Energy storage facilities

Abstract

An electrical storage facility (100) is provided with a plurality of electrical storage devices (1). Each of the plurality of electrical storage devices (1) comprises: an electrical storage unit (10) including a plurality of electrical storage elements (11) and an outer case (18) holding the plurality of electrical storage elements (11); a positive-pole power supply cable (31); and a negative-pole power supply cable (32). Each of the positive-pole power supply cable (31) and the negative-pole power supply cable (32) is connected to the electrical storage unit (10) in the outer case (18), and extends from an end (18a) of the outer case (18) to the outside of the outer case (18). The positive-pole power supply cable (31) has a positive-pole connector (41), and the negative-pole power supply cable (32) has a negative pole connector (42) separate from the positive-pole connector (41). The positive-pole connector (41) of one of two electrical storage devices (1) which are adjacent to each other among the plurality of electrical storage devices (1) is directly connected to the negative pole connector (42) of the other of the two electrical storage devices (1).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electricity storage facility including a plurality of electricity storage devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses the structure of a battery assembly formed by connecting multiple battery assembly units. Each of the multiple battery assembly units has a battery assembly main body made up of multiple battery cells and a box that houses the battery assembly main body. A plurality of positive electrode connectors connected in parallel to the positive electrode of the battery assembly main body are arranged at the four corners of the box. At the same time, a plurality of negative electrode connectors connected in parallel to the negative electrode of the battery assembly main body are arranged adjacent to the positive electrode connectors. Patent Document 1 describes arranging such battery assembly units (power storage devices) in at least one of a row direction and a column direction, and electrically connecting adjacent battery assembly units with cables to form a battery assembly. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-6122 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventionally, when a connection cable (power cable) that forms a current path during charging and discharging is used to electrically connect two adjacent power storage devices, as in the above-described conventional battery pack unit connection, connection work is required at both ends of the connection cable. Specifically, one end of the connection cable is connected to an electrode terminal of one power storage device, and the other end of the connection cable is connected to an electrode terminal of the other power storage device. In other words, in a power storage facility including multiple power storage devices, electrically connecting two adjacent power storage devices requires the preparation of a connection cable between the electrode terminals of the pair of two adjacent power storage devices and the connection of both ends of the connection cable to each power storage device. This complicates the installation work of the power storage facility. This problem becomes more pronounced when the number of power storage devices included in the power storage facility increases.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a power storage facility that includes a plurality of power storage devices and that allows easy connection of the plurality of power storage devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A power storage facility according to one embodiment of the present invention is a power storage facility including a plurality of power storage devices, each of which includes a power storage unit having a plurality of power storage elements and an exterior body that holds the plurality of power storage elements, a first power cable that is connected to one of the positive and negative connection terminals of the power storage unit inside the exterior body and extends from an end of the exterior body toward the outside of the exterior body, and a second power cable that is connected to the other of the positive and negative connection terminals of the power storage unit inside the exterior body and extends from the end of the exterior body toward the outside of the exterior body, wherein the first power cable has a first connector and the second power cable has a second connector, and the first connector of a first power storage device that is one of two adjacent power storage devices in the plurality of power storage devices is directly connected to the second connector of a second power storage device that is the other of the two power storage devices. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the power storage facility of the present invention, the work of connecting a plurality of power storage devices can be easily performed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a power storage device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the electricity storage device according to the embodiment when it is separated into an electricity storage unit and a substrate unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating each component of the electricity storage unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an end portion of an exterior body of the electricity storage unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the range of a corner of an exterior body according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a partial front view showing the outline of the configuration of the electricity storage facility according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing an electrical connection between two power storage devices in the power storage facility according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a positive power cable and a negative power cable of a power storage device according to a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a partial front view showing a schematic configuration of a power storage facility according to a first modification of the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a positive power cable and a negative power cable of a power storage device according to a second modification of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Conventionally, when a connection cable (power cable) that forms a current conduction path during charging and discharging is used to electrically connect two adjacent power storage devices, connection work is required at both ends of the connection cable. Specifically, one end of the connection cable is connected to an electrode terminal of one power storage device, and the other end of the connection cable is connected to an electrode terminal of the other power storage device. In other words, in a power storage facility including multiple power storage devices, electrically connecting two adjacent power storage devices requires the preparation of a connection cable between the electrode terminals of a pair of two adjacent power storage devices and the connection of both ends of the connection cable to each power storage device. This complicates the installation work of the power storage facility. This problem becomes more pronounced particularly when the number of power storage devices included in the power storage facility increases.

[0010] The present invention was made by the inventor of the present application by focusing on the above-mentioned problem, and aims to provide a storage facility that includes multiple storage devices and that allows easy connection work for the multiple storage devices.

[0011] A power storage facility according to one embodiment of the present invention is a power storage facility including a plurality of power storage devices, each of which includes: a power storage unit having a plurality of power storage elements and an exterior body that holds the plurality of power storage elements; a first power cable that is connected to one of the positive and negative connection terminals of the power storage unit inside the exterior body and extends from an end of the exterior body toward the outside of the exterior body; and a second power cable that is connected to the other of the positive and negative connection terminals of the power storage unit inside the exterior body and extends from the end of the exterior body toward the outside of the exterior body, wherein the first power cable has a first connector and the second power cable has a second connector, and the first connector of a first power storage device that is one of two adjacent power storage devices in the plurality of power storage devices is directly connected to the second connector of a second power storage device that is the other of the two power storage devices.

[0012] According to this configuration, in a plurality of lined-up power storage devices, two adjacent power storage devices are connected by connecting the first connector of one of the power storage devices to the second connector of the other. In other words, the two power storage devices are electrically connected by a single connection operation (at one location). Because the first connector and the second connector are separate, they can be oriented in different directions, allowing the power storage device to be connected in series to the power storage devices on both sides (up and down, left and right, etc.) of the lined-up direction of the power storage devices. In this way, because each power storage device has a power cable with a connector for each positive electrode and a power cable with a connector for each negative electrode, the two power storage devices to be connected can be easily connected without using a separate conductive member such as a cable for connecting the power storage devices and without using a tool such as a wrench. In this way, the power storage facility according to this aspect allows the connection operation of multiple power storage devices to be easily performed.

[0013] The multiple storage devices may be arranged side by side in a second direction intersecting the first direction, with the end of the outer casing of each of the multiple storage devices facing a first direction, and the first connector of the first storage device may be configured so as not to be connectable to the second connector of a storage device other than the second storage device.

[0014] According to this configuration, the first connector provided on the first power cable of a certain power storage device cannot be physically connected to the prohibited second connector. Therefore, when multiple power storage devices of the same product are lined up vertically or horizontally, the first connector and the second connector are not connected in an incorrect combination. In other words, the connection work of multiple power storage devices can be performed easily and accurately.

[0015] The outer casing may be rectangular, and the first power cable and the second power cable may extend from a corner of the outer casing, which is part of the end of the outer casing, to the outside of the outer casing.

[0016] With this configuration, the outlets of the two power cables from the exterior body are concentrated at the corners of the exterior body, so the power cables are arranged in a vertical or horizontal orientation regardless of whether the connected power storage device is positioned vertically or horizontally. In other words, when connecting adjacent power storage devices in series, the power cables are not arranged at an angle relative to the vertical or horizontal direction. This allows the power cables to be relatively short, and simplifies the process of connecting the power cables (connecting the first connector and the second connector).

[0017] In each of the plurality of power storage devices, the first power cable and the second power cable may be positioned so that one of the first connector and the second connector can be oriented in the opposite direction to the other of the first connector and the second connector on the same straight line.

[0018] With this configuration, the first connector and the second connector of one power storage device are arranged in opposite directions (one facing away from the other, the same applies below) and on a straight line, so that when multiple power storage devices are arranged in a direction parallel to the straight line, the first connector of one of two adjacent power storage devices and the second connector of the other are positioned facing each other on the same axis. Therefore, multiple power storage devices can be easily connected in series.

[0019] Furthermore, the energy storage equipment may include a rack having one or more shelves on which each of the plurality of energy storage devices is placed, and each of the plurality of energy storage devices is arranged with the end of the outer casing facing the front surface of the rack, and the first connector and the second connector are arranged so that their front-to-rear positions are on or near the front end surface of the shelf.

[0020] According to this configuration, the first connector and the second connector of the combination to be connected are arranged at or near the front end of the rack. Therefore, after placing multiple power storage devices on one or more shelves of the rack, it is easy to connect the first connector of one of two vertically adjacent power storage devices to the second connector of the other. The positions of the first connector and the second connector to be connected in the front-rear direction are located at the same position as or in front of the front end face of the shelf located between the two power storage devices, so that the connection work of the first connector and the second connector can be performed without being obstructed by the shelf.

[0021] At least a portion of the first power cable extending from the power storage unit may be fixed to the power storage unit, and the portion of the second power cable extending from the power storage unit may not be fixed to the power storage unit.

