Energy storage device

Abstract

A power storage device comprising a power storage element that has a side surface (short side surface) extending in a first direction, and a tray that has the power storage element mounted thereto, wherein the tray has a pair of first side walls that are disposed to positions having the power storage element sandwiched therebetween in the first direction, and a pair of first bottom walls that protrude from the pair of first side walls toward each other in the first direction and extend in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, said pair of first bottom walls being disposed in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction from the side surface of the power storage element, and having both ends of the side surface in the first direction respectively mounted and affixed thereto.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a power storage device including a power storage element and a tray on which the power storage element is placed.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a power storage device including a power storage element and a tray on which the power storage element is placed has been widely known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a secondary battery device (power storage device) in which the lower end portion of a battery cell (power storage element) is placed in a state of being fitted into an engagement groove of a lower case (tray).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the power storage device having the above-described conventional configuration, there is a problem that miniaturization or weight reduction cannot be achieved. For example, the conventional power storage device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which the lower end portion of the power storage element is placed in a state of being fitted into the tray, and the tray is arranged so as to cover the entire lower end portion of the power storage element. Therefore, in the above-described conventional power storage device, the ratio occupied by the tray is relatively large, and miniaturization or weight reduction cannot be achieved.

[0005] The present invention has been made by the inventors of the present application newly paying attention to the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a power storage device capable of achieving miniaturization or weight reduction.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An energy storage device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an energy storage element having a side surface extending in a first direction, and a tray on which the energy storage element is placed, wherein the tray has a pair of first side walls positioned to sandwich the energy storage element in the first direction, and a pair of bottom walls projecting from the pair of first side walls toward each other in the first direction and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the pair of bottom walls being positioned in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions of the side surface of the energy storage element, and both ends of the side surface in the first direction being placed on and fixed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The energy storage device according to the present invention can be made smaller or lighter. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of an energy storage device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the components of the energy storage device according to the embodiment when it is disassembled. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the spacer and first adhesive body placed between energy storage elements according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of adhesion of multiple energy storage elements within a tray according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of adhesion of multiple energy storage elements in a tray according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a tray according to a modified example 1 of the embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an energy storage device equipped with an energy storage element according to a modified example 2 of the embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 illustrates an example of the effects achieved by the energy storage device according to the modified embodiment 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] An energy storage device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an energy storage element having a side surface extending in a first direction, and a tray on which the energy storage element is placed, wherein the tray has a pair of first side walls positioned to sandwich the energy storage element in the first direction, and a pair of bottom walls projecting from the pair of first side walls toward each other in the first direction and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the pair of bottom walls being positioned in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions of the side surface of the energy storage element, and both ends of the side surface in the first direction being placed on and fixed.

[0010] According to this, in the energy storage device, the tray has a pair of bottom walls that protrude toward each other from a pair of first side walls that sandwich the energy storage element in the first direction and extend in a second direction, and the ends of the side surfaces of the energy storage element in the first direction that extend in the first direction are placed on and fixed to the pair of bottom walls. In other words, the tray is not provided with bottom walls on which the entire side surfaces of the energy storage element are placed, but rather with a pair of bottom walls on which the ends of the side surfaces of the energy storage element are placed. Furthermore, the tray is reinforced by the energy storage element by fixing the ends of the side surfaces of the energy storage element to the pair of bottom walls. In this way, the tray is configured to support the energy storage element with a pair of bottom walls, and the tray is reinforced by fixing the energy storage element to the pair of bottom walls, anticipating that the strength of the tray may be weakened as a result. As a result, the proportion of the tray that occupies can be reduced compared to when the tray is provided with bottom walls on which the entire side surfaces of the energy storage element are placed, thus enabling miniaturization or weight reduction of the energy storage device.

[0011] The energy storage element comprises a container having the side surface and electrode terminals protruding from the container in the first direction, and the pair of bottom walls may be fixed to the first ends of the side surface of the container.

[0012] According to this, the energy storage element has a container with a side surface extending in a first direction and electrode terminals protruding from the container in the first direction, and both ends of the side surface of the container in the first direction are placed on and fixed to a pair of bottom walls. In this way, the vertically elongated energy storage element extending in the first direction is fixed to the pair of bottom walls lying on its side. This allows the tray to be reinforced by the energy storage element, thus enabling a configuration that makes the energy storage device smaller or lighter.

