminal accommodating portion is freely movable and connected to the protector body via a hinge portion.

[0010] With this configuration, when the wiring module is assembled into the battery stack, the electrode connection portion can easily move along the joining electrode lead, thereby preventing poor contact between the joining electrode lead and the terminal.

[0011] (2) It is preferable that the hinge portion is configured to include a plurality of thin portions.

[0012] With this configuration, the hinge portion is more easily deformed, and the terminal accommodating portion is more easily movable relative to the protector body.

[0013] (3) It is preferable that a plurality of the hinge portions are provided for each of the terminal accommodating portions.

[0014] With this configuration, it is easy to control the movement of the terminal accommodating portion relative to the protector body.

[0015] (4) The terminal is connected to the electrode connection portion and has an inclined surface that is inclined so as to be positioned to one side in the plate thickness direction as it goes deeper in the assembly direction, and it is preferable that the inclined surface is arranged to include at least a part of the range of positions in the plate thickness direction where the joining electrode lead can be arranged.

[0016] With this configuration, when the wiring module is assembled to the battery stack, the inclined surface slides against the front end of the joining electrode lead in the assembly direction, allowing the terminal to move in the plate thickness direction relative to the joining electrode lead, making it easier for the electrode connection portion to move along the joining electrode lead.

[0017] (5) It is preferable that the terminal accommodating portion has an electrode support piece arranged opposite the electrode connection portion in the plate thickness direction, the inclined surface is inclined so as to move away from the electrode support piece as it goes deeper in the assembly direction, and the joining electrode lead is arranged between the electrode connection portion and the electrode support piece in the plate thickness direction.

[0018] With this configuration, when the wiring module is assembled to the battery stack, the joining electrode lead is disposed between the electrode connection portion and the electrode support piece, so that the electrode connection portion can easily move along the joining electrode lead.

[0019] (6) At the end of the electrode support piece on the rear side in the assembly direction, an electrode support piece side inclined surface is provided that is inclined so as to be positioned on the other side in the plate thickness direction as it goes rearward in the assembly direction, and it is preferable that the electrode support piece side inclined surface is arranged so as to include at least a part of the range of positions in the plate thickness direction where the joining electrode lead can be arranged.

[0020] With this configuration, when the wiring module is assembled to the battery stack, the inclined surface on the side of the electrode support piece slides against the front end of the joining electrode lead in the assembly direction, allowing the terminal accommodating portion to move in the plate thickness direction relative to the joining electrode lead, making it easier to arrange the joining electrode lead between the electrode connection portion and the electrode support piece.

[0021] (7) The direction perpendicular to the plate thickness direction and the assembly direction is the terminal width direction, and the terminal accommodating portion is provided with a pair of terminal protection arms extending inward in the assembly direction from the inclined surface on both sides of the electrode connection portion in the terminal width direction, and the pair of terminal protection arms are preferably arranged on one side of the joining electrode lead in the plate thickness direction.

[0022] With this configuration, the terminal can be protected by the terminal protection arm.

[0023] (8) At the rear end of each of the pair of terminal protection arms in the assembly direction, a terminal protection arm side inclined surface is provided that is inclined so as to be positioned to one side in the plate thickness direction as it goes rearward in the assembly direction, and it is preferable that the terminal protection arm side inclined surface is arranged to include at least a part of the range of positions in the plate thickness direction where the joining electrode lead can be arranged.

[0024] With this configuration, when the wiring module is assembled to the battery stack, the inclined surface on the terminal protection arm slides against the front end of the joining electrode lead in the assembly direction, allowing the terminal accommodating portion to move in the plate thickness direction relative to the joining electrode lead, making it easier to arrange the joining electrode lead between the electrode connection portion and the electrode support piece.

[0025] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure] The present disclosure will be described below with reference to exemplary embodiments. The present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0026] <Embodiment 1> A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 19. An energy storage module 10 including a wiring module 20 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle and used as a drive source for the vehicle. In the following description, when multiple identical components are used, only some of the components may be designated by reference numerals, and the reference numerals for the other components may be omitted. In the following description, the direction indicated by arrow X is defined as downward, the direction indicated by arrow Y is defined as leftward, and the direction indicated by arrow Z is defined as forward.

[0027] [Battery stack] The energy storage module 10 includes a battery stack 11L shown in Fig. 8 and wiring modules 20 attached to the front and rear sides of the battery stack 11L as shown in Fig. 9. As shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the energy storage module 10 of this embodiment also includes a housing 14 that covers the battery stack 11L from all four sides: top, bottom, left, and right. The housing 14 includes a bottom 15 located below the battery stack 11L, a ceiling 16 located above the battery stack 11L, and a pair of side sections 17 that connect the bottom 15 and ceiling 16 on both the left and right sides.