[0022] With this configuration, the first power cable drawn from one power storage device is fixed to that power storage device, and the second power cable drawn from that power storage device is not fixed but is free. As a result, when connecting the first connector of that power storage device to the second connector of another power storage device, the position of the first connector is stable and the position and orientation of the second connector have a high degree of freedom, making it easy to connect the first connector and the second connector.

[0023] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a description will be given of a power storage device and a power storage facility according to an embodiment of the present invention (including modifications thereof). The embodiments described below all show comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement positions and connection forms of the components shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. In each drawing, dimensions and the like are not strictly illustrated.

[0024] In the following description and drawings, the X-axis direction is defined as the direction in which a pair of electrode terminals (positive and negative) of one energy storage element are aligned, the direction in which the short side surfaces of the energy storage element's container face each other, or the direction in which the long side surfaces of the exterior body of the energy storage unit (described later) face each other. The Y-axis direction is defined as the direction in which a plurality of energy storage elements are aligned, the direction in which the long side surfaces of the energy storage element's container face each other, the direction in which the short side surfaces of the exterior body of the energy storage unit face each other, or the direction in which the energy storage unit and the substrate unit are aligned. The Z-axis direction is defined as the direction in which the base member of the energy storage unit and the exterior body lid are aligned, the direction in which the energy storage element and the bus bar are aligned, the direction in which the energy storage element's container body and the lid are aligned, or the up-down direction. The X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction intersect each other (orthogonal in this embodiment). Depending on the usage mode, the Z-axis direction may not be the up-down direction; however, for convenience of explanation, the Z-axis direction will be described below as the up-down direction. In the following explanation, the Y-axis direction will also be referred to as the first direction. The direction intersecting the Y-axis direction (first direction) is also called the second direction. The second direction may be the Z-axis direction or the X-axis direction.

[0025] In the following description, the positive X-axis direction refers to the direction of the X-axis arrow, and the negative X-axis direction refers to the direction opposite to the positive X-axis direction. The same applies to the Y-axis and Z-axis. Expressions indicating relative directions or attitudes, such as parallel and perpendicular, also include cases where the direction or attitude is not strictly that. "Two directions are perpendicular" does not only mean that the two directions are completely perpendicular, but also means that the directions are substantially perpendicular, i.e., there is a difference of about a few percent.

[0026] (Embodiment) [1. General description of the power storage device] First, the configuration of an energy storage device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the energy storage device 1 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the energy storage device 1 according to the present embodiment when separated into an energy storage unit 10 and a substrate unit 20. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing each component of the energy storage unit 10 according to the present embodiment, which will be described in detail later.

[0027] The power storage device 1 is a device that can be charged with electricity from an external source and can discharge electricity to the outside, and in this embodiment has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The power storage device 1 according to this embodiment is used as a stationary battery provided in a power storage facility 100 that stores and outputs power generated by a generator. The power storage facility 100 is provided with a plurality of power storage devices 1 that are electrically connected. The configuration of the power storage facility 100 will be described later with reference to Figs. 6 and 7.

[0028] The power storage device 1 can be used not only as a stationary battery for home use or for power generation, but also for various power storage or power supply applications. The power storage device 1 may be used as a battery for driving or starting the engine of a moving object such as an automobile, motorcycle, personal watercraft, ship, snowmobile, agricultural machinery, construction machinery, or electric railway vehicle. Examples of the automobile include an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), and a gasoline-powered automobile. Examples of the electric railway vehicle include a train, a monorail, and a linear motor car.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the energy storage device 1 includes an energy storage unit 10 and a board unit 20 attached to the energy storage unit 10. The energy storage unit 10 is a battery module (battery assembly) having a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the Y-axis direction. Specifically, the energy storage unit 10 includes a plurality of energy storage elements 11, a bus bar frame 60, a plurality of bus bars 13, and an exterior body 18 that houses these and is made up of an exterior body main body 14, a base member 15, and an exterior body lid 17. A positive power cable 31 and a negative power cable 32 are connected to the energy storage unit 10. The energy storage unit 10 may include restraining members (end plates, side plates, etc.) that restrain the plurality of energy storage elements 11.

[0030] The energy storage element 11 is a secondary battery (single cell) that can charge and discharge electricity, and more specifically, is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery. The energy storage element 11 has a flat rectangular parallelepiped (rectangular) shape, and in this embodiment, 16 energy storage elements 11 are arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction. The shape, arrangement position, number, etc. of the energy storage elements 11 are not particularly limited. The energy storage element 11 is not limited to a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and may be a secondary battery other than a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, or may be a capacitor. The energy storage element 11 may not be a secondary battery, but may be a primary battery that allows stored electricity to be used without the user having to charge it. The energy storage element 11 may be a battery using a solid electrolyte. The energy storage element 11 may also be a pouch-type energy storage element.

[0031] Specifically, the energy storage element 11 includes a metal container 11a, and a positive electrode terminal 11b and a negative electrode terminal 11c, which are metal electrode terminals, are provided on the lid of the container 11a. A spacer 12 is disposed between adjacent energy storage elements 11. The lid of the container 11a may be provided with a liquid injection section for injecting an electrolyte solution, and a gas exhaust valve for releasing the pressure by venting gas when the pressure inside the container 11a increases. Inside the container 11a, an electrode assembly (also referred to as an electricity storage element or a power generation element), current collectors (positive electrode current collector and negative electrode current collector), etc. are disposed, and an electrolyte solution (nonaqueous electrolyte) etc. is sealed inside, but a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0032] The positive electrode terminal 11b and the negative electrode terminal 11c are disposed at both ends of the lid of the container 11a in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) and protrude upward (in the positive direction of the Z-axis). The energy storage elements 11 are electrically connected to each other, and the outermost positive electrode terminals 11b and negative electrode terminals 11c of the plurality of energy storage elements 11 are connected to power cables, so that the energy storage device 1 (energy storage unit 10) can be charged with electricity from the outside and can discharge electricity to the outside.

[0033] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 , the positive electrode terminal 11b of the energy storage element 11 at the end in the positive direction of the Y axis among the plurality of energy storage elements 11 functions as the overall positive terminal of the plurality of energy storage elements 11 (positive electrode connection terminal 51 of the energy storage unit 10). That is, inside the exterior body 18, the positive electrode power cable 31 is connected to the positive electrode connection terminal 51 of the energy storage unit 10. The negative electrode terminal 11c of the energy storage element 11 at the end in the negative direction of the Y axis among the plurality of energy storage elements 11 functions as the overall negative terminal of the plurality of energy storage elements 11 (negative electrode connection terminal 52 of the energy storage unit 10). That is, inside the exterior body 18, the negative electrode power cable 32 is connected to the negative electrode connection terminal 52 of the energy storage unit 10. The positive electrode terminal 11b or the negative electrode terminal 11c of the energy storage element 11 located at the end in the electrical connection of the plurality of energy storage elements 11 is treated as the positive electrode connection terminal 51 or the negative electrode connection terminal 52. Therefore, positive electrode terminal 11b or negative electrode terminal 11c of energy storage element 11 in the middle of a row of energy storage elements 11 may be treated as positive electrode connecting terminal 51 or negative electrode connecting terminal 52.

[0034] The positive electrode connection terminal 51 (negative electrode connection terminal 52) and the positive electrode power cable 31 (negative electrode power cable 32) do not need to be directly connected. An output terminal bus bar may be connected to the positive electrode terminal 11b, which is the positive electrode connection terminal 51, and the positive electrode power cable 31 may be connected to the output terminal bus bar. The positive electrode power cable 31 and the negative electrode power cable 32 do not need to be configured as a single cable. A first cable connected to the positive electrode terminal 11b, which is the positive electrode connection terminal 51, may be connected to a relay member (such as a bus bar) on an electric circuit, and the other end of a second cable having a positive electrode connector 41 at one end may be connected to the relay member. In other words, a conductive member such as a bus bar may be interposed in the conductive path of the positive electrode power cable 31.

[0035] Thus, in this embodiment, the positive electrode terminals 11b and negative electrode terminals 11c of the energy storage elements 11 are arranged side by side on one side surface of the container 11a in a direction (X-axis direction) that intersects with the arrangement direction (Y-axis direction) of the plurality of energy storage elements 11. The number of energy storage elements 11 is an even number (16 in this embodiment), and these even-numbered energy storage elements 11 are connected in series.

[0036] According to this configuration, since the number of energy storage elements 11 is an even number, the positive electrode connection terminal 51 and the negative electrode connection terminal 52 of the energy storage unit 10 are arranged on the same side in the X-axis direction (the positive X-axis side in this embodiment). Therefore, the positive electrode connector 41 and the negative electrode connector 42 can be easily arranged in the same straight line. Since the opposite side in the X-axis direction (the negative X-axis side in this embodiment) of each energy storage device 1 is free, it is easy to connect the negative electrode connector 42 of one of two energy storage devices 1 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) to the positive electrode connector 41 of the other, as shown in FIG. 9 . In other words, since there is free space near the end 18a of the energy storage device 1, it is possible to ensure the length of each positive electrode power cable 31 and each negative electrode power cable 32 for connecting the connectors to each other.