[0013] The energy storage element has a long side facing the second direction and a short side facing the third direction, and the pair of bottom walls may be positioned on the short side in the third direction, with both ends of the short side in the first direction being supported and fixed.

[0014] According to this, the energy storage element has a long side facing a second direction and a short side facing a third direction, and both ends of the short side of the energy storage element in the first direction are placed on a pair of bottom walls and fixed. In this way, by having the long side of the energy storage element facing a second direction and the short side facing a third direction, more energy storage elements can be arranged in the second direction, thereby increasing the strength of the energy storage elements placed on the tray. As a result, the tray can be reinforced by the energy storage elements, making it possible to realize a configuration that makes the energy storage device smaller or lighter.

[0015] A plurality of the energy storage elements arranged in the second direction are placed and fixed on the tray, and the plurality of energy storage elements may be fixed via at least one of a spacer and an adhesive.

[0016] According to this, multiple energy storage elements, arranged in a second direction, are placed and fixed on the tray, secured via at least one of a spacer and an adhesive body. In this way, the strength of the energy storage elements is increased by fixing the multiple energy storage elements, and then the multiple energy storage elements are placed and fixed on the tray. As a result, the tray can be reinforced by the energy storage elements, making it possible to realize a configuration that allows for miniaturization or weight reduction of the energy storage device.

[0017] The tray has a pair of second sidewalls disposed at positions sandwiching the power storage element in the second direction, and the power storage element may be fixed to at least one of the pair of first sidewalls and the pair of second sidewalls.

[0018] According to this, the power storage element is fixed to at least one of the pair of first sidewalls and the pair of second sidewalls of the tray sandwiching the power storage element in the first direction and the second direction. In this way, by fixing the power storage element to at least one sidewall of the tray, the power storage element and the tray are more integrated. Thereby, since the tray can be reinforced by the power storage element, a configuration for reducing the size or weight of the power storage device can be realized.

[0019] The power storage element may have a protruding portion that protrudes in the third direction and is disposed between the pair of bottom walls.

[0020] According to this, by providing the power storage element with a protruding portion disposed between the pair of bottom walls of the tray, the power storage element can be easily positioned with respect to the tray. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the detachment of the fixing of the power storage element to the pair of bottom walls of the tray and maintain the reinforcement of the tray by the power storage element, so that a configuration for reducing the size or weight of the power storage device can be realized.

[0021] Hereinafter, a power storage device according to an embodiment (including its modified examples) of the present invention will be described while referring to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all illustrative or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement positions and connection forms of the components, manufacturing processes, order of manufacturing processes, etc. shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. In each figure, dimensions and the like are not strictly illustrated. In each figure, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0022] In the following description and drawings, the extension direction of the container of the energy storage element, the alignment direction (protruding direction) of the pair of electrode terminals of the energy storage element, the alignment direction (opposing direction) of the pair of first side walls of the tray, the extension direction of the pair of second side walls and the pair of second bottom walls of the tray, and the alignment direction (protruding direction) of the pair of first bottom walls of the tray are defined as the X-axis direction. The alignment direction of multiple energy storage elements, the alignment direction of the energy storage elements and spacers, the opposing direction of the long sides of the energy storage elements, the extension direction of the pair of first side walls and the pair of first bottom walls, the alignment direction (opposing direction) of the pair of second side walls, or the alignment direction (protruding direction) of the pair of second bottom walls are defined as the Y-axis direction. The opposing direction of the short sides of the energy storage elements, the alignment direction of the energy storage elements and the pair of bottom walls, or the vertical direction are defined as the Z-axis direction. These X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions intersect (orthogonal in this embodiment) with each other. Note that depending on the usage, the Z-axis direction may not be vertical; however, for the sake of explanation, the Z-axis direction will be described as vertical.