[0028] [Assembly direction] As shown in Fig. 9, the wiring module 20 of this embodiment is designed to be assembled to the battery stack 11L housed in the housing 14 in an assembly direction (the direction indicated by the arrow X) (details will be described later). For convenience, the direction indicated by the arrow X is uniformly set to downward, and the assembly direction is described as downward, but the battery stack 11L and the wiring module 20 may be positioned so that the assembly direction is forward or leftward, for example. Furthermore, the direction corresponding to the direction indicated by the arrow X in the specification (the width direction of the electrode leads 12) does not have to be the same when the wiring module 20 is assembled to the battery stack 11L and when the energy storage module 10 is in use.

[0029] [Laminated battery, electrode lead] As shown in FIG. 8, the battery stack 11L is constructed by stacking multiple laminated batteries 11 (eight in this embodiment) in the left-right direction. The laminated batteries 11 are long in the front-rear direction and flat in the left-right direction. An electricity storage element (not shown) is housed inside the laminated battery 11. A pair of electrode leads 12 are arranged on both sides of the laminated battery 11 in the front-rear direction, protruding in opposite directions. The pair of electrode leads 12 are plate-shaped and have opposite polarities.

[0030] [Joint, joining electrode lead, plate thickness direction, terminal width direction] As shown in Figure 8, the battery stack 11L has joints 13 where the electrode leads 12 of adjacent laminated batteries 11 are electrically connected. That is, the electrode leads 12 are bent at right angles to the left or right, overlapped, and joined by laser welding to form the joints 13. The thickness direction of the joints 13 is the front-to-rear direction. The direction perpendicular to the thickness direction and assembly direction of the joints 13 is the terminal width direction (the left-to-right direction in this embodiment). Of the electrode leads 12, those that form the joints 13 are joined electrode leads 12A.

[0031] The process of forming the joint 13 includes bending the electrode lead 12, laser welding, etc., and therefore the tolerance in the thickness direction of the joint 13 (and the joined electrode lead 12A) is likely to be large. For example, in this embodiment, the tolerance in the thickness direction of the joint 13 (and the joined electrode lead 12A) is larger than the thickness of the electrode lead 12.

[0032] [Normal position range] Considering the tolerance of the joining electrode lead 12A in the plate thickness direction, the position of the joining electrode lead 12A in the front-rear direction has a width, as shown in Fig. 12. Hereinafter, the range of positions in the front-rear direction in which the joining electrode lead 12A can be arranged is referred to as the normal position range WT. Note that, for ease of viewing, Figs. 11 to 15, which are referred to in the following description, illustrate the joining portion 13 (joining electrode lead 12A), including cross sections, the terminal 30, the terminal accommodating portion 56, the hinge portion 57, etc., and omit illustrations of the background of the end electrode lead 12B, the bus bar 40, etc.

[0033] As shown in Figure 8, the electrode leads 12 other than the joining electrode leads 12A, i.e., those that do not form the joining portions 13, are called end electrode leads 12B. The end electrode leads 12B are arranged at both ends of the battery stack 11L and protrude forward. The end electrode leads 12B form the positive or negative electrodes of the entire battery stack 11L.

[0034] [Wiring module] As shown in Fig. 2, the wiring module 20 of this embodiment includes a terminal 30 connected to the joining electrode lead 12A, a bus bar 40 connected to the end electrode lead 12B, an electric wire 45 connected to the terminal 30 or the bus bar 40, and a protector 50 that holds the terminal 30, the bus bar 40, and the electric wire 45. The configuration of the wiring module 20 disposed on the front side of the battery stack 11L is described in detail below. As shown in Fig. 4, the wiring module 20 disposed on the rear side of the battery stack 11L is configured similarly to the wiring module 20 disposed on the front side of the battery stack 11L, except that it does not include a bus bar 40.

[0035] [Protector] 1, the protector 50 is made of insulating synthetic resin and has a plate shape. The protector 50 includes a protector body 51 that is positioned relative to the housing 14 (and the battery stack 11L). While detailed configuration will not be described here, the protector body 51 and the housing 14 have concave and convex shapes that extend in the assembly direction and engage with each other, guiding the assembly of the wiring module 20 to the battery stack 11L.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, electrode receiving portions 54 are provided in parallel in the left-right direction in the vertical center of the protector body 51. The electrode receiving portions 54 are formed to penetrate in the front-to-rear direction and have a rectangular shape that is long vertically. The electrode receiving portions 54 are composed of a joining electrode receiving portion 54A that receives the joining portion 13 and joining electrode lead 12A, and an end electrode receiving portion 54B that receives the end electrode lead 12B. As shown in FIG. 10, the lower side of the electrode receiving portion 54 is also open downward so that the electrode lead 12 does not interfere with the electrode receiving portion 54 when the wiring module 20 is assembled.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 2, busbar holding portions 55 for holding busbar 40 are provided on the upper and lower sides of end electrode receiving portion 54B. A bolt fastening portion 55A for fastening busbar 40 with a bolt is provided near upper busbar holding portion 55. As shown in Fig. 6, a terminal accommodating portion 56 for positioning and accommodating terminal 30 is provided on the upper side of joining electrode receiving portion 54A. Terminal accommodating portion 56 is connected to protector body 51 via a single hinge portion 57.

