Voltage detection unit

Abstract

To provide a voltage detection unit with excellent workability in conductive connection with a detection target.SOLUTION: A voltage detection unit 5 comprises: a voltage detection terminal 10 that is to be conductively connected with a detection target 4; an electric wire 20 that is conductively connected with the voltage detection terminal 10; a plate-like housing 40 that has a terminal accommodation recessed part 42 in which the voltage detection terminal 10 is accommodated; and a cover 30 that is attached to the housing 40 so as to cover the voltage detection terminal 10 accommodated in the terminal accommodation recessed part 42. The electric wire 20 is accommodated in an electric wire accommodation part 46 formed between the housing 40 and the cover 30 by attaching the cover 30 to the housing 40, and is guided so as to be led out toward the exterior via the electric wire accommodation part 46. The electric wire accommodation part 46 is configured so that one (57, 58) of a pair of opposed inner walls of the electric wire accommodation part 46 opposed to each other in an attachment direction belongs to the housing 40 and the other (37, 38) of the pair of opposed inner walls belongs to the cover 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a voltage detection unit configured such that a voltage detection terminal to be conductively connected to a detection target is housed in a plate-shaped housing.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a stacked power storage device has been proposed that is configured to connect a plurality of power storage modules in series via a conductive plate by alternately arranging and repeatedly stacking a thin plate-shaped rechargeable power storage module and a conductive plate. A power storage module used in this type of power storage device generally has a structure in which a plurality of battery cells are built in and functions as a single rechargeable battery. In one of the conventional power storage devices, in order to monitor the output state of each power storage module (that is, the potential of the output surface of each power storage module with respect to a reference zero potential; hereinafter, also simply referred to as "the voltage of the power storage module"), a detection terminal such as a bus bar is connected to the conductive plate in contact with the output surface of each power storage module, and the voltage of each power storage module is detected via this detection terminal (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, when actually connecting busbars, etc., to the conductive plates in an energy storage device having the structure described above, it is difficult to secure space for other connecting parts (for example, bolts for fastening) because the energy storage modules and conductive plates have a thin plate shape. Therefore, in the conventional energy storage device described above, insertion holes for inserting detection terminals are provided on the side edges of the conductive plates, and the detection terminals are connected to the conductive plates by inserting the detection terminals into the insertion holes of each conductive plate from the side of the laminate formed by stacking the energy storage modules and conductive plates. However, with this conventional connection method, aligning the insertion holes of the conductive plates with the detection terminals is complicated when inserting the detection terminals, making it difficult to improve the workability of the connection work.

[0005] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a voltage detection unit that offers excellent workability in conductive connection with the object to be detected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the voltage detection unit according to the present invention is characterized by the following:

[0007] A voltage detection terminal that will be electrically connected to the object to be detected, A wire connected electrically to the aforementioned voltage detection terminal, A plate-shaped housing having a terminal housing recess in which the voltage detection terminal is housed, So that the voltage detection terminal housed in the terminal housing recess is covered Directions intersecting the thickness direction of the housing A cover is attached to the housing along the same line, The aforementioned electric wire is The cover is attached to the housing and the wires are housed in the wire housing portion formed between the housing and the cover, and are guided to be pulled out to the outside through the wire housing portion. The aforementioned wire housing section is The aforementioned Intersecting in the thickness direction The configuration is such that one of a pair of opposing inner walls of the wire housing, which face each other in a given direction, belongs to the housing, and the other of the pair of opposing inner walls belongs to the cover. It must be a voltage detection unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the voltage detection unit of the present invention, a voltage detection terminal to which an electric wire is connected is housed in a terminal housing recess of a plate-shaped housing, and the electric wire extending from the voltage detection terminal can be led out of the housing through a wire housing section. This makes it possible to house the voltage detection terminal and electric wire inside the voltage detection unit while making it thinner (i.e., having a plate-shaped outer shape). Furthermore, when electrically connecting the voltage detection unit to a detection target (for example, a conductive plate used in a stacked energy storage device), for example, the voltage detection unit can be assembled to the detection target, and then the exposed voltage detection terminal and the detection target can be fixed using methods such as ultrasonic bonding or welding. This eliminates the need for other connecting parts compared to typical bolt fastening, and makes alignment between the two easier and reduces contact resistance at the contact points compared to the conventional connection methods described above. Therefore, the voltage detection unit with this configuration offers excellent workability in conductive connection with the detection target.

[0009] Furthermore, in the voltage detection unit with the above configuration, the wire housing section has a pair of opposing inner walls that face each other in the direction in which the cover is attached to the housing, with one of these opposing inner walls belonging to the housing and the other belonging to the cover. Therefore, when the cover is attached to the housing, the wires extending from the voltage detection terminals are sandwiched between the pair of opposing inner walls and are naturally housed in the wire housing section while their shape is restricted to conform to a predetermined routing shape (i.e., to conform to the final shape of the wire housing section). Thus, compared to, for example, manually pushing wires into recesses for wire housing provided in the housing, such manual work is not required, thus reducing the workload on the worker. In other words, the voltage detection unit with this configuration can improve the productivity of the voltage detection unit by simplifying the work of housing wires in the wire housing section.

[0010] The above is a brief description of the present invention. Furthermore, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading through the embodiments for carrying out the invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a laminated power storage device including a voltage detection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a part thereof disassembled. [Figure 2] FIG. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2(b) is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 2(a). [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the conductive module shown in FIG. 1, with a part thereof disassembled. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the voltage detection unit according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a top view showing a housing in which voltage detection terminals and electric wires are housed, and a cover. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a bottom view showing a housing in which voltage detection terminals and electric wires are housed, and a cover. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a top view showing a state where the cover is locked to the housing at a temporary locking position. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a top view showing a state where the cover is locked to the housing at a main locking position. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of part E of FIG. 9.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, the voltage detection unit 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “upper”, and “lower” are defined. The “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction”, and “up-down direction” are orthogonal to each other.