[0037] The positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 are covered electric wires (also called power cables, main circuit cables, power lines, or power lines) through which current (also called charge / discharge current or main current) for charging and discharging the power storage device 1 (power storage unit 10) flows. The positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 each have a core wire with a cross-sectional area of ​​5 mm 2 ~20mm 2 In this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the core wire is 8 mm 2Insulated electric wires of about 1 / 4" thick are used as the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32. A positive connector 41 is provided at the end of the positive power cable 31 that is exposed from the power storage unit 10, and a negative connector 42 is provided at the end of the negative power cable 32 that is exposed from the power storage unit 10. In this embodiment, one of the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 is an example of a first power cable, and the other is an example of a second power cable. The positive connector 41 or the negative connector 42 provided at the end of the positive power cable 31 or the negative power cable 32 that is the first power cable is an example of a first connector. The positive connector 41 or the negative connector 42 provided at the end of the positive power cable 31 or the negative power cable 32 that is the second power cable is an example of a second connector. The positions of these power cables and connectors will be described later using FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0038] The bus bar frame 60 is a flat, rectangular member that electrically insulates the bus bars 13 from other members and can regulate the position of the bus bars 13. The bus bar frame 60 is formed of an insulating member similar to the board case 21 of the board unit 20, which will be described later, such as polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), or polyethylene (PE). Specifically, the bus bar frame 60 is placed above the plurality of energy storage elements 11 and positioned relative to the plurality of energy storage elements 11. The bus bars 13 are placed and positioned on the bus bar frame 60. As a result, the bus bars 13 are positioned relative to the plurality of energy storage elements 11 and are joined to the positive electrode terminals 11b and negative electrode terminals 11c of the plurality of energy storage elements 11. The bus bar frame 60 also functions as an inner lid for the exterior body 18, reinforcing the exterior body main body 14.

[0039] The busbar 13 is a rectangular plate-like member that is disposed on the plurality of energy storage elements 11 (on the busbar frame 60) and electrically connects the electrode terminals of the plurality of energy storage elements 11 together. The busbar 13 is formed of a metal such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, a copper alloy, or stainless steel. In this embodiment, the busbar 13 connects the positive electrode terminals 11b and negative electrode terminals 11c of adjacent energy storage elements 11, thereby connecting the 16 energy storage elements 11 in series. The manner in which the energy storage elements 11 are connected is not limited to the above, and any combination of series connection and parallel connection may be used.

[0040] A detection cable 13a is connected to the bus bar 13 or the electrode terminal of the energy storage element 11. The detection cable 13a is an electric wire (also referred to as a communication cable, control cable, communication line, or control line) for measuring the voltage or temperature of the energy storage element 11 or for balancing the voltage between the energy storage elements 11. A thermistor (not shown) for measuring the temperature of the energy storage element 11 is disposed on the bus bar 13 or the electrode terminal of the energy storage element 11, but a description thereof will be omitted. A connector 13b is connected to the end of the detection cable 13a facing the negative Y-axis direction. The connector 13b is a connector connected to a board 25 of the board unit 20, which will be described later. In other words, the detection cable 13a transmits information such as the voltage and temperature of the energy storage element 11 to the board 25 of the board unit 20 via the connector 13b. The detection cable 13a is also used when discharging a high-voltage energy storage element 11 under the control of the board 25 to balance the voltage between the energy storage elements 11.

[0041] The exterior body 18 is a rectangular (box-shaped) container (module case) that constitutes the exterior body of the energy storage unit 10. In other words, the exterior body 18 is disposed outside the energy storage elements 11, etc., and fixes the energy storage elements 11, etc. in predetermined positions to protect them from impacts and the like. As described above, the exterior body 18 has the exterior body main body 14, the base member 15, and the exterior body lid 17.

[0042] The exterior body main body 14 is a rectangular cylindrical housing with a bottom and an opening. The exterior body main body 14 is made of an insulating material such as PC, PP, or PE. The base member 15 and the exterior body lid 17 are members that protect (reinforce) the exterior body main body 14. The base member 15 and the exterior body lid 17 are made of metal members such as stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, iron, or plated steel sheet. The base member 15 and the exterior body lid 17 may be made of members made of the same material, or may be made of members made of different materials.

[0043] The base member 15 is a plate-like member that supports the exterior body main body 14 from below (in the negative Z-axis direction) and also serves to support the multiple energy storage elements 11 via the exterior body main body 14. The base member 15 has a bottom 15a, a board unit mounting portion 16, and connection portions 15b and 15c. The bottom 15a is a flat, rectangular portion that constitutes the bottom of the energy storage device 1 and is parallel to the XY plane and extends in the Y-axis direction, and is disposed below the exterior body main body 14. The board unit mounting portion 16 is a flat, rectangular portion that stands in the positive Z-axis direction from the end of the bottom 15a on the negative Y-axis side, and is attached to the board unit 20. The connection portion 15b is disposed at the end of the board unit mounting portion 16 on the positive Z-axis side, protrudes in the negative Y-axis direction, and is connected to the exterior body lid 17. The connection portion 15c is a portion that stands in the positive Z-axis direction from the end of the bottom portion 15a on the positive Y-axis direction side and protrudes in the positive Y-axis direction.

[0044] Exterior body cover 17 is a member disposed to cover the opening of exterior body main body 14, and has top surface 17a and connection portions 17b and 17c. Top surface 17a is a flat, rectangular portion that forms the upper surface of power storage device 1 and is parallel to the XY plane and extends in the Y-axis direction, and is disposed above exterior body main body 14. Connection portion 17b is disposed at the end of top surface 17a on the negative Y-axis side, protrudes in the negative Y-axis direction, and is connected to connection portion 15b of base member 15. Connection portion 17c extends in the negative Z-axis direction from the end of top surface 17a on the positive Y-axis side, protrudes in the positive Y-axis direction, and is connected to connection portion 15c of base member 15. In this way, the base member 15 and the exterior body cover 17 are configured to sandwich the exterior body main body 14 from above and below, and are fixed by connecting the connection parts 15b and 15c to the connection parts 17b and 17c with screws or the like.

[0045] The board unit 20 is a device capable of monitoring the state of the energy storage elements 11 included in the energy storage unit 10 and controlling the energy storage elements 11. In the present embodiment, the board unit 20 is a flat, rectangular member attached to an end 18a (see FIG. 2) in the longitudinal direction of the exterior body 18 of the energy storage unit 10, i.e., to a side surface of the energy storage unit 10 on the negative Y-axis direction side. The board unit 20 includes a board case 21 (see FIG. 2) formed of an insulating material such as polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), or polyethylene (PE), and a board 25 housed in the board case 21. Specifically, the board unit 20 is attached to a board unit attachment portion 16 provided on a base member 15 included in the exterior body 18 of the energy storage unit 10. The board 25 is a circuit board (monitoring board) electrically connected to the energy storage unit 10. Specifically, the board 25 is electrically connected to the energy storage elements 11 via the detection cable 13a and connector 13b described above, thereby acquiring information such as the voltage and temperature of the energy storage elements 11 and monitoring the states of the energy storage elements 11, such as the charged and discharged states. The board 25 also functions as a control board that discharges the energy storage elements 11 using the detection cable 13a to balance the voltages between the energy storage elements 11. A plurality of components (not shown) for realizing this function are mounted on the board 25. The board 25 does not control the energy storage elements 11, but only monitors the states of the energy storage elements 11, and control based on the monitoring results may be performed by an external control device connected to the energy storage device 1.

[0046] [2. Power cable and connector layout] Next, the positions of the positive power cable 31, the negative power cable 32, the positive connector 41, and the negative connector 42 in the power storage device 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0047] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of end 18a of exterior body 18 in the energy storage unit 10 according to the embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 4 illustrates end 18a of exterior body 18 in a state in which exterior body lid 17 is lifted from exterior body main body 14. End 18a of exterior body 18 in the negative Y-axis direction is also the end of the energy storage unit 10. Therefore, "end 18a of exterior body 18" can be rephrased as "end 18a of energy storage unit 10." The same applies to expressions such as "extended from exterior body 18," and "exterior body 18" can be replaced with "energy storage unit 10." FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of the range of corner 19 of exterior body 18 according to the embodiment.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 4, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 are arranged in a state in which they extend from the inside to the outside of the exterior body 18. Specifically, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 both extend from an end 18a of the exterior body 18 toward the outside of the exterior body 18. The positive power cable 31 has a positive connector 41, and the negative power cable 32 has a negative connector 42. Although not shown in Fig. 4, the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 each have a terminal or the like arranged thereon for electrically connecting to a mating connector.

[0049] In this embodiment, the positive electrode connector 41 and the negative electrode connector 42 have a structure that allows them to be directly connected to each other. The negative electrode connector 42 and the positive electrode connector 41 are electrically connected by mechanically connecting (inserting, fitting, screwing, etc.) one of the negative electrode connector 42 and the positive electrode connector 41 to the other. This allows the positive electrode connector 41 of one of two adjacent energy storage devices 1 to be easily connected to the negative electrode connector 42 of the other without using a tool such as a wrench. The adjacent energy storage devices 1 can be electrically connected to each other without separately preparing a connection cable, etc.