[0038] [Hinge] As shown in FIG. 11 , the hinge portion 57 includes a protruding piece 58 protruding forward from the protector body 51 and an extension piece 59 extending from the protruding piece 58 toward the rear (downward) in the assembly direction and connected to the terminal accommodating portion 56. The hinge portion 57 includes thin-walled portions 60 that are thinner in the thickness direction than the surrounding area at the joint between the terminal accommodating portion 56 and the extension piece 59, the joint between the extension piece 59 and the protruding piece 58, and the joint between the protruding piece 58 and the protector body 51. The thin-walled portions 60 are formed in a U-shaped groove shape in a side view and extend in the left-right direction. The thin-walled portions 60 provided at the joint between the terminal accommodating portion 56 and the extension piece 59 and the joint between the extension piece 59 and the protruding piece 58 are referred to as first thin-walled portions 60A. The thin-walled portions 60 provided at the joint between the protruding piece 58 and the protector body 51 are referred to as second thin-walled portions 60B. The first thin portion 60A is formed to be even thinner than the second thin portion 60B.

[0039] 13 and 14, when a force is applied to the terminal accommodating portion 56, the thin portion 60 functions as a fold, so that the hinge portion 57 can bend and deform. In other words, the deformation of the hinge portion 57 allows the terminal accommodating portion 56 to move freely relative to the protector body 51. As will be described later, the hinge portion 57 is easily deformed by bending, particularly at the first thin portion 60A, which is thin.

[0040] [Terminal housing] As shown in Fig. 6, the terminal accommodating portion 56 includes a barrel accommodating recess 61 connected to the hinge portion 57, an electrode support piece 62 disposed on the rear side in the assembly direction, and a central frame portion 63 disposed between the barrel accommodating recess 61 and the electrode support piece 62. The barrel accommodating recess 61 extends in the assembly direction and has a gate shape recessed rearward. As shown in Fig. 5, the wire barrel portion 35A, the insulation barrel portion 35B, and a portion of the electric wire 45 of the terminal 30 are accommodated in the barrel accommodating recess 61.

[0041] [Electrode support piece] As shown in Fig. 11, the electrode support piece 62 is a plate-shaped member and is arranged behind the electrode connection portion 31 of the terminal 30. The electrode support piece 62 extends downward from the lower end of the left-right center portion of the central frame portion 63 and is inclined slightly forward. The lower end of the electrode support piece 62 is provided with an electrode support piece side inclined surface 62A that is inclined so that it is positioned more rearward as it extends downward. As shown in Fig. 12, when the wiring module 20 is assembled to the battery stack 11L, the electrode support piece side inclined surface 62A is arranged to include the rear portion of the normal position range WT.

[0042] 15 and 19, a lower abutment portion 64A and an upper abutment portion 64B are provided at a distance from each other in the vertical direction inside the central frame portion 63. The lower abutment portion 64A is arranged so as to abut from below near the center in the horizontal direction of the bent portion 33 of the terminal 30. The upper abutment portion 64B is arranged so as to abut from above against both ends in the horizontal direction of the bent portion 33. Therefore, the lower abutment portion 64A and the upper abutment portion 64B constitute a first displacement suppressing portion 65 that suppresses displacement of the terminal 30 in the vertical direction.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 15 , a downwardly protruding locking protrusion 66 is provided on the front portion of the upper contact portion 64B. The locking protrusion 66 has an engagement surface 66A that slopes downward toward the rear, and a front locking portion 66B that is disposed perpendicular to the bent portion 33 and serves as the rear end surface of the locking protrusion 66. The terminal 30 can be easily accommodated in the terminal accommodating portion 56 by sliding the rear end of the bent portion 33 along the engagement surface 66A. The front locking portion 66B locks onto the front end of the bent portion 33, thereby preventing the terminal 30 from being displaced forward. As shown in FIG. 11 , a rear locking portion 63A that abuts against the rear end of the bent portion 33 is provided on the rear portion of the central frame portion 63. The rear locking portion 63A prevents the terminal 30 from being displaced backward.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 6, second displacement suppression portions 68 are provided in the shape of cutouts in the lower wall of the central frame portion 63. As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 16, the second displacement suppression portions 68 are arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the electrode connection portions 31 of the terminals 30 from both the left and right sides, and are configured to suppress displacement of the terminals 30 in the left-right direction.