[0013] The voltage detection unit 5 is typically used for the stacked power storage device 1 shown in FIG. 1. The power storage device 1 is configured by alternately stacking in the up-down direction a rectangular thin-plate-shaped rechargeable power storage module 2 and a rectangular thin-plate-shaped conductive module 3 that can electrically connect adjacent power storage modules 2. In the power storage device 1, a plurality of power storage modules 2 are electrically connected in series via the conductive module 3. The power storage module 2 has a structure in which a plurality of battery cells (not shown) are incorporated inside, and as a whole, the power storage module 2 functions as one rechargeable battery.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the conductive module 3 is configured to have a rectangular thin-plate shape as a whole by a rectangular thin-plate-shaped conductive plate 4 (note that the conductive plate 4 also has a function as a heat sink as will be described later), a rectangular thin-plate-shaped voltage detection unit 5 connected to the right side of the conductive plate 4, and a rectangular thin-plate-shaped opposing unit 6 connected to the left side of the conductive plate 4. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 (particularly, refer to FIG. 2(a)), the conductive plate 4 and the voltage detection unit 5 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 4a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the right end surface of the conductive plate 4 and a recess 5a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the left end surface of the voltage detection unit 5. The conductive plate 4 and the opposing unit 6 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 4b extending in the front-rear direction provided on the left end surface of the conductive plate 4 and a recess 6a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the right end surface of the opposing unit 6.

[0015] In each conductive module 3 located between adjacent energy storage modules 2, the conductive plate 4 is in direct contact with the upper and lower energy storage modules 2, as shown in Figure 2(a). Therefore, the conductive plate 4 serves to provide electrical conductivity between the lower surface of the upper energy storage module 2 and the upper surface of the lower energy storage module 2, as well as to function as a heat sink that dissipates heat generated from the upper and lower energy storage modules 2 to the outside.

[0016] In each conductive module 3 located between adjacent energy storage modules 2, the voltage detection unit 5 is equipped with a voltage detection terminal 10 (see Figure 2, etc.) that contacts the conductive plate 4, as described later. The voltage detection unit 5 functions to output a signal indicating the voltage between the upper and lower energy storage modules 2 (specifically, the potential of the upper surface (output surface) of the lower energy storage module 2 relative to a reference zero potential) via a wire 20 (see Figure 1, etc.) connected to this voltage detection terminal 10. In Figures 1 to 3, the voltage detection unit 5 is located on the right side of the conductive plate 4, but a voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 5 may be located on the left side of the conductive plate 4. In this case, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of the voltage detection unit 5 (i.e., a mirror image of the voltage detection unit 5) is used as the voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 5.

[0017] In each conductive module 3 located between adjacent energy storage modules 2, one of the following is applied as the opposing unit 6, depending on the specifications of the energy storage device 1: a voltage detection unit, a dummy unit, and a temperature detection unit.

[0018] If the opposing unit 6 is a voltage detection unit, then the opposing unit 6 is a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of the voltage detection unit 5 (i.e., a mirror version of the voltage detection unit 5 described above). In this case, the voltage detection unit 5 is positioned on the right side of the conductive plate 4, and the mirror version of the voltage detection unit 5 is positioned on the left side of the conductive plate 4. The opposing unit 6 (mirror version of the voltage detection unit 5) performs the same function as the voltage detection unit 5.

[0019] If the opposing unit 6 is a dummy unit, a simple resin plate with a recess 6a extending in the front-to-back direction is used as the opposing unit 6, as shown in Figure 3. In this case, the opposing unit 6 only serves the function of filling the gap between the upper and lower energy storage modules 2.

[0020] If the opposing unit 6 is a temperature sensing unit, then, as shown in Figure 1, the opposing unit 6 is a structure in which a temperature sensor 7 (thermistor) is incorporated into a resin plate used as a dummy unit. In this case, the opposing unit 6 performs the function of outputting a signal indicating the temperature of the upper and lower energy storage modules 2 via the wire 7a (see Figure 1) connected to the temperature sensor 7.

[0021] The specific configuration of the voltage detection unit 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 4 to 11. As shown in Figure 4, the voltage detection unit 5 comprises a housing 40, a voltage detection terminal 10 housed in the housing 40, an electric wire 20 connected to the voltage detection terminal 10 and housed in the housing 40, and a cover 30 mounted on the housing 40.

[0022] The voltage detection terminal 10 is housed in a terminal housing recess 42 (see Figure 4) formed in the housing 40, the electric wire 20 is housed in an electric wire housing section 46 (see Figures 4, 7, and 10, etc.) formed by the housing 40 and the cover 30, and the cover 30 is mounted in a cover mounting recess 41 (see Figure 4, etc.) formed in the housing 40, which will be described later. The mechanism for forming the electric wire housing section 46 will be described later. First, each component constituting the voltage detection unit 5 will be described in order.

[0023] First, the voltage detection terminal 10 will be described. The metal voltage detection terminal 10 is formed by processing a single metal plate, such as by press working. The voltage detection terminal 10 is housed from above in the terminal housing recess 42 of the housing 40. As shown in Figure 4, the voltage detection terminal 10 has a rectangular flat plate-shaped first part 11 that extends in the front-to-back direction, and a rectangular flat plate-shaped second part 12 that extends to the left from the front end of the first part 11, and as a whole it has a flat plate shape that is roughly L-shaped when viewed from the top and bottom direction.

