Energy storage module

Abstract

To provide a power storage module which allows improvement in positioning accuracy of a bus bar case with respect to a plurality of power storage cells.SOLUTION: A power storage module comprises a plurality of power storage cells, a plurality of resin frames 200, and a bus bar module 300. Each of the power storage cells has a pair of external terminals. The bus bar module 300 has a plurality of bus bars 310 and a bus bar case 320. Each of the resin frames 200 has a locking part 210 for locking the bus bar case 320. The bus bar case 320 has: a locked part 324 which can be engaged with the locking part 210; and a biasing part which biases the bus bars 310 toward the locked part 324 side when the locked part 324 is locked to the locking part 210.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an energy storage module. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2014-232633 discloses a power supply device including a plurality of batteries and a bus bar module. The bus bar module includes a plurality of bus bars that connect the external terminals of a pair of adjacent batteries and a case that houses the bus bars. The case includes a peripheral wall that houses the bus bars and an elastic portion. The elastic portion clamps the bus bars and positions them at a predetermined position away from the peripheral wall. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-232633 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the power supply device described in JP 2014-232633 A, if the misalignment of the mounting position of the bus bar module relative to the plurality of batteries becomes relatively large, the misalignment may not be absorbed by the relative displacement of the bus bar with respect to the bus bar case.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an energy storage module that can improve the positioning accuracy of a busbar case relative to a plurality of energy storage cells. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an energy storage module comprising: a plurality of energy storage cells arranged in one direction; a plurality of resin frames arranged between pairs of energy storage cells adjacent to each other in the one direction; and a bus bar module arranged on the plurality of energy storage cells and the plurality of resin frames, wherein the energy storage cells have a pair of external terminals; the bus bar module has a plurality of bus bars that electrically connect the external terminals adjacent to each other in the one direction; and a bus bar case that holds the plurality of bus bars; the resin frame has a locking portion that locks the bus bar case; and the bus bar case has a locked portion engageable with the locking portion and a biasing portion that biases the bus bar toward the locked portion when the locked portion is engaged with the locking portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an energy storage module that can improve the positioning accuracy of a busbar case relative to a plurality of energy storage cells. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically illustrating a portion of an energy storage module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a plurality of storage cells and a plurality of resin frames. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the solid line III in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bus bar module from below. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a part of an energy storage module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a plurality of energy storage cells and a plurality of resin frames. The energy storage module 1 is mounted on, for example, a vehicle.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the energy storage module 1 includes a plurality of energy storage cells 100, a plurality of resin frames 200, and a bus bar module 300.

[0012] 2, the plurality of storage cells 100 are arranged in one direction. Each storage cell 100 may be, for example, a lithium ion battery. Each storage cell 100 has a case 110 and a pair of external terminals 120.

[0013] The case 110 houses the electrodes etc. The case 110 is made of aluminum etc. The case 110 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0014] The pair of external terminals 120 have a shape that protrudes from the case 110. Each external terminal 120 protrudes upward from the top surface of the case 110. One of the pair of external terminals 120 is a positive terminal, and the other is a negative terminal. A safety valve (not shown) is provided in the case 110 at a location between the pair of external terminals 120.

[0015] Each storage cell 100 may be a battery having a liquid electrolyte housed in a case 110, or may be a battery having a solid electrolyte housed in a cell case 110 (all-solid-state battery).

[0016] Each resin frame 200 is disposed between a pair of energy storage cells 100 adjacent to each other in the one direction. Each resin frame 200 has a locking portion 210 capable of locking a busbar module 300. The locking portion 210 is formed on the upper part of the resin frame 200. In this embodiment, the locking portion 210 is configured as a claw portion having a shape that protrudes outward in a width direction that is perpendicular to both the one direction and the up-down direction. The locking portion 210 is formed outside the external terminals 120 in the width direction. This ensures a smoke exhaust path from the safety valve of the case 110.

[0017] 1, the bus bar module 300 is arranged on a plurality of energy storage cells 100 and a plurality of resin frames 200. The bus bar module 300 has a plurality of bus bars 310 and a bus bar case 320.

[0018] 3, each bus bar 310 electrically connects the external terminals 120 adjacent to each other in one direction. Each bus bar 310 electrically connects the positive electrode terminal of one storage cell 100 to the negative electrode terminal of the storage cell 100 adjacent to the one storage cell 100. In other words, the multiple storage cells 100 are connected in series by each bus bar 310.

[0019] 3 to 5, each bus bar 310 has a welded portion 312 to be welded to the external terminal 120. The welded portion 312 is formed in a flat plate shape. A through hole is formed in the welded portion 312 to expose a part of the external terminal 120.

[0020] Busbar case 320 holds multiple busbars 310. Busbar case 320 is made of an insulating material (synthetic resin, etc.). As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, busbar case 320 has a storage portion 322, a locked portion 324, a biasing portion 326, and multiple (four in this embodiment) locking portions 328.