[0045] [Terminal protection arm] As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of terminal protection arms 67 extend downward from the lower end portions on both the left and right sides of the central frame portion 63. The pair of terminal protection arms 67 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the electrode connection portion 31. As shown in FIG. 11, the terminal protection arms 67 are arranged forward of the joining electrode leads 12A and extend downward below the inclined surface 32. The lower end of the terminal protection arm 67 is provided with a terminal protection arm-side inclined surface 67A that is inclined downward so as to be positioned more forward. As shown in FIG. 12, when the wiring module 20 is assembled to the battery stack 11L, the terminal protection arm-side inclined surface 67A is arranged to include the front portion of the normal position range WT.

[0046] Terminal As shown in Fig. 7, the terminal 30 is formed by processing a conductive metal plate. The terminal 30 includes an electrode connection portion 31, an inclined surface 32 that is continuous with the electrode connection portion 31 toward the rear (downward) in the assembly direction, and a bent portion 33 that is provided so as to extend rearward from the upper end of the electrode connection portion 31. A trapezoidal portion 38 that narrows downward is provided between the electrode connection portion 31 and the inclined surface 32. An electric wire connection portion 35 is connected to the rear end of the bent portion 33 via a connecting portion 34. The electric wire connection portion 35 includes a wire barrel portion 35A that is crimped to a core wire 46 of an electric wire 45, and an insulation barrel portion 35B that is crimped to an insulating coating 47 of the electric wire 45.

[0047] 11, the terminal 30 is configured to be connected to the joint 13 or a part of the joining electrode lead 12A that constitutes the joint 13. In other words, the terminal 30 is not a member for connecting adjacent joining electrode leads 12A, but a member for connecting a pre-connected joining electrode lead 12A (joint 13) to an electric wire 45. For this reason, the vertical dimension of the terminal 30 may be smaller than the vertical dimension of the joining electrode lead 12A.

[0048] [Electrode connection part] As shown in Fig. 12, in the wiring module 20, the electrode connection portion 31 is arranged in front of and spaced from the electrode support piece 62. The minimum dimension between the electrode connection portion 31 and the electrode support piece 62 in the front-rear direction is approximately the same as the plate thickness dimension of the joint portion 13. As shown in Fig. 11, when the wiring module 20 is assembled to the battery stack 11L, the joining electrode lead 12A is arranged between the electrode connection portion 31 and the electrode support piece 62 in the front-rear direction. The electrode connection portion 31 is electrically connected to the joining electrode lead 12A by laser welding.

[0049] [Bend] As shown in FIG. 15, the bent portion 33 has a plate shape with its thickness extending vertically, and is arranged perpendicular to the joint portion 13. In the wiring module 20, the bent portion 33 is arranged between a lower contact portion 64A and an upper contact portion 64B. As shown in FIG. 7, notched front locked portions 37 are provided at the front end portions on both the left and right sides of the bent portion 33. As shown in FIG. 15, the front locked portions 37 are arranged to be locked with the front locking portion 66B. As shown in FIG. 11, the rear end portion of the bent portion 33 forms a rear locked portion 36, which is arranged to be in contact with the rear locking portion 63A.

[0050] [Slope] 12, the inclined surface 32 is inclined so that it is positioned more forward as it extends downward. That is, the inclined surface 32 is inclined so that it moves further away from the electrode support piece 62 in the front-to-rear direction as it extends downward. When the wiring module 20 is assembled to the battery stack 11L, the inclined surface 32 is positioned so as to include the front portion of the normal position range WT.

[0051] 3, the inclined surface 32 is formed continuous with the lower end of the left-right center position of the electrode connection portion 31, and a left-right dimension D1 of the inclined surface 32 is smaller than a left-right dimension D2 of the electrode connection portion 31. Therefore, when the electrode connection portion 31 and the joining electrode lead 12A are brought into close contact with each other using a jig (not shown) and laser welding is performed, the center of the electrode connection portion 31 can be welded while holding both left and right ends of the electrode connection portion 31 with the jig, avoiding the inclined surface 32.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 3 , a trapezoidal portion 38 is provided between the electrode connection portion 31 and the inclined surface 32, flush with the electrode connection portion 31. The dimension of the trapezoidal portion 38 in the left-right direction decreases as it extends downward. The trapezoidal portion 38 has a shape that is symmetrical in the left-right direction. The lower end of the trapezoidal portion 38 is disposed in the center position in the left-right direction with respect to the electrode connection portion 31, and is continuous with the inclined surface 32. The dimension D3 in the left-right direction of the lower end of the trapezoidal portion 38 is the same as the dimension D1 in the left-right direction of the inclined surface 32. The trapezoidal portion 38 has an outer edge 38A that continuously connects both left and right ends of the inclined surface 32 and both left and right ends of the electrode connection portion 31.