[0024] One end of the electric wire 20 is fixed to the underside of the tip 11a (i.e., the rear end) of the first part 11 so as to be electrically connected (see also Figure 6). The other end of the electric wire 20 will be connected to a voltage measuring device (not shown) outside the energy storage device 1. A part of the flange 4a of the conductive plate 4 will be fixed to the underside of the tip 12a (i.e., the left end) of the second part 12 by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding (see Figure 2(b)).

[0025] A projection 13 is formed on the front edge of the second part 12, which protrudes forward. When the voltage detection terminal 10 is housed in the housing 40, the projection 13 is locked into a locking groove 45 (see Figure 4) formed in the housing 40.

[0026] Next, the cover 30 will be described. The cover 30 is a resin molded product and is fitted into the cover mounting recess 41 of the housing 40 from the right. The cover 30 consists of an opposing portion 31 and an extension portion 32 that extends rearward from the opposing portion 31. The opposing portion 31 mainly serves to cover and protect the voltage detection terminal 10, and the extension portion 32 mainly serves to cover and protect the electric wire 20.

[0027] The opposing section 31 consists of a pair of identical flat plate sections 33 that are spaced apart vertically and facing each other, and a connecting section 34 that connects the right end edges of the pair of flat plate sections 33 that extend in the front-rear direction in the vertical direction over the entire front-rear area. When viewed from the front-rear direction, the opposing section 31 has a substantially U-shape that opens to the left. Each flat plate section 33 consists of a substantially square flat base section 33a connected to the connecting section 34, and a rectangular flat extension section 33b that extends to the left from the front end of the base section 33a, and as a whole has a substantially L-shape when viewed from the top-down direction. The extension section 32 extends continuously to the rear from the rear end edge of the upper flat plate section 33 (more specifically, the upper base section 33a) of the pair of flat plate sections 33 that constitute the opposing section 31, and has a substantially rectangular flat shape.

[0028] The extension portion 32 has a pair of wire-holding pieces 35 that extend in the left-right direction, integrally formed so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction (see Figures 4 to 6, etc.). As can be seen from Figure 6, each wire-holding piece 35 protrudes downward from the lower surface 32a of the extension portion 32, extends in the left-right direction, and protrudes further to the left from the left end edge of the extension portion 32. When the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40, the wire-holding pieces 35 serve to hold the wires 20 housed in the housing 40 (details will be described later). When the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40, the pair of wire-holding pieces 35 are positioned to sandwich the bent apex 48a of the bent portion 48 of the wire housing portion 46 (see Figures 4, 5, and 7) in the front-rear direction (see Figure 10, etc.).

[0029] As shown in Figure 6, a wire-holding projection 36 is integrally formed on the extension portion 32 to form a wire housing portion 46 (see Figures 5 and 10, etc.). The wire-holding projection 36 protrudes downward on the lower surface 32a of the extension portion 32 and extends over substantially the entire front-to-back area of ​​the extension portion 32. The height of the protrusion of the wire-holding projection 36 is greater than the height of the pair of wire-holding pieces 35.

[0030] The outer surface of the left end of the wire-holding projection 36 (the surface that is parallel to the vertical direction and faces left) is composed of a pair of straight surfaces 37 that extend in a straight line in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and a curved surface 38 that connects the pair of straight surfaces 37 and extends while curving inward to the right. When the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40, the outer surface of the left end of the wire-holding projection 36 (the pair of straight surfaces 37 and the curved surface 38) constitutes the inner surface of the right end of the wire housing section 46 (the pair of straight sections 47 and the curved section 48) (see Figure 10, etc.). The straight surfaces 37 and the curved surface 38 correspond to the "other of a pair of opposing inner walls" in this invention.

[0031] A locking portion (not shown) is formed at a predetermined location on the lower flat plate portion 33 (more specifically, the lower base portion 33a) of the pair of flat plate portions 33 that constitute the opposing portion 31, projecting upward toward the upper flat plate portion 33. This locking portion, in cooperation with the temporary locking portion 55 and the permanent locking portion 56 provided on the housing 40 (described later), performs the function of locking the cover 30 in a temporary locking position (see Figure 7) and a permanent locking position (see Figure 8).

[0032] Next, the housing 40 will be described. The housing 40 is a resin molded product and has a roughly rectangular, thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. A recess 5a is formed on the left end face of the housing 40, which is recessed to the right and extends in the front-rear direction. The flange portion 4a of the conductive plate 4 will be fitted into the recess 5a (see Figure 2, etc.).

[0033] Cover mounting recesses 41 are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the housing 40 where the cover 30 is attached, and these recesses have a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the cover 30 (see Figure 4). The depth of the cover mounting recesses 41 (depth in the vertical direction) is equal to the thickness of the resin material that makes up the cover 30 (opposing portion 31 + extension portion 32). Therefore, when the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40, the surface of the housing 40 and the surface of the cover 30 are flush (see Figures 1, 8, and 9).

[0034] In the lower surface 41a of the cover mounting recess 41 on the upper side of the housing 40, a terminal housing recess 42 is formed where the voltage detection terminal 10 is housed, having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the voltage detection terminal 10 and being further recessed (see Figure 4). The depth of the terminal housing recess 42 (depth in the vertical direction) is equal to the plate thickness of the voltage detection terminal 10. Therefore, when the voltage detection terminal 10 is mounted in the housing 40, the upper surface of the voltage detection terminal 10 and the lower surface 41a of the cover mounting recess 41 are flush.

[0035] A notch 43 is formed on the left edge of the housing 40 at the front-to-back position where the tip 12a of the voltage detection terminal 10 is located, recessed to the right in a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from above and below. The recess 5a extending in the front-to-back direction on the left end face of the housing 40 is divided by the notch 43. When the voltage detection terminal 10 is housed in the housing 40, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip 12a of the voltage detection terminal 10 are exposed by the notch 43 (see Figure 7).