[0050] Adjacent energy storage devices 1 have the same structure, and the positive electrode connector 41 of one of the two adjacent energy storage devices 1 is connected to the negative electrode connector 42 of the other energy storage device 1. Looking at one energy storage device 1, the positive electrode connector 41 and the negative electrode connector 42 can be connected to each other as individual components. However, the positive electrode connector 41 and the negative electrode connector 42 of one energy storage device 1 are arranged in a state in which they cannot be directly connected to each other. Specifically, in one energy storage device 1, the positive electrode connector 41 and the negative electrode connector 42 are arranged with a cable length or posture that makes them unconnectable. In the example shown in FIG. 4 , at least a portion of the portion of the negative electrode power cable 32 that extends from the exterior body 18 is fixed to the energy storage unit 10. Specifically, in this embodiment, the metal base member 15 has a fixing portion 15d that fixes at least a portion of the negative power cable 32, thereby fixing the negative connector 42 substantially facing downward (an orientation in which the opening of the negative connector 42 through which the positive connector 41 is inserted faces downward, and the insertion and removal direction of the positive connector 41 relative to the negative connector 42 is vertical; the same applies below).

[0051] In this embodiment, a portion of the negative power cable 32, including the negative connector 42, is fixed to a fixing portion 15d formed on the base member 15 by a fixing member 15g. Specifically, the fixing member 15g is a push-mount tie. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 15d is realized by a through-hole (fixing hole 15i) formed in the base member 15. As shown in FIG. 4 , the fixing member 15g, which is a push-mount tie, is inserted into the fixing hole 15i formed in the fixing piece portion 15h of the base member 15 so as not to be removable, thereby firmly fixing the negative power cable 32. Therefore, to release the fixed negative power cable 32, it is necessary to destroy the fixing member 15g by cutting or deforming it. There are no particular limitations on the fixing structure of the fixing portion 15d. For example, the negative power cable 32 may be fixed by being partially embedded in a recess (groove, notch, slit, hole, etc.) formed in the exterior body 18 or in a recess of a member fixed to the exterior body 18. That is, the fixing portion 15d may be realized by a recess instead of a hole.

[0052] In this state where the posture of the negative connector 42 is restricted, if the length of the portion of the positive power cable 31 extending from the corner 19 of the exterior body 18 is approximately the length shown in FIG. 4 , the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 cannot be directly connected to each other. In this way, the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 of one energy storage device 1 are placed in a state where they cannot be connected to each other. In other words, unless they are destroyed, there is no problem of incorrectly connecting the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 of one energy storage device 1. In other words, incorrect connection of the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42, which could cause a short circuit in the energy storage device 1 itself, can be substantially prevented.

[0053] Because the portion of the positive power cable 31 extending from the exterior housing 18 is not constrained, the positive connector 41 can be oriented in any direction, including up, down, left, right, front, and back. In this embodiment, the negative connector 42 is fixed substantially facing downward as shown in FIG. 4 . Therefore, the positive connector 41 can be oriented upward (the end of the positive connector 41 that is inserted into the negative connector 41 faces upward, and the insertion and removal direction of the positive connector 41 relative to the negative connector 42 is vertical; the same applies below) to directly connect to the negative connector 42 of another power storage device 1 above. In this manner, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 are arranged in positions and lengths that allow them to face in opposite directions on the same straight line. Therefore, multiple power storage devices 1 aligned in a vertical line can be easily connected in series. More specifically, the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 can always be arranged on the same straight line. The base of the positive connector 41 of the positive power cable 31 and the base of the negative connector 42 of the negative power cable 32 can also be arranged in the same straight line. In FIG. 4 , the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 are arranged at positions and lengths that allow them to face opposite each other on a straight line L in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) (the opening of the negative connector 42 faces downward, and the tip of the positive connector 41 faces upward). More specifically, the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 can be arranged on the straight line L facing opposite each other. The base of the positive connector 41 of the positive power cable 31 and the base of the negative connector 42 of the negative power cable 32 can be arranged in the same straight line L. This allows multiple power storage devices 1 arranged in the vertical direction to be easily connected in series.

[0054] The positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32, both of which extend from the end 18a of the exterior body 18 to the outside, more specifically, extend from a corner 19 that is a part of the end 18a to the outside of the exterior body 18. In other words, simply put, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 are pulled out from the exterior body 18 within a predetermined range centered on one vertex of the rectangular exterior body 18. The range of the corner 19 of the exterior body 18 is exemplified as the range surrounded by a dotted line in Figure 5. The range of the corner 19 in Figure 5 will be explained as follows.

[0055] Assume that exterior housing 18, which has a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, is arranged so that each side of exterior housing 18 is aligned along the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis, as shown in FIG. 5, and that the lengths of each side are D, M, and H (D>M>H in FIG. 5). In this case, corner 19 is defined as the range from one vertex 19a included in end 18a in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of exterior housing 18 to d in the Y-axis direction, to m in the X-axis direction, and to h in the Z-axis direction (the region inside the dotted line in FIG. 5). The values ​​of d, m, and h are m=M / 2 and h=H / 2, and d is one of the values ​​of m and h. In other words, d may be the same as m, which is the larger value of m and h (d=M / 2), or may be the same as h, which is the smaller value of m and h (d=H / 2). The range of corner 19 described above is one example, and corner 19 may be within a range where the linear distance from vertex 19a is the smaller of m and h (within a sphere of radius h centered at vertex 19a). d = D / 2 may also be used. To further limit the range of corner 19, m = M / N, h = H / N, and h = m or h, where N is an integer greater than 2. In this case, the exits of positive power cable 31 and negative power cable 32 from exterior body 18 are concentrated in a range closer to vertex 19a.

[0056] In this embodiment, the exits of the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 from the outer casing 18, that is, the points where they are arranged penetrating the inside and outside of the outer casing 18, are located approximately on the upper side of the outer casing 18 and within a range of a distance m from the vertex 19a.

[0057] In this manner, in this embodiment, the outlets of the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 from the exterior body 18 are concentrated at the corner 19 .

[0058] [3. Configuration of the energy storage facility] The power storage device 1 configured as above can be used as a stationary battery provided in a power storage facility, as described above. The configuration of the power storage facility 100 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0059] FIG. 6 is a partial front view showing the general configuration of a power storage facility 100 according to an embodiment. In FIG. 6, each of the multiple power storage devices 1 is simply illustrated, with the board unit 20 omitted and the fixing portion 15d shown in a schematic manner, with the positive power cable 31 shown by a thick solid line and the negative power cable 32 shown by a thick dotted line. These supplementary notes also apply to FIGS. 8 and 9, which will be described later. FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing the electrical connection between two power storage devices 1 in a power storage facility 100 according to an embodiment. In FIG. 7, attention is focused only on the two power storage devices 1 arranged vertically and the shelf board 120 between them, and other power storage devices 1 and the like are not shown.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 6, the energy storage facility 100 includes a plurality of energy storage devices 1, a rack 110 that houses the plurality of energy storage devices 1, and an electric circuit unit 150 connected to the plurality of energy storage devices 1. The rack 110 has a plurality of shelf boards 120, each capable of placing one or more energy storage devices 1 thereon. The plurality of shelf boards 120 are arranged in a vertical line. In the rack 110 configured in this manner, the plurality of energy storage devices 1 placed on each of the plurality of shelf boards 120 are aligned linearly in the vertical direction. That is, in the rack 110, a plurality of vertical (vertical) rows of energy storage devices 1 (energy storage device rows 200) are formed in the left-right direction. In FIG. 6, different reference numerals (200A, 200B, 200C) are used to distinguish the plurality of energy storage device rows 200 arranged in the left-right direction.

[0061] This allows the energy storage device 1 according to this embodiment to be efficiently and easily electrically connected to at least one of the energy storage devices 1 directly above and directly below. Specifically, focusing on one energy storage device 1, as described above, the negative electrode connector 42 and the positive electrode connector 41 can be oriented in opposite directions on a vertical straight line, as shown in FIG. 7. This allows multiple energy storage devices 1 to be connected in series in each of multiple energy storage element strings 200, as shown in FIG. 6. The positive electrode connector 41 of the uppermost energy storage device 1 in each of the multiple energy storage element strings 200 is connected to the electric circuit unit 150 by a connection cable 91, and the negative electrode connector 42 of the lowermost energy storage device 1 is connected to the electric circuit unit 150 by a connection cable 92.

[0062] A plurality of such power storage device strings 200 are formed in the left-right direction, and the electric circuit unit 150 electrically connects the power storage device strings 200 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction in series. The power storage device strings 200A, 200B, and 200C are connected in series in this order. As a result, all of the power storage devices 1 housed in the rack 110 are electrically connected in series. That is, in the multiple power storage devices 1 housed in the rack 110 and arranged vertically and horizontally (top and bottom and left and right), the vertical series connection is made by connecting the positive electrode connectors 41 and negative electrode connectors 42 of two vertically adjacent power storage devices 1. In the multiple power storage devices 1 arranged vertically and horizontally, the horizontal series connection of the power storage device strings 200 is made by the electric circuit unit 150 electrically interposed between the power storage device strings 200 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction. The series connection of the power storage device strings 200 may be achieved not by the electric circuit units 150 but by intermediate cables connecting the power storage device strings 200 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction.