[0053] [Busbar] The busbar 40 has a plate-like shape and is formed by processing a conductive metal plate. As shown in FIG. 2, the busbar 40 is held by the busbar holding portion 55 of the protector 50 so that the plate thickness direction is the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the center portion of the busbar 40 is a busbar main body 41 to which the end electrode lead 12B is connected. When connecting the busbar main body 41 and the end electrode lead 12B, the end electrode lead 12B may be bent appropriately so as to abut against the busbar main body 41. A busbar-side connection portion 42 bent to the left or right relative to the busbar main body 41 is provided at the top of the busbar 40.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 2, the busbar-side connection portion 42 has a through-hole (not shown) through which a bolt 42A is inserted, and is bolted to a bolt-fastening portion 55A of the protector 50. As shown in FIG. 1, an external connection terminal 43 and a relay terminal 44 are placed on top of the busbar-side connection portion 42 and are bolted together with the busbar-side connection portion 42. This electrically connects the busbar-side connection portion 42 to the external connection terminal 43 and the relay terminal 44. The external connection terminal 43 is a conductive metal plate that protrudes to the left or right of the energy storage module 10 and is used to connect the energy storage module 10 to an external device (not shown). The relay terminal 44 is made of a conductive metal plate and is used to connect the busbar-side connection portion 42 to an electric wire 45. The relay terminal 44 is connected to the electric wire 45 in the same way as the terminal 30.

[0055] [Electric wire] As shown in Fig. 3, the electric wire 45 has a core wire 46 (not shown except in Figs. 3 and 7) and an insulating coating 47 that covers the core wire 46. As shown in Fig. 2, one end of the electric wire 45 is connected to the terminal 30 or the relay terminal 44, and the other end of the electric wire 45 is bundled together and connected to a connector 48. The electric wire 45 is arranged in a predetermined position in the protector 50 by means of a routing projection 69, an electric wire retainer 70, a routing groove 71, and the like that are provided on the upper side of the protector 50.

[0056] The connector 48 is made of insulating synthetic resin and is block-shaped as shown in Figure 1. A female terminal (not shown) is housed inside the connector 48. The connector 48 is designed to mate with a mating connector (not shown) having a male terminal. The mating connector is connected to an external ECU (Electronic Control Unit) or the like via an electric wire (not shown). The ECU is equipped with a microcomputer, elements, etc., and has a well-known configuration that includes functions such as detecting the voltage, current, temperature, etc. of each laminated battery 11 and controlling the charging and discharging of each laminated battery 11.

[0057] This embodiment is configured as described above. The movement of the terminals 30 when the wiring module 20 is attached to the battery stack 11L will now be described.

[0058] First, consider the case where the joining electrode lead 12A occupies the same front-rear position in the left-right direction. As shown in Fig. 12, when the joining electrode lead 12A is positioned at the front of the normal position range WT, the upper end of the joining electrode lead 12A abuts the terminal protection arm-side inclined surface 67A. When the joining electrode lead 12A and the terminal protection arm-side inclined surface 67A come into contact, a force is applied to the terminal accommodating portion 56 toward the front (upward) in the assembly direction. Because the terminal accommodating portion 56 is movable relative to the protector body 51 by the hinge portion 57, the hinge portion 57 bends mainly at the second thin portion 60B, thereby absorbing the upward force applied to the terminal accommodating portion 56 (see Fig. 6).

[0059] As the wiring module 20 moves downward, the upper end of the joining electrode lead 12A comes into sliding contact with the terminal protection arm side inclined surface 67A, causing the terminal accommodating portion 56 to move forward. Here, as shown in Figure 13, the hinge portion 57 bends at the first thin portion 60A, causing the terminal accommodating portion 56 to move forward in accordance with the position of the joining electrode lead 12A in the front-to-rear direction. The joining electrode lead 12A also comes into sliding contact with the inclined surface 32, and ultimately the joining electrode lead 12A (joint portion 13) is disposed between the electrode connection portion 31 and the electrode support piece 62.

[0060] In this embodiment, the terminal protection arm-side inclined surface 67A is provided below the inclined surface 32 of the terminal 30, so the joining electrode lead 12A comes into sliding contact with the terminal protection arm-side inclined surface 67A before the inclined surface 32. This minimizes the sliding contact between the joining electrode lead 12A and the inclined surface 32, making it easy to prevent the joining electrode lead 12A and the inclined surface 32 from interlocking with each other without sliding contact.

[0061] When the joining electrode lead 12A is positioned at the rear side of the normal position range WT, the upper end of the joining electrode lead 12A abuts against the electrode support piece inclined surface 62A (see FIG. 12). As the wiring module 20 moves downward, the upper end of the joining electrode lead 12A slides against the electrode support piece inclined surface 62A, causing the terminal accommodating portion 56 to move rearward. Here, as shown in FIG. 14, the hinge portion 57 bends at the first thin portion 60A, causing the terminal accommodating portion 56 to move rearward to match the position of the joining electrode lead 12A in the front-rear direction.