[0036] A through-hole 44 is formed in the terminal housing recess 42 where the tip 11a of the voltage detection terminal 10 is positioned, extending in the front-to-back direction and penetrating in the up-to-down direction. When the voltage detection terminal 10 is housed in the housing 40, one end (contact) of the electric wire 20 connected to the voltage detection terminal 10 enters the through-hole 44 (see Figure 6). In other words, the through-hole 44 functions as a clearance to avoid interference between the bottom surface 42a of the terminal housing recess 42 and one end of the electric wire 20.

[0037] In the terminal housing recess 42, a locking groove 45 is formed on the inner wall surface of the location where the projection 13 of the voltage detection terminal 10 (see Figure 4) is positioned, corresponding to the projection 13, and recessing forward and communicating with the recess 5a (see Figures 4 and 10).

[0038] On the bottom surface 41a of the cover mounting recess 41 on the upper side of the housing 40, a wire holding recess 52 is formed in substantially the entire rectangular area extending in the front-rear direction, corresponding to the extension portion 32 of the cover 30, corresponding to the wire holding projection 36 of the cover 30. The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of the wire holding recess 52 is greater than the recess depth of the terminal housing recess 42. As will be described later, when the cover 30 is mounted, the wire holding projection 36 and the wire holding recess 52 are arranged to fit together to form the wire housing portion 46.

[0039] The inner surface of the left end of the wire-holding recess 52 (the surface parallel to the vertical direction and facing to the right) is composed of a pair of straight surfaces 57 that extend in a straight line in the front-to-back direction and are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction, and a curved surface 58 that connects the pair of straight surfaces 57 and extends while bending to the right. The pair of straight surfaces 57 are flush with the inner surface 41b of the left end of the cover mounting recess 41 that extends in the front-to-back direction (see Figures 4 and 5). The curved surface 58 is located to the right of the inner surface 41b of the left end of the cover mounting recess 41. The straight surfaces 57 and the curved surface 58 correspond to "one of a pair of opposing inner walls" in this invention.

[0040] When the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40, the inner surface of the left end of the wire-holding recess 52 (a pair of straight surfaces 57 and a curved surface 58) constitutes the inner surface of the left end of the wire-receiving section 46 (a pair of straight sections 47 and a curved section 48) (see Figure 10, etc.). That is, when the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40, the pair of straight surfaces 57 of the wire-holding recess 52 and the pair of straight surfaces 37 of the wire-holding projection 36 are arranged to face each other in the left-right direction, forming the pair of straight sections 47 of the wire-receiving section 46, and the curved surface 58 of the wire-holding recess 52 and the curved surface 38 of the wire-holding projection 36 are arranged to face each other in the left-right direction, forming the curved section 48 of the wire-receiving section 46 (see Figure 10, etc.).

[0041] The wire housing section 46 is a series of spaces for wire routing, consisting of a pair of straight sections 47 that extend in a straight line in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and a bent section 48 that connects the pair of straight sections 47 and extends while bending to the right. The front end of the front straight section 47 of the pair of straight sections 47 communicates with the terminal housing recess 42, and the rear end of the rear straight section 47 of the pair of straight sections 47 constitutes a wire outlet 49 (see Figures 5, 7, and 10, etc.) from which the wire 20 extends from the rear edge of the housing 40. In this way, because the wire housing section 46 has a bent section 48, even if an unintended external force is applied to the wire 20 drawn out from the housing 40, the friction between the bent section 48 and the wire 20 can resist that external force, compared to the case where the wire housing section 46 is composed only of straight sections 47. For this reason, it is difficult for a large external force to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 10 and the wire 20.

[0042] Near the boundary between the pair of straight surfaces 57 and the curved surface 58, a projection 51 is provided that protrudes to the right (see Figures 4, 5, and 10). In other words, the pair of projections 51 are positioned to sandwich the bent apex 48a of the curved portion 48 of the wire housing 46 (see Figures 4, 5, and 7) in the front-to-back direction. When the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40, the distance between the projections 51 and the straight surface 37 of the cover 30 in the left-to-right direction is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the wire 20. Therefore, the pair of projections 51 perform the function of clamping the wire 20 while pressing it in the left-to-right direction. Because the wire 20 is clamped by the pair of projections 51, even if an unintended external force is applied to the wire 20 pulled out from the housing 40, the friction between the projections 51 and the wire 20 can resist that external force. Therefore, it is difficult for a large external force to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 10 and the wire 20. Furthermore, it is possible to strongly prevent the electric wire 20 from coming out of the bent portion 48 and being routed over the bent portion 48 (i.e., taking a shortcut over the bent portion 48).

[0043] Each of the pair of straight surfaces 57 of the wire-holding recess 52 has a storage hole 53 that is recessed to the left (see Figures 4 and 10). When the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40, the extended ends (i.e., the left ends) of the pair of wire-holding pieces 35 of the cover 30 are inserted into and stored in the pair of storage holes 53 (see Figure 10).

[0044] On the bottom surface 41a of the cover mounting recess 41 on the lower side of the housing 40, at the same front-to-back position as where the locking portion of the cover 30 is located, as shown in Figure 6, a contact portion 54, a temporary locking portion 55, and a permanent locking portion 56 are formed in this order, spaced apart from right to left, and recesses that curve upward. As shown in Figure 6, the contact portion 54 is a recess that extends from the right edge of the housing 40.