[0063] Instead of connecting all the power storage device strings 200 in series, the power storage device strings 200 may be connected in parallel. By connecting some (two or more) of the multiple power storage device strings 200 in series to form one unit of power storage device group, multiple power storage device groups may be similarly configured and the individual power storage device groups may be connected in parallel.

[0064] The electric circuit unit 150 houses wiring cables for connecting the power storage device string 200 in series, a molded case circuit breaker, a control circuit, etc. The circuit breaker is arranged on a main circuit through which a main current flows for charging and discharging each power storage device 1, and the control circuit is connected to the board unit 20 of each power storage device 1 by a signal line (not shown). The electric circuit unit 150 can control the charging and discharging of the multiple power storage devices 1 for each power storage device string 200.

[0065] In the power storage facility 100 having such a configuration, when attention is focused on whether one power storage device 1 can be connected to the four power storage devices 1 above, below, left, and right of it, it can only be connected to the power storage devices 1 above and below. Specifically, if the power storage device 1 located approximately in the center of Fig. 6 is referred to as power storage device 1A, and the four power storage devices 1 above, below, left, and right of it are referred to as power storage devices 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E, and if the reference numerals of the respective power cables and connectors are also assigned A to B to distinguish them, the explanation will be as follows: Power storage device 1A is an example of a first power storage device, and power storage device 1B is an example of a second power storage device.

[0066] The negative power cable 32A of the power storage device 1A is fixed by a fixing portion 15d (see FIG. 7) of the power storage unit 10 of the power storage device 1A so that the negative connector 42A faces downward (the opening for connecting to the positive connector 41C faces downward). The length of the positive power cable 31A of the power storage device 1A is such that the positive connector 41A cannot be connected to the negative connector 42A when the negative power cable 32a is fixed by the fixing portion 15d.

[0067] The negative connectors 42B to 42E of the power storage devices 1B to 1E above, below, left, and right of the power storage device 1A are also oriented downward. In this state, the positive power cable 31A of the power storage device 1A is not long enough to connect the positive connector 41A to the negative connectors 42C, 42D, and 42E of the power storage devices 1C, 1D, and 1E directly below and to the left and right. However, the negative connector 42B of the power storage device 1B directly above the power storage device 1A is oriented downward, that is, facing the side where the positive connector 41A is located. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the positive connector 41A of the positive power cable 31A of the power storage device 1A can be easily and directly connected to the negative connector 42B of the negative power cable 32B of the power storage device 1B. In FIG. 6, the four storage devices 1 diagonally above and below the storage device 1A are further away from the positive connector 41A than the storage devices 1B to 1E on the top, bottom, left, and right sides, and therefore it is impossible to connect their respective negative connectors 42 to the positive connector 41A.

[0068] In this manner, in this embodiment, among a plurality of power storage devices 1 arranged vertically and horizontally, direct connection is only possible between power storage devices 1 adjacent to each other vertically.

[0069] 7, each power storage device 1 is disposed in a position in which an end 18a of the exterior body 18 faces the front side (negative Y-axis direction) of the rack 110. The positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 are located on or near the front end surface 120a of the shelf board 120.

[0070] 7, the positive connector 41A and the negative connector 42A of the power storage device 1A are located forward of the front end surface 120a of the shelf board 120. As a result, when connecting the positive connector 41A to the negative connector 42B, the shelf board 120 above the power storage device 1A does not get in the way. Similarly, when connecting the positive connector 41C (see FIG. 6) to the negative connector 42A, the shelf board 120 below the power storage device 1A does not get in the way. The positions of the multiple shelf boards 120 lined up in the vertical direction are the same in the front-to-rear direction, and the positions of their front end surfaces 120a in the front-to-rear direction are also the same.

[0071] In the example shown in FIG. 7, a positive power cable 31 having a positive connector 41 is also fixed so that the positive connector 41 is in a predetermined position. Specifically, a portion of the positive power cable 31A of the power storage device 1A is fixed to the front end surface of the shelf board 120. In this embodiment, a through-hole provided in the front end surface of the shelf board 120 functions as the fixing portion 120b. Fixation at the fixing portion 120b can be achieved using a push mount tie as a fixing member, similar to the fixing portion 15d. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the push mount tie that fixes the positive power cable 31A is inserted into a hole (fixing portion 120b) in the front end surface 120a of the shelf board 120 above the power storage device 1A, thereby fixing the positive power cable 31A. As a result, the positive connector 41A is fixed in an upward position, that is, facing the negative connector 42B to which it is connected. As a result, the fixing portion 120b and the push mount tie can absorb or mitigate bending stress caused by bending the positive power cable 31A. This reduces the possibility that bending stress of the positive power cable 31A will impair the electrical and mechanical connection between the positive connector 41A and the negative connector 42B, even if the positive power cable 31A is relatively stiff. Like the fixing portion 15d, the fixing structure of the fixing portion 120b is not particularly limited. During maintenance of the energy storage device 1, the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 must be detached. For this reason, the size of the through hole of the fixing portion 120b is set so that the positive power cable 31 can be attached and detached.

[0072] The fixing portion 120b provided on the front end surface of the shelf board 120 can also be used to fix the connection cable 92 (see FIG. 6). That is, by inserting a push mount tie, which serves as a fixing member attached to the connection cable 92, into the fixing portion 120b, the portion of the connection cable 92 located in front of the rack 110 can be fixed to the rack 110.

[0073] [4. Variation 1] As described above, in the present embodiment, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 are arranged in positions and at lengths that allow one of the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 to face the opposite side of the other on a straight line in the vertical direction. However, the direction in which the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 are arranged is not limited to the vertical direction. Therefore, a case in which the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 are arranged in the horizontal direction will be described as Modification 1 of the embodiment, focusing on the differences from the above embodiment.

[0074] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a positive power cable 31 and a negative power cable 32 of an energy storage device 1 according to a first modification of the embodiment. FIG. 9 is a partial front view showing an outline of the configuration of an energy storage facility 100 according to a first modification of the embodiment. In FIG. 9, the three energy storage devices 1 are denoted as energy storage devices 1F, 1G, and 1H to distinguish them from one another. Energy storage device 1F is an example of a first energy storage device, and energy storage device 1H is an example of a second energy storage device. In FIG. 9, a row of a plurality of energy storage devices 1 arranged in the left-right direction (energy storage device row) is denoted by different reference numerals (200D, 200E) to distinguish between two energy storage device rows arranged in the up-down direction.

[0075] The energy storage device 1 according to this modification has a basic structure in common with the energy storage device 1 according to the embodiment, that is, it includes a board unit 20 not shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , and a plurality of energy storage elements 11 are housed inside an exterior body 18. Inside the exterior body 18, the common positive terminals of the plurality of energy storage elements 11 (positive electrode connection terminals 51 of the energy storage units 10) are connected to a positive power cable 31, and the common negative terminals of the plurality of energy storage elements 11 (negative electrode connection terminals 52 of the energy storage units 10) are connected to a negative power cable 32. Both the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 extend to the outside from a corner 19 at an end 18a of the exterior body 18.

[0076] However, as shown in Fig. 8, a portion of the negative power cable 32 according to this modification is fixed by the fixing portion 15f so that the negative connector 42 faces left. In this case, the positive power cable 31 is not in a position or of a length that allows the positive connector 41 to be connected to the negative connector 42. In other words, because a portion of the negative power cable 32 is fixed by the fixing portion 15f, the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 are positioned in an orientation that prevents connection therebetween.

[0077] However, because the positive power cable 31 included in the energy storage device 1 is not fixed, the positive connector 41 can be oriented in various directions. That is, as shown in Fig. 8, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 are arranged at positions and lengths that allow one of the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 to be oriented in the opposite direction from the other on a straight line L in the left-right direction. When the energy storage device 1 configured in this manner is used in the energy storage facility 100 according to this modified example shown in Fig. 9, the negative connector 42 of one of two energy storage devices 1 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) can be easily and directly connected to the positive connector 41 of the other energy storage device, and incorrect connection does not occur.

[0078] The negative electrode connector 42 of the power storage device 1F can only be connected to the positive electrode connector 41 of the power storage device 1G, which is adjacent to the left when viewed from the front. The positive electrode connector 41 of the power storage device 1F can only be connected to the negative electrode connector 42 of the power storage device 1H, which is adjacent to the right when viewed from the front. This makes it possible to easily and efficiently connect multiple power storage devices 1 lined up in the left-right direction in series. In the power storage facility 100 according to this modification, the power storage devices 1 at the left and right ends of the left-right row of power storage devices 1 are connected to the electric circuit unit 150 (not shown) by connection cables 91 (not shown) or connection cables 92. This allows the electric circuit unit 150 to control the charging and discharging of multiple power storage devices 1 for each of the power storage device rows (200D, 200E) lined up in the vertical direction.