[0062] Furthermore, when the joining electrode lead 12A is positioned exactly between the terminal protection arm side inclined surface 67A and the electrode support piece side inclined surface 62A, the joining electrode lead 12A (joint portion 13) is positioned as is between the electrode connection portion 31 and the electrode support piece 62 (see FIG. 11). That is, the hinge portion 57 does not deform, and the position of the terminal accommodating portion 56 remains the same as before the joining electrode lead 12A is attached.

[0063] Next, consider a case where the bonding electrode lead 12A occupies different front-rear positions in the left-right direction. For example, consider a case where the bonding electrode lead 12A is positioned rearward as it moves leftward, as shown in FIG. 17. Because the right side of the bonding electrode lead 12A is located in front of the normal position range WT, the right side of the terminal accommodating portion 56 moves forward due to deformation of the hinge portion 57, as in the case shown in FIG. 13. Meanwhile, because the left side of the bonding electrode lead 12A is located in the rear of the normal position range WT, the left side of the terminal accommodating portion 56 moves rearward due to deformation of the hinge portion 57, as in the case shown in FIG. 14. As a result, the direction of deformation of the hinge portion 57 changes in the left-right direction, allowing the terminal accommodating portion 56 to move so as to rotate about an axis extending in the up-down direction (perpendicular to the plane of the drawing), as shown in FIG. 17. Therefore, the bonding electrode lead 12A (bonding portion 13) can be positioned between the electrode connection portion 31 and the electrode support piece 62.

[0064] Finally, consider a case in which the joining electrode lead 12A, which is positioned so as not to contact the inclined surface 32, has a warped portion 12C that warps toward the terminal 30 (front side), as shown in FIG. 18 . Note that FIG. 18 illustrates a state in which the wiring module 20 is being assembled to the battery stack 11L, before the upper end of the joining electrode lead 12A contacts the terminal 30. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 , a trapezoidal portion 38 is provided between the inclined surface 32 and the electrode connection portion 31 so as to continuously expand in the left-right direction. Therefore, when the wiring module 20 is moved to bring the terminal 30 into contact with the joining electrode lead 12A, the warped portion 12C of the joining electrode lead 12A can slide against the outer edge 38A of the trapezoidal portion 38. This suppresses interference between the joining electrode lead 12A and the electrode connection portion 31.

[0065] [Effects of the First Embodiment] According to the first embodiment, the following actions and effects are achieved. The wiring module 20 according to the first embodiment is constructed by stacking a plurality of laminated batteries 11 each having an electrode lead 12, and is assembled to a battery stack 11L having a joint 13 where the electrode leads 12 of the laminated batteries 11 are overlapped and joined, in an assembly direction perpendicular to the plate thickness direction of the joint 13. The wiring module 20 comprises a terminal 30, an electric wire 45 connected to the terminal 30, and a protector 50 that holds the terminal 30 and the electric wire 45. Of the electrode leads 12, those that form the joint 13 are joined electrode leads 12A, and the terminal 30 has an electrode connection portion 31 that is electrically connected to the joined electrode lead 12A. The protector 50 comprises a protector body 51 and a terminal accommodating portion 56 that positions and accommodates the terminal 30, and the terminal accommodating portion 56 is freely movable and connected to the protector body 51 via a hinge portion 57.

[0066] According to the above configuration, when the wiring module 20 is assembled to the battery stack 11L, the electrode connection portion 31 can easily move along the joining electrode lead 12A, thereby preventing poor contact between the joining electrode lead 12A and the terminal 30.

[0067] In the first embodiment, the hinge portion 57 is configured to include a plurality of thin portions 60 .

[0068] According to the above configuration, the hinge portion 57 is easily deformed, and the terminal accommodating portion 56 is easily movable relative to the protector body 51.

[0069] In the first embodiment, the terminal 30 is provided adjacent to the electrode connection portion 31 and has an inclined surface 32 that is inclined so as to be positioned on one side in the plate thickness direction as it goes deeper in the assembly direction, and the inclined surface 32 is arranged so as to include at least a part of the range WT of positions in the plate thickness direction in which the joining electrode lead 12A can be arranged.

[0070] According to the above configuration, when the wiring module 20 is assembled to the battery stack 11L, the inclined surface 32 comes into sliding contact with the front end of the joining electrode lead 12A in the assembly direction, allowing the terminal 30 to move in the plate thickness direction relative to the joining electrode lead 12A, and therefore the electrode connection portion 31 can easily move along the joining electrode lead 12A.

[0071] In embodiment 1, the terminal accommodating portion 56 has an electrode support piece 62 arranged opposite the electrode connection portion 31 in the plate thickness direction, and the inclined surface 32 is inclined so as to move away from the electrode support piece 62 as it goes deeper in the assembly direction, so that the joining electrode lead 12A is arranged between the electrode connection portion 31 and the electrode support piece 62 in the plate thickness direction.

[0072] According to the above configuration, when the wiring module 20 is assembled to the battery stack 11L, the joining electrode lead 12A is arranged between the electrode connection portion 31 and the electrode support piece 62, so that the electrode connection portion 31 can easily move along the joining electrode lead 12A.