[0045] A rib 59 is integrally formed on the right end of the bent surface 58 (the surface facing right at the point corresponding to the bend vertex 48a), projecting further to the right from its upper region (see Figures 4 and 5). The rib 59 is positioned to face the bottom surface 52a of the wire holding recess 52 with a vertical gap between them (see Figures 9 and 11). When the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40, a portion of the wire 20 is housed in the area between the rib 59 and the bottom surface 52a of the wire holding recess 52 (see Figures 9 and 11). The components constituting the voltage detection unit 5 have now been described.

[0046] Next, the procedure for assembling the voltage detection terminal 10 and cover 30 into the housing 40 will be described. First, the voltage detection terminal 10, to which the electric wire 20 has been pre-connected by methods such as ultrasonic bonding or welding, is housed in the terminal housing recess 42 of the housing 40. To this end, the voltage detection terminal 10 is fitted into the terminal housing recess 42 of the housing 40 from above, such that the projection 13 enters the locking groove 45 and one end (contact) of the electric wire 20 enters the through hole 44 (see Figure 5). When the housing of the voltage detection terminal 10 in the housing 40 is complete, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 12a of the voltage detection terminal 10 are exposed by the notch 43.

[0047] Next, the electric wire 20 extending from the voltage detection terminal 10 housed in the housing 40 is placed on the bottom surface 52a of the electric wire holding recess 52 so that it extends rearward from the rear edge of the housing 40. At this time, as shown in Figure 5, it is desirable that the electric wire 20 be placed on the bottom surface 52a of the electric wire holding recess 52 so that it extends along the inner surface of the left end of the electric wire holding recess 52 (a pair of straight surfaces 57 and a curved surface 58), and that the portion located at the right end of the curved surface 58 is located in the area between the rib 59 and the bottom surface 52a of the electric wire holding recess 52 (see Figure 11). This strongly prevents the electric wire 20 from coming out of the area between the rib 59 and the bottom surface 52a of the electric wire holding recess 52 (see Figure 11) and crossing over the curved portion 48 (i.e., shortcutting the curved portion 48).

[0048] Next, the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40. To do this, the cover 30 is attached to the cover mounting recess 41 of the housing 40 from the right, such that the opposing portion 31 of the cover 30 sandwiches the cover mounting recess 41 on the upper and lower surfaces of the housing 40 from above, the extension portion 32 of the cover 30 covers the cover mounting recess 41 on the upper side of the housing 40, and the pair of wire holding pieces 35 of the cover 30 cross over the wire 20 which is placed on the bottom surface 52a of the wire holding recess 52 and are inserted into the pair of storage holes 53 of the housing 40.

[0049] During the process of mounting the cover 30 onto the housing 40, the locking portion of the cover 30 first contacts the side surface of the contact portion 54 of the housing 40, slides along the side surface, overcomes the contact portion 54, then enters the interior of the temporary locking portion 55 and engages with the temporary locking portion 55, while being pressed against the left side surface of the temporary locking portion 55. As a result, the cover 30 is locked to the housing 40 in the temporary locking position, completing the mounting of the cover 30 to the housing 40 (see Figure 7), and the voltage detection unit 5 (see Figure 3) is obtained. As will be described later, the voltage detection unit 5 obtained after the mounting of the cover 30 to the housing 40 (with the cover 30 locked in the temporary locking position) will be used for the assembly of the conductive module 3 (see Figure 1).

[0050] When the cover 30 is locked in the temporary locking position, as can be seen from Figures 3 and 7, the inner surface of the left end of the wire holding recess 52 (a pair of straight surfaces 57 and a curved surface 58), the outer surface of the left end of the wire holding projection 36 (a pair of straight surfaces 37 and a curved surface 38), and the bottom surface 52a of the wire holding recess 52 form the wire housing section 46 (a pair of straight sections 47 and a curved section 48). Specifically, the pair of straight surfaces 57 and the pair of straight surfaces 37 are arranged to face each other in the left-right direction to form the pair of straight sections 47 of the wire housing section 46, and the curved surface 58 and the curved surface 38 are arranged to face each other in the left-right direction to form the curved section 48 of the wire housing section 46 (see Figure 7, etc.). In this way, of the pair of opposing inner walls of the wire housing section 46 that face each other in the left-right direction, the left inner wall belongs to the housing 40 and the right inner wall belongs to the cover 30. Therefore, by attaching the cover 30 to the housing 40, the electric wire 20 extending from the voltage detection terminal 10 is naturally housed in the electric wire housing section 46, its shape being restricted by being sandwiched between a pair of opposing inner walls. However, in this state (when the cover 30 is locked in the temporary locking position), a part of the electric wire housing section 46 is open upwards (see Figure 7). The electric wire 20 housed in the electric wire housing section 46 extends outwards from the electric wire outlet 49 towards the rear, outside the housing 40 (see Figure 7).

[0051] When the cover 30 is locked in the temporary locking position, as shown in Figures 3 and 7, the opposing portion 31 of the cover 30 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extensions 33b) does not cover the tip portion 12a of the voltage detection terminal 10. Therefore, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 12a of the voltage detection terminal 10 are still exposed by the notch 43.

[0052] Furthermore, a pair of wire-holding pieces 35 of the cover 30 cross over the wires 20 housed in the wire housing 46 (see Figure 7). In other words, the pair of wire-holding pieces 35 are positioned to sandwich the wires 20 between the housing 40 (the bottom surface 52a of the wire-holding recess 52) in the vertical direction. This prevents the wires 20 from coming out of the wire housing 46. Furthermore, the extended ends of the pair of wire-holding pieces 35 are received into a pair of storage holes 53 (see also Figure 10). This prevents misalignment of the pair of wire-holding pieces 35 and unintended deformation that would cause the pair of wire-holding pieces 35 to separate from the wire housing 46. In addition, the extended portion 32 of the cover 30 is positioned on the opening at the bend apex 48a of the bend 48 of the wire housing 46. This effectively prevents the electric wire 20 from coming out of the electric wire housing 46 and being routed over the bend 48 (i.e., shortcutting the bend 48). In this way, the possibility of specific problems occurring due to the electric wire 20 coming out of the bend 48 of the electric wire housing 46 can be reduced. Of the pair of electric wire retaining pieces 35, the front electric wire retaining piece 35 also serves to protect the contact between the voltage detection terminal 10 and the electric wire 20, and the rear electric wire retaining piece 35 also serves to restrict the position of the electric wire 20 extending from the electric wire outlet 49.