[0079] [5. Variation 2] In the above embodiment, in the energy storage device 1, both the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 extend to the outside from a corner 19 at the end 18a of the exterior housing 18. However, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 may also extend to the outside from different corners 19 of the exterior housing 18. Therefore, a case in which the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 extend from different corners 19 will be described as a second modification of the embodiment, focusing on the differences from the above embodiment.

[0080] Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a positive power cable 31 and a negative power cable 32 of an energy storage device 1 according to a second modification of the embodiment. In Fig. 10, the two energy storage devices 1 are denoted as energy storage devices 1I and 1J to distinguish them from each other. The energy storage device 1I is an example of a first energy storage device, and the energy storage device 1J is an example of a second energy storage device. Two upper corners 19 of an end portion 18a of the energy storage device 1 are denoted by different reference numerals (19a and 19b) to distinguish them from each other.

[0081] The energy storage device 1 according to this modification has a basic structure in common with the energy storage device 1 according to the embodiment, that is, it includes a board unit 20 (not shown in Fig. 10 ), and a plurality of energy storage elements 11 are housed inside an exterior body 18. Inside the exterior body 18, the common positive terminals of the plurality of energy storage elements 11 (positive electrode connection terminals 51 of the energy storage units 10) are connected to a positive electrode power cable 31, and the common negative terminals of the plurality of energy storage elements 11 (negative electrode connection terminals 52 of the energy storage units 10) are connected to a negative electrode power cable 32. Both the positive electrode power cable 31 and the negative electrode power cable 32 extend from an end 18a of the exterior body 18 to the outside.

[0082] However, in the negative power cable 32 according to this modification, as shown in Fig. 10, the positive power cable 31 extends to the outside from the corner 19a, and the negative power cable 32 extends to the outside from the corner 19b. In other words, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 extend from different corners 19. The negative power cable 32 is fixed to the energy storage unit 10 by a fixing part (not shown). As a result, the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 are arranged in a state where they cannot be connected to each other.

[0083] In this case, the positive power cable 31 provided in the energy storage device 1 is not fixed, and therefore the positive connector 41 can be oriented in various directions. That is, as shown in Fig. 10, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 provided in one energy storage device 1 are arranged in positions such that one of the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 can be oriented in the opposite direction from the other on a straight line in the vertical direction. When the energy storage device 1 configured in this manner is used in the energy storage facility 100 according to this modified example shown in Fig. 10, the negative connector 42 of one of two energy storage devices 1 adjacent to each other in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) can be easily and directly connected to the positive connector 41 of the other energy storage device 1.

[0084] [6. Explanation of effects] An energy storage facility 100 according to an embodiment (including modifications thereof) includes a plurality of energy storage devices 1. Each of the plurality of energy storage devices 1 includes an energy storage unit 10 having a plurality of energy storage elements 11 and an exterior housing 18 that holds the plurality of energy storage elements 11, a positive power cable 31, and a negative power cable 32. The positive power cable 31 is connected to a positive connection terminal 51 of the energy storage unit 10 inside the exterior housing 18, and extends from an end 18a of the exterior housing 18 toward the outside of the exterior housing 18. The negative power cable 32 is connected to a negative connection terminal 52 of the energy storage unit 10 inside the exterior housing 18, and extends from the end 18a of the exterior housing 18 toward the outside of the exterior housing 18. The positive power cable 31 includes a positive connector 41, and the negative power cable 32 includes a negative connector 42 that is separate from the positive connector 41. The positive electrode connector 41 of one of two adjacent energy storage devices 1 in the plurality of energy storage devices 1 is directly connected to the negative electrode connector 42 of the other of the two energy storage devices 1.

[0085] As described above, in the present embodiment, when a plurality of power storage devices 1 are arranged side by side, the two power storage devices 1 are connected by connecting the positive connector 41 of one of the power storage devices 1 and the negative connector 42 of the other of the power storage devices 1 adjacent to each other. In other words, the two power storage devices 1 are electrically connected by a single connection operation (at one location). Because the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 are separate, they can be oriented in different directions. This allows the power storage device 1 to be connected in series to the power storage devices 1 on both sides (up and down, left and right, etc.) in the arrangement direction of the power storage devices 1. As described above, each power storage device 1 has power cables (31 and 32) with connectors for the positive and negative poles, respectively. Therefore, the two power storage devices 1 to be connected can be easily connected without using a separate conductive member such as a cable for connecting the power storage devices 1 to each other and without using a tool such as a wrench. As described above, the power storage facility 100 according to the embodiment allows the connection operation of the plurality of power storage devices 1 to be easily performed.

[0086] During the process of manufacturing a plurality of energy storage devices 1, the work of connecting the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 to the energy storage unit 10 (such as fastening nuts) is performed. This improves the reliability or quality of the connection between the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 and the energy storage unit 10, and also makes it possible to standardize the reliability or quality among the plurality of energy storage devices 1.

[0087] The plurality of energy storage devices 1 are arranged side by side in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions with the end portions 18a of the respective exterior bodies 18 of the plurality of energy storage devices 1 facing the same direction (first direction). In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 9, the plurality of energy storage devices 1 are arranged side by side in the vertical and horizontal directions with the end portions 18a of the respective exterior bodies 18 facing the front (the front side of the rack 110). The positive power cable 31A of one energy storage device 1 (energy storage device 1A in FIGS. 6 and 7) is configured so that the positive connector 41A can be connected to the negative connector 42B of the energy storage device 1B, but cannot be connected to the negative connectors 42 of one or more energy storage devices 1 other than the energy storage device 1B (including the energy storage device 1A). In this embodiment, the direction in which the rack 110 faces (the direction in which the front end faces 120a of the shelf boards 120 face, the negative Y-axis direction) is the first direction. The plurality of power storage devices 1 are arranged side by side in a vertical direction (Z-axis direction), which is a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The second direction intersecting with the first direction may be a horizontal direction (X-axis direction). In this case, the plurality of power storage devices 1 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction).

[0088] According to this configuration, the positive connector 41 provided on the positive power cable 31 of one energy storage device 1 cannot be physically connected to the negative connector 42, which is prohibited from being connected. Therefore, when a large number of energy storage devices 1 of the same product are lined up vertically and horizontally, the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 will not be connected in an incorrect combination, and the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 of one energy storage device 1 will not be connected (a short circuit in the energy storage device 1). In other words, the connection work for multiple energy storage devices 1 can be performed easily and accurately. The connectable and unconnectable connectors of the positive connector 41A can be selectively changed by changing the length of the positive power cable 31A.

[0089] The exterior body 18 of the energy storage device 1 is rectangular, and the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 extend from a corner 19 of the exterior body 18, which is part of the end 18a of the exterior body 18, to the outside of the exterior body 18.

[0090] As described above, in the energy storage device 1, the outlets of the two power cables (31 and 32) for the positive and negative electrodes from the exterior housing 18 are concentrated at a corner 19 of the exterior housing 18. Therefore, regardless of whether the connected energy storage device 1 is oriented vertically, horizontally, or horizontally, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 are arranged in an orientation that follows the vertical or horizontal direction (see FIGS. 6 and 9 ). In other words, when adjacent energy storage devices 1 are connected in series, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 are not arranged at an angle relative to the vertical or horizontal direction. Therefore, the lengths of the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 may be relatively short, and the connection work between the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 (the work of connecting the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42) is easy.

[0091] In each of the multiple energy storage devices 1, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 are positioned so that one of the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 can be aligned in the same straight line with the insertion direction of the connector facing in the opposite direction to the other of the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42.

[0092] According to this configuration, the positive electrode connector 41 and the negative electrode connector 42 of one energy storage device 1 are arranged in a straight line and facing in opposite directions. Therefore, when multiple energy storage devices 1 are arranged in a direction parallel to the straight line, the positive electrode connector 41 of one energy storage device 1 (first energy storage device) and the negative electrode connector 42 of the other energy storage device 1 (second energy storage device) of two adjacent energy storage devices 1 are positioned facing each other on the same axis. Therefore, multiple energy storage devices 1 can be easily connected in series. That is, in the above embodiment, the positive electrode connector 41 and the negative electrode connector 42 of one energy storage device 1 are inserted in opposite directions and are arranged on a straight line L in the vertical direction (see FIG. 4). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, multiple energy storage devices 1 regularly arranged in the vertical direction can be easily connected in series. In the above modified example, the positive electrode connector 41 and the negative electrode connector 42 of one energy storage device 1 are inserted in opposite directions and are arranged on a straight line L in the horizontal direction (see FIG. 7). Therefore, it is possible to easily connect in series a plurality of power storage devices 1 regularly arranged in the left-right direction as shown in Fig. 9. Whether one of the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 can be oriented in the opposite direction from the other on the same straight line depends not only on the positions of the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 but also on their lengths. In other words, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 may be arranged in a position and with a length that allows one of the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 to be oriented in the opposite direction from the other on the same straight line.

[0093] The power storage facility 100 includes a rack 110 having one or more shelves 120 on which a plurality of power storage devices 1 are placed, respectively. Each of the plurality of power storage devices 1 is arranged with an end 18a of an exterior body 18 facing the front surface of the rack 110. The positive electrode connector 41 and the negative electrode connector 42 are arranged such that their positions in the front-to-rear direction are located on or near the front end surface 120a of the shelf 120.