[0023] In the following explanation, the X-axis positive direction refers to the direction of the X-axis arrow, and the X-axis negative direction refers to the opposite direction. The same applies to the Y-axis and Z-axis directions. Furthermore, in the following, the X-axis direction may also be referred to as the first direction, the Y-axis direction as the second direction, and the Z-axis direction or Z-axis negative direction as the third direction. In addition, expressions indicating relative directions or orientations, such as parallel and orthogonal, may not strictly include cases where the direction or orientation is not exactly that. For example, when two directions are orthogonal, it does not only mean that the two directions are perfectly orthogonal, but also that they are substantially orthogonal, that is, they may include a difference of, for example, a few percent.

[0024] (Embodiment) [1. Description of the energy storage device 10] The configuration of the energy storage device 10 will now be described. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the energy storage device 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the individual components when the energy storage device 10 according to this embodiment is disassembled.

[0025] The energy storage device 10 is a device that can charge electricity from an external source and discharge electricity to the outside, and in this embodiment, it has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. For example, the energy storage device 10 is a battery module (battery pack) used for power storage or power supply purposes. Specifically, the energy storage device 10 is used as a battery for driving or starting the engine of mobile vehicles such as automobiles, motorcycles, watercraft, ships, snowmobiles, agricultural machinery, construction machinery, or railway vehicles for electric railways. Examples of automobiles include electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and gasoline automobiles. Examples of railway vehicles for electric railways include electric trains, monorails, linear motor cars, and hybrid trains equipped with both diesel engines and electric motors. The energy storage device 10 can also be used as a stationary battery for household or commercial use.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the energy storage device 10 comprises a plurality of energy storage elements 100 and a tray 200 on which the plurality of energy storage elements 100 are placed. The energy storage device 10 also includes busbars that connect the energy storage elements 100 in series or parallel, but these are not shown or described. In addition to the above components, the energy storage device 10 may also include restraining members (end plates, side plates, etc.) that restrain the plurality of energy storage elements 100, a busbar frame for positioning the busbars, a lid that closes the opening of the tray 200, external terminals that connect to external busbars, etc., and electrical equipment such as circuit boards and relays that monitor or control the charging and discharging states of the energy storage elements 100.

[0027] [1.1 Description of the energy storage element 100] First, the configuration of the energy storage element 100 will be described in detail. The energy storage element 100 is a secondary battery (single cell) capable of charging and discharging electricity, and more specifically, a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. The energy storage element 100 has a long, flat rectangular parallelepiped shape (square) extending in the X-axis direction (first direction), and multiple (eight in this embodiment) energy storage elements 100 are arranged in the Y-axis direction (second direction). For example, the energy storage element 100 has a long shape in the X-axis direction, with a length of about 500 to 1500 mm in the X-axis direction, a thickness of about several tens of mm in the Y-axis direction, and a height of about 50 to 100 mm in the Z-axis direction.

[0028] The energy storage element 100 is not limited to a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery; it may be a secondary battery other than a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, or a capacitor. The energy storage element 100 may not be a secondary battery, but a primary battery that allows the user to use the stored electricity without charging. The energy storage element 100 may be a battery using a solid electrolyte. The energy storage element 100 may be a pouch-type energy storage element. Furthermore, the shape of the energy storage element 100 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped; it may be a polygonal prism, an oblong cylinder, an ellipse, or a circle, etc. The number of energy storage elements 100 is also not particularly limited; it may be a configuration with only one energy storage element 100, or a configuration in which about 100 or more energy storage elements 100 are arranged in a row.

[0029] Since all energy storage elements 100 in the energy storage device 10 have the same configuration, the configuration of one energy storage element 100 will be described in detail below. As shown in Figure 2, the energy storage element 100 has a container 110 and a pair of electrode terminals 120 (positive and negative sides). Inside the container 110 are an electrode body (not shown) and a pair of current collectors (not shown) (positive and negative sides). An electrolyte (non-aqueous electrolyte) is sealed inside the container 110, and gaskets are placed between the electrode terminals 120 and current collectors and the container 110, but their illustration and detailed explanation are omitted. As for the electrolyte, there are no particular restrictions on its type as long as it does not impair the performance of the energy storage element 100, and various types can be selected.