[0053] With the cover 30 locked in the temporary locking position, pushing the cover 30 further to the left relative to the housing 40 causes the extended ends of the pair of wire-holding pieces 35 of the cover 30 to enter and be stored in the pair of storage holes 53, and the locking portion of the cover 30 to move over the temporary locking portion 55 and then enter the interior of the permanent locking portion 56 and engage with the permanent locking portion 56 (see Figures 8 to 11). As a result, the cover 30 is locked to the housing 40 in the permanent locking position.

[0054] When the cover 30 is locked in this locking position, as shown in Figure 8, the entire area of ​​the cover mounting recess 41 is covered by the cover 30, so that the entire wire housing section 46 is covered by the extension 32 of the cover 30. This prevents the wire 20 from coming out of the wire housing section 46. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the opposing parts 31 of the cover 30 (more specifically, the pair of upper and lower extensions 33b) cover the upper and lower surfaces of the tip 12a of the voltage detection terminal 10. As a result, the entire voltage detection terminal 10 is covered by the opposing parts 31 of the cover 30, so that the voltage detection terminal 10 can be reliably protected. In other words, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the wire housing section 46 (a pair of straight sections 47 and a bent section 48) is formed by the inner surface of the left end of the wire holding recess 52 (a pair of straight surfaces 57 and a bent surface 58), the outer surface of the left end of the wire holding projection 36 (a pair of straight surfaces 37 and a bent surface 38), the bottom surface 52a of the wire holding recess 52, and the lower surface 32a of the upper extension 32 of the cover 30. That is, the inner surface of the left end of the wire holding recess 52 and the outer surface of the left end of the wire holding projection 36 constitute a pair of opposing inner walls of the wire housing section 46, the bottom surface 52a of the wire holding recess 52 constitutes the bottom wall of the wire housing section 46, and the lower surface 32a of the upper extension 32 of the cover 30 constitutes the top wall of the wire housing section 46.

[0055] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the electric wire 20, located between the pair of protrusions 51 and the straight surface 37 of the cover 30, is pressed and clamped in the left-right direction by the protrusions 51 and the straight surface 37. As a result, even if an unintended external force is applied to the electric wire 20 drawn out from the housing 40, the friction between the protrusions 51 and the electric wire 20 can resist that external force. Therefore, it is difficult for a large external force to be applied to the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 10 and the electric wire 20. Moreover, it is possible to strongly prevent the electric wire 20 from coming out of the bent portion 48 and being routed over the bent portion 48 (i.e., shortcutting the bent portion 48).

[0056] As described above, the voltage detection unit 5 obtained after the cover 30 has been attached to the housing 40 (with the cover 30 locked in a temporary locking position) is used for assembling the conductive module 3 (see Figure 1). Specifically, first, as shown in Figure 3, the flange portion 4a of the conductive plate 4 and the recess 5a of the voltage detection unit 5 are fitted together, thereby connecting the voltage detection unit 5 to the right side of the conductive plate 4.

[0057] In this state, as can be seen from Figure 3, a portion of the flange portion 4a of the conductive plate 4 is positioned to overlap the lower side of the tip portion 12a of the voltage detection terminal 10 (see also Figure 2(b)), and due to the presence of the notch 43 of the housing 40, the upper surface of the tip portion 12a of the voltage detection terminal 10 is exposed upward, and a portion of the lower surface of the flange portion 4a of the conductive plate 4 is exposed downward.

[0058] Next, the upper surface of the tip 12a of the voltage detection terminal 10, which is exposed upward, and the lower surface of a portion of the flange portion 4a of the conductive plate 4, which is exposed downward, are used to fix the tip 12a of the voltage detection terminal 10 and a portion of the flange portion 4a of the conductive plate 4 together by methods such as ultrasonic bonding or welding. After that, the cover 30 is moved from the temporary locking position to the permanent locking position, and the assembly of the voltage detection unit 5 and the conductive plate 4 is completed.

[0059] Next, the flange portion 4b of the conductive plate 4 and the recess 6a of the opposing unit 6 are fitted together, thereby connecting the opposing unit 6 to the left side of the conductive plate 4 on which the voltage detection unit 5 is assembled (see Figure 2, etc.). This completes the assembly of the conductive module 3.

[0060] The conductive module 3 obtained in this way is used to assemble the energy storage device 1 shown in Figure 1. Specifically, the energy storage module 2 and the conductive module 3 are stacked alternately in the vertical direction, and the energy storage device 1 is obtained by fixing these stacks with predetermined metal fittings or the like.

[0061] <Effects and Actions> As described above, with the voltage detection unit 5 according to this embodiment, the voltage detection terminal 10 to which the electric wire 20 is connected can be housed in the terminal housing recess 42 of the plate-shaped housing 40, and the electric wire 20 extending from the voltage detection terminal 10 can be led out to the outside of the housing 40 through the electric wire housing section 46. This makes it possible to house the voltage detection terminal 10 and the electric wire 20 inside the voltage detection unit 5 while making it thinner (i.e., having a plate-shaped outer shape). Furthermore, when electrically connecting the voltage detection unit 5 to the conductive plate 4 used in the stacked energy storage device 1, the voltage detection unit 5 can be assembled to the conductive plate 4, and then the exposed voltage detection terminal 10 and the conductive plate 4 can be fixed using methods such as ultrasonic bonding or welding. This eliminates the need for other connecting parts compared to typical bolt fastening, and makes alignment of the two easier and reduces contact resistance at the contact points compared to the conventional connection methods described above. Therefore, the voltage detection unit 5 according to this embodiment offers excellent workability in conductive connection with the detection target (conductive plate 4).