[0094] According to this configuration, the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 of the pair to be connected are disposed at or near the front end of the rack 110. Therefore, after placing the plurality of power storage devices 1 on the plurality of shelves 120 of the rack 110, the task of connecting the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 of one of two vertically adjacent power storage devices 1 can be easily performed. More preferably, the positions of the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 in the front-rear direction are the same as or forward of the front end surface 120a of the shelf 120 located between the two power storage devices 1. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7 , the positive power cable 31 having the positive connector 41 is disposed in a position that exceeds the shelf 120 in the vertical direction but does not substantially interfere with the shelf 120. The negative connector 42 is disposed directly above the positive connector 41 that faces upward. This virtually eliminates the possibility that the shelf 120 will interfere with the task of connecting the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42.

[0095] In the energy storage equipment 100, at least a portion of the negative power cable 32 extending from the energy storage unit 10 is fixed to the energy storage unit 10, and the portion of the positive power cable 31 extending from the energy storage unit 10 is not fixed to the energy storage unit 10.

[0096] In this way, the negative power cable 32 drawn out from one power storage device 1 is fixed to that power storage device 1, and the positive power cable 31 drawn out from that power storage device 1 is not fixed but is free. As a result, when connecting the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 as shown in FIG. 6 , the position of the negative connector 42 is stable, and the positive connector 41 has a high degree of freedom in its position and orientation, making it easy to connect the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41. The position of the pair of negative connector 42 and positive connector 41 in the connected state can be restricted to a predetermined position. This makes it easy to visually check the connection state of each of the plurality of pairs of negative connectors 42 and positive connectors 41.

[0097] An energy storage device 1 according to the embodiment (including its modified examples) includes an energy storage unit 10 having a plurality of energy storage elements 11, a negative power cable 32, and a positive power cable 31. The negative power cable 32 is connected to a negative connection terminal 52 of the energy storage unit 10 and extends outward from an end 18a of the energy storage unit 10. The positive power cable 31 is connected to a positive connection terminal 51 of the energy storage unit 10 and extends outward from an end 18a of the energy storage unit 10. The negative power cable 32 has a negative connector 42. The positive power cable 31 has a positive connector 41 that has a structure that allows direct connection to the negative connector 42. The negative power cable 32 is positioned in a manner that prevents connection between the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41.

[0098] As described above, in the energy storage device 1 according to the embodiment, the negative connector 42 has a structure that allows direct connection to the positive connector 41. Therefore, by arranging a plurality of such energy storage devices 1, an energy storage facility 100 with a large overall output voltage can be configured. The negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 of one energy storage device 1 are physically incapable of connection to each other, so that a short circuit due to incorrect connection of the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 of one energy storage device 1 does not occur. As described above, the energy storage device 1 according to the embodiment is an energy storage device with improved safety. As an alternative method, the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 can be made unconnectable by adjusting the length of the negative power cable 32, rather than the orientation of the negative power cable 32. Both the orientation and the length of the negative power cable 32 may be adjusted to make the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 unconnectable.

[0099] At least a portion of the negative power cable 32 extending from the power storage unit 10 is fixed to the power storage unit 10, and the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 are positioned in a position that makes them unable to be connected.

[0100] According to this configuration, the negative connector 42 of the negative power cable 32 is fixed. Alternatively, the cable portion of the negative power cable 32 near the negative connector 42 is fixed. This prevents erroneous connection between the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 of the power storage device 1, and allows the negative power cable 32 to be fixed in an orientation suitable for connection to another power storage device 1.

[0101] 1 and 4, the negative power cable 32 extending from the end 18a of the energy storage unit 10 is fixed at a position inside (toward the energy storage unit 10) the end face of the board unit 20 disposed at the end 18a in the direction of extension (negative Y-axis direction). In other words, the position where the negative power cable 32 is drawn out from the energy storage unit 10 is the end 18a of the energy storage unit 10 and is also on the side of the board unit 20, so that the negative power cable 32 can be bent and positioned so as not to protrude from the outer shape of the energy storage device 1. This allows the energy storage device 1 to be made more compact.

[0102] The energy storage unit 10 has a plate-shaped base member 15 that supports a plurality of energy storage elements 11. The base member 15 has a fixing portion 15d to which at least a portion of the negative power cable 32 is fixed.

[0103] In this way, since the fixing portion 15d is provided on the base member 15 made of a metal such as iron, the negative power cable 32 can be firmly or reliably fixed. As a result, the negative connector 42 is more reliably maintained in a predetermined position. This improves the reliability or certainty of the connection of the negative connector 42 with other connectors (such as the positive connector 41).

[0104] The negative electrode connector 42 is disposed in a position opposite to the orientation of the positive electrode connector 41 when the positive electrode connector 41 is connected to the negative electrode connector 42 of another power storage device 1.

[0105] This allows one power storage device 1 (first power storage device) and two other power storage devices 1 (second power storage device, third power storage device) sandwiching the one power storage device 1 to be aligned in a row, and these power storage devices 1 can be electrically connected in series. Specifically, in the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 , in a power storage device 1A (first power storage device), a positive connector 41A is connected to a negative connector 42B of an upper power storage device 1B (second power storage device), and the negative connector 42A is disposed in a downward orientation. This negative connector 42A is connected to a positive connector 41C of a lower power storage device 1C (third power storage device). In this state, the insertion direction (downward) of the negative connector 42A of the power storage device 1A into the positive connector 41C of the power storage device 1C is opposite to the insertion direction (upward) of the positive connector 41A of the power storage device 1A into the negative connector 42B of the power storage device 1B. As a result, each of the multiple power storage devices 1 lined up in the vertical direction can be safely and easily connected to the power storage device 1 to be connected. In the modified example, as shown in FIG. 9 , the positive connector 41 of the power storage device 1F (first power storage device) is connected to the negative connector 42 of the right power storage device 1H (second power storage device), and the negative connector 42 of the power storage device 1F is disposed in a position facing left. The negative connector 42A of the power storage device 1F is connected to the positive connector 41 of the left power storage device 1G (third power storage device). In this state, the insertion direction (leftward) of the negative connector 42 of the power storage device 1F into the positive connector 41 of the power storage device 1G is opposite to the insertion direction (rightward) of the positive connector 41 of the power storage device 1F into the negative connector 42 of the power storage device 1H. As a result, each of the multiple power storage devices 1 lined up in the horizontal direction can be safely and easily connected to the power storage device 1 to be connected.

[0106] 2, the power storage device 1 includes a board unit 20 having a substrate 25 electrically connected to the power storage unit 10. The board unit 20 is disposed at an end 18a of the power storage unit 10.

[0107] In this way, the board unit 20 is disposed at the end 18a of the power storage unit 10, from which the negative power cable 32 and the positive power cable 31 are drawn out. Therefore, by disposing the power storage device 1 so that the end 18a of the power storage unit 10 faces the passage where workers come and go, maintenance of the board unit 20 or the board 25, or work to connect the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41, etc., can be facilitated.

[0108] (Other embodiments) The energy storage facility 100 and the energy storage device 1 according to the present embodiment and its modified examples have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modified examples. In other words, the embodiment and modified examples disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0109] In the embodiment, in order to connect multiple vertically arranged energy storage devices 1 in series, the negative connector 42 of each energy storage device 1 is fixed in a downward orientation. However, the negative connector 42 may also be fixed in an upward orientation. A portion of the positive power cable 31 may be fixed so that the positive connector 41, rather than the negative connector 42, is oriented downward or upward. In either case, it is sufficient that the free end of the negative connector 42 or the positive connector 41 can be connected to the fixed end of the negative connector 42 or the positive connector 41 of the upper or lower energy storage device 1. This allows multiple energy storage devices 1 to be connected in series smoothly and efficiently. The same applies to Modification 1, and the negative connector 42 of each energy storage device 1 may be fixed in a right orientation rather than a left orientation. A portion of the positive power cable 31 may be fixed so that the positive connector 41, rather than the negative connector 42, is oriented left or right. In either case, it is sufficient that the free negative electrode connector 42 and the free positive electrode connector 41 can be connected to the fixed negative electrode connector 42 and the positive electrode connector 41 of the left or right storage device 1.

[0110] It is not essential that one of the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 of the energy storage device 1 is fixed. The negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 of one energy storage device 1 may not be connectable due to the length or hardness, etc., of the negative power cable 32 and the positive power cable 31 of the energy storage device 1, or the size or shape, etc., of the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 of the energy storage device 1. Even in this case, as long as the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 of another energy storage device 1 adjacent to the one energy storage device 1 on the vertical or horizontal sides can be connected, it is possible to connect a plurality of energy storage devices 1 arranged in the vertical or horizontal direction in series, and the possibility of incorrect connection is reduced.