[0073] In embodiment 1, an electrode support piece side inclined surface 62A is provided at the end on the rear side in the assembly direction of the electrode support piece 62, which is inclined so that it is positioned on the other side in the plate thickness direction as it goes further in the assembly direction, and the electrode support piece side inclined surface 62A is arranged so as to include at least a part of the range WT of positions in the plate thickness direction where the joining electrode lead 12A can be arranged.

[0074] According to the above configuration, when the wiring module 20 is assembled to the battery stack 11L, the electrode support piece side inclined surface 62A slides against the front end of the joining electrode lead 12A in the assembly direction, allowing the terminal accommodating portion 56 to move in the plate thickness direction relative to the joining electrode lead 12A, making it easier to arrange the joining electrode lead 12A between the electrode connection portion 31 and the electrode support piece 62.

[0075] In the first embodiment, the direction perpendicular to the plate thickness direction and the assembly direction is the terminal width direction, and the terminal accommodating portion 56 is provided with a pair of terminal protection arms 67 extending from the inclined surface 32 toward the interior in the assembly direction on both sides of the electrode connection portion 31 in the terminal width direction, and the pair of terminal protection arms 67 are arranged on one side of the joining electrode lead 12A in the plate thickness direction.

[0076] According to the above configuration, the terminal 30 can be protected by the terminal protection arm 67.

[0077] In embodiment 1, a terminal protection arm side inclined surface 67A is provided at the rear end of the pair of terminal protection arms 67 in the assembly direction, which is inclined so as to be positioned on one side in the plate thickness direction as it goes rearward in the assembly direction, and the terminal protection arm side inclined surface 67A is arranged to include at least a part of the range WT of positions in the plate thickness direction where the joining electrode lead 12A can be arranged.

[0078] According to the above configuration, when the wiring module 20 is assembled to the battery stack 11L, the terminal protection arm side inclined surface 67A slides against the front end of the joining electrode lead 12A in the assembly direction, allowing the terminal accommodating portion 56 to move in the plate thickness direction relative to the joining electrode lead 12A, making it easier to arrange the joining electrode lead 12A between the electrode connection portion 31 and the electrode support piece 62.

[0079] <Embodiment 2> A second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 20 to 22. A wiring module 120 according to the second embodiment is configured similarly to the wiring module 20 of the first embodiment, except for a hinge portion 157 that connects the terminal accommodating portion 56 and the protector body 51. Hereinafter, the same members as those in the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and descriptions of the same configurations, functions, and effects as those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0080] As shown in Fig. 20, two hinge portions 157 according to the second embodiment are provided for each terminal accommodating portion 56. The hinge portions 157 connect the left and right side walls of the barrel accommodating recess 61 to the protector body 51. As shown in Figs. 21 and 22, the hinge portions 157 are configured similarly to the hinge portions 57 of the first embodiment, and are configured to bend mainly at the first thin portions 60A, thereby allowing the terminal accommodating portion 56 to move in the front-rear direction.

[0081] The hinge portions 157 are disposed on the left and right sides of the terminal accommodating portion 56, which makes it particularly easy for the terminal accommodating portion 56 to move and rotate about an axis extending in the vertical direction. For example, when the bonding electrode lead 12A is disposed rearward as it moves toward the left side (see FIG. 17), as shown in FIG. 22, the extension piece 59 of the right hinge portion 157 is deformed to tilt forward and the extension piece 59 of the left hinge portion 157 is deformed to tilt rearward, allowing the terminal accommodating portion 56 to rotate counterclockwise when viewed from above.

[0082] 20, the thin portion 60 of the hinge portion 157 is disposed to extend in the vertical direction, and therefore the hinge portion 157 is less likely to bend in the vertical direction compared to the hinge portion 57 of embodiment 1. As described above, by providing a plurality of hinge portions 157 for the terminal accommodating portion 56, it becomes easier to control the direction in which the terminal accommodating portion 56 is likely to move.

[0083] [Effects of Embodiment 2] According to the second embodiment, the following actions and effects are achieved. In the second embodiment, a plurality of hinge portions 157 are provided for each terminal accommodating portion 56.

[0084] With this configuration, the movement of the terminal accommodating portion 56 relative to the protector body 51 can be easily controlled.