[0062] Furthermore, in the direction in which the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40 (left-right direction), one of the pair of opposing inner walls of the wire housing section 46 (the left inner wall, consisting of a straight surface 37 and a curved surface 38) belongs to the housing 40, while the other of the pair of opposing inner walls (the right inner wall, consisting of a straight surface 57 and a curved surface 58) belongs to the cover 30. Therefore, by attaching the cover 30 to the housing 40, the wire 20 extending from the voltage detection terminal 10 is naturally housed in the wire housing section 46, sandwiched between the pair of opposing inner walls. Thus, compared to, for example, manually pushing the wire into a recess for wire housing provided in the housing, the housing of the wire 20 in the wire housing section 46 in this configuration does not require such manual work, thus reducing the workload on the worker. In other words, the work of housing the wire 20 in the wire housing section 46 is easy, and the productivity of the voltage detection unit 5 can be improved.

[0063] Furthermore, the wire housing portion 46 of the housing 40 has a straight portion 47 and a bent portion 48. Therefore, compared to the case where the wire housing portion 46 has only a straight portion 47, when an unintended external force is applied to the wire 20 drawn out from the housing 40, the friction between the inner wall of the bent portion 48 and the wire 20 resists the external force, making it less likely for the external force to directly reach the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 10 and the wire 20. Thus, the reliability of the electrical connection at the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 10 and the wire 20 can be improved.

[0064] Furthermore, at two locations (where a pair of protrusions 51 are provided) that sandwich the bend apex 48a of the bent portion 48 of the wire housing 46, the electric wire 20 is held in place while being pressed between a pair of opposing inner walls of the wire housing 46 (the protrusions 51 and the straight surface 37). This strongly prevents the electric wire 20 from slipping out of the wire housing 46 and running over the bent portion 48 (i.e., shortcutting the bent portion 48), thereby impairing the original function of the bent portion 48. Thus, the possibility of specific problems occurring due to the electric wire 20 slipping out of the bent portion 48 of the wire housing 46 can be reduced.

[0065] Furthermore, when the cover 30 is attached to the housing 40, the electric wire 20 is sandwiched between the pair of wire retaining pieces 35 of the cover 30 and the housing 40 in a direction (up and down) that intersects the direction of attachment of the cover 30 (left and right). As a result, the pair of wire retaining pieces 35 prevent the electric wire 20 from coming out of the wire housing 46 when the cover 30 is attached. In addition, when the cover 30 is attached, the pair of wire retaining pieces 35 are each stored in the pair of storage holes 53 of the housing 40, which also prevents deformation of the pair of wire retaining pieces 35 themselves.

[0066] <Other embodiments> It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified, improved, etc. as appropriate. Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, number, placement, etc. of each component in the embodiments described above are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the cover 30 is provided with a pair of wire-holding pieces 35. In contrast, the cover 30 may be provided with one wire-holding piece 35, or with three or more wire-holding pieces 35, or without any wire-holding pieces 35 at all.

[0068] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the wire housing portion 46 of the housing 40 is provided with two protrusions 51 (locations where the electric wire 20 is pressed and clamped in the left-right direction). In contrast, the wire housing portion 46 of the housing 40 may be provided with one protrusion 51, or with three or more protrusions 51, or without any protrusions 51 at all.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the wire housing portion 46 of the housing 40 is composed of a straight portion 47 and a bent portion 48. In contrast, the wire housing portion 46 may be composed of only the straight portion 47.

[0070] Here, the features of the embodiments of the voltage detection unit 5 according to the present invention described above are briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [4].

[0071] [1] The voltage detection terminal (10) will be electrically connected to the object to be detected (4), A wire (20) is electrically connected to the voltage detection terminal (10), A plate-shaped housing (40) having a terminal housing recess (42) in which the voltage detection terminal (10) is housed, The housing (40) includes a cover (30) that is mounted on the housing (40) along a predetermined mounting direction so as to cover the voltage detection terminal (10) housed in the terminal housing recess (42), The aforementioned electric wire (20) is The cover (30) is attached to the housing (40) and the wires are housed in the wire housing portion (46) formed between the housing (40) and the cover (30), and the wires are guided to be pulled out to the outside through the wire housing portion (46). The aforementioned wire housing section (46) is In the aforementioned mounting direction, one of the pair of opposing inner walls (57, 58) of the wire housing portion (46) that face each other belongs to the housing (40), and the other of the pair of opposing inner walls (37, 38) belongs to the cover (30). Voltage detection unit (5).

[0072] According to the voltage detection unit configuration described in [1] above, the voltage detection terminal to which the electric wire is connected is housed in the terminal housing recess of the plate-shaped housing, and the electric wire extending from the voltage detection terminal can be led out of the housing through the electric wire housing. This makes it possible to house the voltage detection terminal and electric wire inside the voltage detection unit while making it thinner (i.e., having a plate-shaped outer shape). Furthermore, when electrically connecting the voltage detection unit to the object to be detected (for example, a conductive plate used in a stacked energy storage device), for example, the voltage detection unit can be assembled to the object to be detected, and then the exposed voltage detection terminal and the object to be detected can be fixed using methods such as ultrasonic bonding or welding. This eliminates the need for other connecting parts compared to typical bolt fastening, and makes alignment between the two easier and reduces contact resistance at the contact points compared to the conventional connection methods described above. Therefore, the voltage detection unit configuration of this configuration offers excellent workability in conductive connection with the object to be detected.