[0111] When the energy storage devices 1 are arranged in a direction tilted relative to the vertical direction, a portion of the negative power cable 32 or the positive power cable 31 may be fixed so that the negative connector 42 or the positive connector 41 of the energy storage device 1 faces in the direction. This allows a plurality of energy storage devices 1 arranged in a direction tilted relative to the vertical direction to be connected in series naturally and efficiently.

[0112] Corner 19 where the outlets of positive power cable 31 and negative power cable 32 from exterior body 18 are concentrated does not have to be the upper right corner when viewed from the front of energy storage device 1, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. Depending on the attitude of energy storage elements 11 in energy storage unit 10 or the positions of the electrode terminals of energy storage elements 11, the outlets of positive power cable 31 and negative power cable 32 from exterior body 18 may be concentrated at the upper left, lower left, or lower right corner of exterior body 18.

[0113] The energy storage device 1 does not need to include the substrate unit 20. In other words, the functions of monitoring the charge state of the multiple energy storage elements 11 and adjusting the voltage may be performed by an external device electrically connected to the energy storage device 1.

[0114] The positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 do not have to extend from the same end of the exterior body 18, but may extend from opposite ends of the exterior body 18 toward the outside of the exterior body 18. In FIG. 2 , the positive power cable 31 may extend from the end of the exterior body 18 that is located in the negative direction of the Y axis, and the negative power cable 32 may extend from the end of the exterior body 18 that is located in the positive direction of the Y axis. Even in this case, if the power storage device 1 is accessible from the front and rear sides of the rack 110, the connection between the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 can be performed from the front and rear sides of the rack 110. If multiple power storage devices 1 are arranged side by side in a predetermined flat area rather than housed in the rack 110, the connection between the positive connector 41 and the negative connector 42 can be performed from the top side of the multiple power storage devices 1.

[0115] In one energy storage device 1, the positive power cable 31 and the negative power cable 32 may be configured so that the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 can be connected. Even in this case, the positive power cable 31 of one energy storage device 1 and the negative power cable 32 of the adjacent energy storage device 1 can be electrically connected by a direct connector connection. Therefore, multiple energy storage devices 1 lined up in a predetermined direction, such as the up-down, left-right, or front-back direction, can be easily connected in series without using a separate connection cable or tools for the connection work. Since the length of the positive power cable 31 or the negative power cable 32 does not need to be long enough to prevent the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 from being directly connected, these cables can be made longer with some leeway. This increases the degree of freedom in the positioning of the positive power cable 31 or the negative power cable 32 when connecting two adjacent energy storage devices 1, thereby facilitating the connection work between the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41. By attaching a connector cover to at least one of the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 before connecting to another energy storage device 1, the possibility of incorrect connection (short circuit) between the negative connector 42 and the positive connector 41 can be reduced. [Industrial Applicability]

[0116] The present invention can be applied to an electricity storage device including an electricity storage element such as a lithium ion secondary battery, and to an electricity storage facility including a plurality of electricity storage devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 1, 1A~1J power storage device 10 Energy storage unit 11 Energy storage element 11a Container 11b Positive terminal 11c negative terminal 12 spacer 13 Busbar 13a Detection cable 13b connector 14. Exterior body 15 Base material 15a bottom 15b, 15c, 17b, 17c connection parts 15d, 15f, 120b fixed part 15g fixing material 15h Fixed piece 15i fixing hole 16 PCB unit mounting section 17 Exterior body lid 17a Top section 18 Exterior body 18a End 19, 19a, 19b corner 19a Vertex 20 Circuit Board Unit 21 Circuit board case 25 boards 31, 31A positive power cable 32, 32A, 32B negative power cable 41, 41A, 41C positive connector 42, 42A~42E Negative connector 51 Positive connection terminal 52 Negative connection terminal 60 Busbar Frame 91, 92 Connection cable 100 Energy storage facilities 110 racks 120 shelf 120a Front end 150 Electrical circuit unit 200, 200A~200E power storage device row

Claims

1. A power storage facility including a plurality of power storage devices, Each of the plurality of power storage devices an energy storage unit having a plurality of energy storage elements and an exterior body that holds the plurality of energy storage elements; a first power cable connected to one of the positive electrode connection terminal and the negative electrode connection terminal of the power storage unit inside the exterior housing and extending from an end of the exterior housing toward the outside of the exterior housing; a second power cable connected to the other of the positive electrode connecting terminal and the negative electrode connecting terminal of the power storage unit inside the exterior housing and extending from the end of the exterior housing toward the outside of the exterior housing, the first power cable has a first connector; the second power cable has a second connector; the first connector of a first power storage device that is one of two adjacent power storage devices in the plurality of power storage devices is directly connected to the second connector of a second power storage device that is the other of the two power storage devices, further comprising a rack having one or more shelves on which each of the plurality of power storage devices is placed, At least a portion of the first power cable extending from the power storage unit is fixed to the rack. Energy storage equipment.

2. the first cable and the second cable extend from the end of the exterior body in the arrangement direction of the plurality of energy storage elements toward the outside. The power storage facility according to claim 1.

3. A power storage facility including a plurality of power storage devices, Each of the plurality of power storage devices an energy storage unit having a plurality of energy storage elements and an exterior body that holds the plurality of energy storage elements; a first power cable connected to one of the positive electrode connection terminal and the negative electrode connection terminal of the power storage unit inside the exterior housing and extending from an end of the exterior housing toward the outside of the exterior housing; a second power cable connected to the other of the positive electrode connecting terminal and the negative electrode connecting terminal of the power storage unit inside the exterior housing and extending from the end of the exterior housing toward the outside of the exterior housing, the first power cable has a first connector; the second power cable has a second connector; the first connector of a first power storage device that is one of two adjacent power storage devices in the plurality of power storage devices is directly connected to the second connector of a second power storage device that is the other of the two power storage devices, the plurality of power storage devices are arranged side by side in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, with the end portions of the exterior bodies of the respective power storage devices facing the first direction; the first connector of the first power storage device is configured to be unable to be connected to the second connector of a power storage device other than the second power storage device, Energy storage equipment.

4. A power storage facility including a plurality of power storage devices, Each of the plurality of power storage devices an energy storage unit having a plurality of energy storage elements and an exterior body that holds the plurality of energy storage elements; a first power cable connected to one of the positive electrode connection terminal and the negative electrode connection terminal of the power storage unit inside the exterior housing and extending from an end of the exterior housing toward the outside of the exterior housing; a second power cable connected to the other of the positive electrode connecting terminal and the negative electrode connecting terminal of the power storage unit inside the exterior housing and extending from the end of the exterior housing toward the outside of the exterior housing, the first power cable has a first connector; the second power cable has a second connector; the first connector of a first power storage device that is one of two adjacent power storage devices in the plurality of power storage devices is directly connected to the second connector of a second power storage device that is the other of the two power storage devices, In each of the plurality of power storage devices, the first power cable and the second power cable are arranged at positions where one of the first connector and the second connector can be oriented in a direction opposite to the other of the first connector and the second connector on the same straight line; Energy storage equipment.

5. A power storage facility including a plurality of power storage devices, Each of the plurality of power storage devices an energy storage unit having a plurality of energy storage elements and an exterior body that holds the plurality of energy storage elements; a first power cable connected to one of the positive electrode connection terminal and the negative electrode connection terminal of the power storage unit inside the exterior housing and extending from an end of the exterior housing toward the outside of the exterior housing; a second power cable connected to the other of the positive electrode connecting terminal and the negative electrode connecting terminal of the power storage unit inside the exterior housing and extending from the end of the exterior housing toward the outside of the exterior housing, the first power cable has a first connector; the second power cable has a second connector; the first connector of a first power storage device that is one of two adjacent power storage devices in the plurality of power storage devices is directly connected to the second connector of a second power storage device that is the other of the two power storage devices, further comprising a rack having one or more shelves on which each of the plurality of power storage devices is placed, Each of the plurality of power storage devices is the end of the exterior body is arranged facing the front surface of the rack, and the first connector and the second connector are arranged so that their positions in the front-rear direction are located on or near the front end surface of the shelf board. Energy storage equipment.

6. A power storage facility including a plurality of power storage devices, Each of the plurality of power storage devices an energy storage unit having a plurality of energy storage elements and an exterior body that holds the plurality of energy storage elements; a first power cable connected to one of the positive electrode connection terminal and the negative electrode connection terminal of the power storage unit inside the exterior housing and extending from an end of the exterior housing toward the outside of the exterior housing; a second power cable connected to the other of the positive electrode connecting terminal and the negative electrode connecting terminal of the power storage unit inside the exterior housing and extending from the end of the exterior housing toward the outside of the exterior housing, the first power cable has a first connector; the second power cable has a second connector; the first connector of a first power storage device that is one of two adjacent power storage devices in the plurality of power storage devices is directly connected to the second connector of a second power storage device that is the other of the two power storage devices, at least a portion of the first power cable extending from the power storage unit is fixed to the power storage unit; a portion of the second power cable extending from the power storage unit is not fixed to the power storage unit; Energy storage equipment.

7. The exterior body is rectangular, the first power cable and the second power cable extend from a corner of the exterior body, which is a part of the end of the exterior body, to the outside of the exterior body; The power storage facility according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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