[0085] <Other embodiments> (1) In the above embodiment, the joint 13 is configured by joining two electrode leads 12, and the laminated battery 11 is connected in series, but this is not limited to this. The joint may be configured by joining three or more electrode leads, and the laminated battery may be connected in parallel. (2) In the above embodiment, the terminal protection arm 67 is provided in the terminal accommodating portion 56, but this is not limitative and the terminal protection arm 67 does not have to be provided. (3) In the first embodiment, one hinge portion 57 is provided for each terminal accommodating portion 56, and in the second embodiment, two hinge portions 157 are provided for each terminal accommodating portion 56. However, this is not limited to this, and three or more hinge portions may be provided for each terminal accommodating portion. Furthermore, the position of the hinge portion relative to the terminal accommodating portion can be changed as desired. (4) In the above embodiment, the trapezoidal portion 38 is provided between the electrode connection portion 31 and the inclined surface 32, but this is not limitative and the trapezoidal portion does not have to be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10: Energy storage module 11: Laminated battery 11L: Battery stack 12: Electrode lead 12A: Bonding electrode lead 12B: Terminal electrode lead 12C: Warped part 13: Joint 14: Housing 15: Bottom 16: Ceiling 17: Lateral part 20,120: Wiring module 30: Terminal 31: Electrode connection part 32: Slope 33: Bend 34: Connection part 35: Wire connection 35A: Wire barrel part 35B: Insulation barrel part 36: Rear locked part 37: Front locked part 38: Trapezoidal section 38A: outer edge 40: Busbar 41: Busbar body 42: Busbar side connection 42A: Bolt 43: External connection terminal 44: Relay terminal 45: Electric wire 46: Core wire 47: Insulation coating 48: Connector 50: Protector 51: Protector body 54: Electrode holder 54A: Bonding electrode receiving part 54B: End electrode receiving part 55: Busbar holder 55A: Bolted joint 56: Terminal housing 57,157: Hinge part 58: Projecting piece 59: Extension piece 60: Thin section 60A: First thin section 60B: Second thin section 61: Barrel receiving recess 62: Electrode support piece 62A: Electrode support one-side inclined surface 63: Central frame 63A: Rear locking part 64A: Lower contact part 64B: Upper contact part 65: First displacement restraint section 66: Locking protrusion 66A: Engagement surface 66B: Front locking part 67: Terminal protection arm 67A: Terminal protection arm side inclined surface 68: Second displacement restraint section 69: Routing protrusion 70: Wire fastening part 71: Cable routing groove D1: Dimension of the inclined surface in the terminal width direction D2: Dimension of the electrode connection part in the terminal width direction D3: Dimension in the terminal width direction of the innermost end of the trapezoidal part in the assembly direction WT: Range of positions in the thickness direction where the joining electrode lead can be placed (normal position range)

Claims

1. A wiring module is assembled to a battery stack including a plurality of laminated batteries each having an electrode lead, the battery stack including a joint where the electrode leads of the laminated batteries are overlapped and joined, in an assembly direction perpendicular to the plate thickness direction of the joint, The terminal and an electric wire connected to the terminal; a protector that holds the terminal and the electric wire, The electrode lead constituting the joint portion is a joint electrode lead, the terminal includes an electrode connection portion electrically connected to the joining electrode lead, The protector includes a protector body and a terminal accommodating portion that positions and accommodates the terminal, The terminal accommodating portion is coupled to the protector body via a hinge portion so as to be freely movable.

2. The wiring module according to claim 1 , wherein the hinge portion is configured to include a plurality of thin portions.

3. The wiring module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of the hinge portions are provided for each of the terminal accommodating portions.

4. the terminal is provided continuous with the electrode connection portion and includes an inclined surface that is inclined so as to be positioned on one side in the plate thickness direction as it extends deeper in the assembling direction, 3 . The wiring module according to claim 1 , wherein the inclined surface is disposed so as to include at least a part of a range of positions in the plate thickness direction where the joining electrode lead can be disposed.

5. the terminal accommodating portion includes an electrode support piece disposed opposite the electrode connecting portion in the plate thickness direction, the inclined surface is inclined so as to move away from the electrode support piece as it goes deeper in the assembly direction, The wiring module according to claim 4 , wherein the joining electrode lead is arranged between the electrode connection portion and the electrode support piece in the plate thickness direction.

6. an electrode support piece-side inclined surface is provided at an end portion on a rear side in the assembly direction of the electrode support piece, the inclined surface being inclined so as to be positioned toward the other side in the plate thickness direction as it goes rearward in the assembly direction, The wiring module according to claim 5 , wherein the electrode support piece side inclined surface is disposed so as to include at least a part of a range of positions in the plate thickness direction where the joining electrode lead can be disposed.

7. The direction perpendicular to the plate thickness direction and the assembly direction is the terminal width direction, the terminal accommodating portion includes a pair of terminal protection arms extending from the inclined surface toward the interior in the assembly direction on both sides of the electrode connecting portion in the terminal width direction, The wiring module according to claim 6 , wherein the pair of terminal protection arms are arranged on one side of the joining electrode lead in the plate thickness direction.

8. a terminal protection arm-side inclined surface that is inclined toward one side in the plate thickness direction as it goes toward the rear in the assembly direction, and The wiring module according to claim 7 , wherein the terminal protection arm side inclined surface is disposed so as to include at least a part of a range of positions in the plate thickness direction where the joining electrode lead can be disposed.

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