[0073] Furthermore, in the voltage detection unit with the above configuration, the wire housing section has a pair of opposing inner walls that face each other in the direction in which the cover is attached to the housing, with one of these opposing inner walls belonging to the housing and the other belonging to the cover. Therefore, when the cover is attached to the housing, the wires extending from the voltage detection terminals are sandwiched between the pair of opposing inner walls and are naturally housed in the wire housing section while their shape is restricted to conform to a predetermined routing shape (i.e., to conform to the final shape of the wire housing section). Thus, compared to, for example, manually pushing wires into recesses for wire housing provided in the housing, such manual work is not required, thus reducing the workload on the worker. In other words, the voltage detection unit with this configuration can improve the productivity of the voltage detection unit by simplifying the work of housing wires in the wire housing section.

[0074] [2] In the voltage detection unit (5) described in [1] above, The aforementioned wire housing section (46) is The device has a straight section (47) that guides the electric wire (20) along the exit direction that linearly connects the voltage detection terminal (10) and the electric wire exit (49) of the housing (40), and a bent section (48) that is connected to the straight section (47) and guides the electric wire (20) while bending it in a convex shape with respect to the exit direction. Voltage detection unit (5).

[0075] According to the voltage detection unit configuration described in [2] above, the wire housing portion of the housing has both a straight portion and a bent portion. Therefore, compared to the case where the wire housing portion has only a straight portion, when an unintended external force is applied to the wire drawn out from the housing, the friction between the inner wall of the bent portion and the wire resists the external force, making it less likely for the external force to directly reach the contact point between the voltage detection terminal and the wire. Thus, the reliability of the electrical connection at the contact point between the voltage detection terminal and the wire can be improved.

[0076] [3] In the voltage detection unit (5) described in [2] above, At multiple locations (51) that sandwich the bent apex (48a) of the bent portion (48) in the pulling direction, the electric wire (20) is held while being pressed and sandwiched between the pair of opposing inner walls. Voltage detection unit (5).

[0077] With the voltage detection unit configured as described in [3] above, the wire is held in place by being pressed between a pair of opposing inner walls of the wire housing at multiple (e.g., two) locations that straddle the bend of the bend in the wire housing. This effectively prevents the wire from coming out of the wire housing and running over the bend (i.e., shortcutting the bend), thereby impairing the original function of the bend. Thus, the possibility of specific malfunctions occurring due to the wire coming out of the bend in the wire housing can be reduced.

[0078] [4] In the voltage detection unit (5) described in any one of the above [1] to [3], The aforementioned cover (30) is The cover (30) has an extension piece (35) that extends in the mounting direction and is positioned to sandwich the electric wire (20) between itself and the housing (40) in a direction intersecting the mounting direction when the cover (30) is mounted. The housing (40) is The cover (30) has a storage hole (53) in which the extension piece (35) is stored as the cover (30) moves when it is attached. Voltage detection unit (5).

[0079] According to the voltage detection unit with the configuration described in [4] above, when the cover is attached, the wire is sandwiched between the extension piece of the cover and the housing in a direction intersecting the direction of cover attachment. This prevents the wire from slipping out from between the pair of opposing inner walls when the cover is attached. Furthermore, when the cover is attached, the extension piece is stored in the storage hole of the housing, which also prevents deformation of the extension piece itself. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 4. Conductive plate (target of detection) 5. Voltage detection unit 10 Voltage detection terminal 20 Electric wire 30 Cover 35 Wire holding piece (extending piece) 37. Straight surface (the other of a pair of opposing inner walls) 38. Curved surface (the other of a pair of opposing inner walls) 40 Housing 42 Terminal housing recess 46 Wire housing section 47 Straight section 48. Bending section 48a Bending vertex 49. Wire outlet 51. Protrusion (part that clamps in the direction of pulling out) 53 Storage hole 57. Straight surface (one of a pair of opposing inner walls) 58. Curved surface (one of a pair of opposing inner walls)

Claims

1. A voltage detection terminal that will be electrically connected to the object to be detected, A wire connected electrically to the aforementioned voltage detection terminal, A plate-shaped housing having a terminal housing recess in which the voltage detection terminal is housed, The housing comprises a cover that is attached to the housing in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the housing so as to cover the voltage detection terminal housed in the terminal housing recess, The aforementioned electric wire is The cover is attached to the housing and the wires are housed in the wire housing portion formed between the housing and the cover, and are guided to be pulled out to the outside through the wire housing portion. The aforementioned wire housing section is The configuration is such that one of a pair of opposing inner walls of the wire housing portion, which face each other in a direction intersecting the plate thickness direction, belongs to the housing, and the other of the pair of opposing inner walls belongs to the cover. Voltage detection unit.

2. In the voltage detection unit according to claim 1, The aforementioned wire housing section is The device has a straight section that guides the wire along the exit direction connecting the voltage detection terminal and the wire exit outlet of the housing in a straight line, and a bent section that connects to the straight section and guides the wire while bending it in a convex shape with respect to the exit direction. Voltage detection unit.

3. In the voltage detection unit according to claim 2, At multiple locations that sandwich the bending apex of the bent portion in the pulling direction, the electric wire is held while being pressed between the pair of opposing inner walls. Voltage detection unit.

4. In the voltage detection unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The aforementioned cover is The cover has an extension piece that extends in a direction intersecting the thickness direction and is positioned to sandwich the electric wire between itself and the housing in the thickness direction when the cover is attached. The aforementioned housing is The cover has a storage hole into which the extended piece is stored as the cover moves when the cover is attached. Voltage detection unit.

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