[0021] The accommodation portion 322 accommodates the welded portion 312. The accommodation portion 322 is formed in a rectangular tubular shape. As shown in Fig. 4, the accommodation portion 322 has an outer wall 322a formed on the outer side in the width direction, and an inner wall 322b formed on the inner side in the width direction. The outer wall 322a and the inner wall 322b face each other in the width direction.

[0022] The locked portion 324 is engageable with the locking portion 210 of the resin frame 200. The locked portion 324 protrudes outward in the width direction from the accommodating portion 322. A gap is formed between the locked portion 324 and the outer wall 322a of the accommodating portion 322, allowing the locking portion 210 to be inserted therethrough.

[0023] 1, the multiple locked portions 324 are arranged in a staggered pattern in a plan view. That is, the multiple locked portions 324 are arranged so that positions at which they engage with the locking portion 210 formed on one side in the width direction of a pair of locking portions 210 in one resin frame 200 and positions at which they engage with the locking portion 210 formed on the other side in the width direction of a pair of locking portions 210 in a resin frame 200 adjacent to the one resin frame 200 are arranged alternately along the one direction.

[0024] The biasing portion 326 biases the bus bar 310 toward the locked portion 324 (outward in the width direction) when the locked portion 324 is engaged with the locking portion 210. More specifically, as shown by the arrows in Figures 4 and 5, the biasing portion 326 biases the bus bar 310 from the inner wall 322b toward the outer wall 322a. As shown in Figure 4, the biasing portion 326 is configured as a portion between a pair of slits formed in the inner wall 322b.

[0025] Each locking portion 328 is provided on the inner surface of the accommodation portion 322. Each locking portion 328 restricts the bus bar 310, which is biased by the biasing portion 326, from rotating within the accommodation portion 322. Each locking portion 328 has a function of centering the bus bar 310 within the accommodation portion 322. Each locking portion 328 is configured, for example, with a snap-fit ​​structure.

[0026] As described above, in the energy storage module of this embodiment, resin frame 200 has locking portions 210 and busbar case 320 has locked portions 324, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of busbar module 300 relative to the plurality of energy storage cells 100. Furthermore, busbar case 320 has biasing portions 326, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of each busbar 310 relative to busbar case 320.

[0027] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments described above are examples of the following aspects.

[0028] The energy storage module in the above embodiment includes a plurality of energy storage cells arranged in one direction, a plurality of resin frames arranged between pairs of energy storage cells adjacent to each other in the one direction, and bus bar modules arranged on the plurality of energy storage cells and the plurality of resin frames, wherein the energy storage cells have a pair of external terminals, the bus bar module has a plurality of bus bars that electrically connect the external terminals adjacent to each other in the one direction, and a bus bar case that holds the plurality of bus bars, the resin frame has a locking portion that locks the bus bar case, and the bus bar case has a locked portion that can engage with the locking portion and a biasing portion that biases the bus bar toward the locked portion when the locked portion is engaged with the locking portion.

[0029] In this energy storage module, the resin frame has locking portions and the busbar case has locked portions, which improves the positioning accuracy of the busbar module relative to the multiple energy storage cells.Furthermore, the busbar case has biasing portions, which improves the positioning accuracy of each busbar relative to the busbar case.

[0030] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims rather than the description of the above embodiments, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1 Energy storage module, 100 Energy storage cell, 110 Case, 120 External terminal, 200 Resin frame, 210 Locking portion, 300 Bus bar module, 310 Bus bar, 312 Welded portion, 320 Bus bar case, 322 Storage portion, 324 Locked portion, 326 Biasing portion.

Claims

1. A plurality of storage cells arranged in one direction; a plurality of resin frames disposed between pairs of power storage cells adjacent to each other in the one direction; a busbar module disposed on the plurality of storage cells and a plurality of resin frames, the storage cell has a pair of external terminals provided at positions spaced apart from each other in a width direction perpendicular to both the one direction and the up-down direction, The busbar module includes: a plurality of bus bars electrically connecting the external terminals adjacent to each other in the one direction; a bus bar case that holds the plurality of bus bars, the bus bar has a welded portion to be welded to the external terminal, the resin frame has a locking portion that locks the bus bar case, The busbar case is a housing portion that houses the welded portion; a locked portion engageable with the locking portion; a plurality of locking portions provided on the inner surface of the housing portion; The storage section is an outer wall formed on the outer side in the width direction; an inner wall formed on the inner side in the width direction; a pair of connecting walls connecting the outer wall and the inner wall and facing each other in the one direction, the inner wall has a biasing portion that biases the bus bar toward the outer wall when the locked portion is engaged with the locking portion, the biasing portion is configured as a portion between a pair of slits formed in the inner wall, The plurality of locking portions have a shape that protrudes in the one direction from the inner surfaces of the pair of connecting walls.

2. The engaging portion protrudes outward in the width direction from the accommodating portion, The energy storage module according to claim 1 , wherein a gap that allows insertion of the locking portion is formed between the locked portion and the outer wall.

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