[0030] In addition to the above-mentioned components, the energy storage element 100 may also have spacers positioned to the side or below the electrode body, and an insulating film that encloses the electrode body, etc. Furthermore, an insulating film (such as a shrink tube) may be placed around the container 110 to cover the outer surface of the container 110. The material of the insulating film is not particularly limited as long as it can ensure the necessary insulation for the energy storage element 100, but examples include any insulating resin that can be used for the tray 200 described later, epoxy resin, Kapton, Teflon®, silicon, polyisoprene, and polyvinyl chloride.

[0031] The container 110 is a rectangular parallelepiped (square or box-shaped) case extending in the X-axis direction (first direction). The material of the container 110 is not particularly limited and can be a weldable metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, iron, or plated steel sheet, but resin can also be used. When the container 110 is placed on the tray 200, it is preferable that the strength of the tray 200 on which the container 110 is placed is increased compared to the strength of the tray 200 alone (the strength of the tray 200 before the container 110 is placed). In particular, it is preferable that the container 110 has higher strength (rigidity) than the tray 200. That is, it is preferable that the container 110 is made of a material with higher strength (rigidity) than the tray 200, or is structurally formed to have higher strength (rigidity) than the tray 200. The container 110 may be provided with a gas discharge valve to release pressure when the pressure inside the container 110 rises excessively, and an injection part for injecting electrolyte into the container 110.

[0032] The rigidity mentioned above refers to rigidity against twisting or bending. For example, in the energy storage element 100 alone, the container 110 is made of a thin metal plate (aluminum, etc.), so the rigidity of the metal plate itself is low, but because it is constructed in a box shape (long rectangular prism shape), the overall rigidity is high. In other words, the energy storage element 100 (container 110) is structurally constructed to have high rigidity against twisting or bending. On the other hand, although the tray 200 is made of a metal plate (iron, stainless steel, etc.) of a certain thickness, the thickness is limited for weight reduction, and if it is made in a long length (for example, more than 1 m), it becomes easily bent. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the tray 200 is made of four frames on the sides, so its rigidity against twisting is particularly low. For this reason, the tray 200 can be reinforced by placing the energy storage element 100, which has a box-shaped (long rectangular prism shape) container 110, on the tray 200. This allows the energy storage device 10, which includes a long tray 200, to have high rigidity against torsion or bending.

[0033] The container 110 has a pair of long sides 111 extending in the X-axis direction (first direction) on both sides in the Y-axis direction, a pair of short sides 112 extending in the X-axis direction (first direction) on both sides in the Z-axis direction, and terminal arrangement surfaces 113 on both sides in the X-axis direction.

[0034] The long side surface 111 is a rectangular and planar side surface that is elongated in the X-axis direction and forms the long side surface of the container 110, and is positioned opposite to it in the Y-axis direction (second direction). The long side surface 111 is positioned opposite to the long side surface 111 of the container 110 of an adjacent energy storage element 100, or to the second side wall 220 of the tray 200, which will be described later, in the Y-axis direction. The long side surface 111 is adjacent to the short side surface 112 and the terminal arrangement surface 113, and has a larger area than the short side surface 112.

[0035] The short side 112 is a rectangular and planar side that is elongated in the X-axis direction and forms the short side of the container 110, and is positioned opposite to it in the Z-axis direction (third direction). The short side 112 is positioned opposite to the first bottom wall 230 or the second bottom wall 240 of the tray 200, which will be described later, in the Z-axis direction. The short side 112 is adjacent to the long side 111 and the terminal arrangement surface 113, and has a smaller area than the long side 111.

[0036] The terminal arrangement surface 113 is a rectangular and planar side surface on which the electrode terminals 120 are arranged, and is positioned opposite to the X-axis direction (first direction). The terminal arrangement surface 113 is positioned opposite the first side wall 210 of the tray 200, which will be described later, in the X-axis direction. The terminal arrangement surface 113 is adjacent to the long side surface 111 and the short side surface 112, and has a smaller area than the long side surface 111 and the short side surface 112.

[0037] The electrode terminals 120 are terminal members (positive electrode terminal and negative electrode terminal) of the energy storage element 100, which are arranged on both sides of the container 110 in the X-axis direction, protruding from the container 110 in the X-axis direction (first direction). In other words, of the pair of electrode terminals 120, one is the positive electrode terminal and the other is the negative electrode terminal. Specifically, the electrode terminal 120 of the container 110 in the X-positive direction protrudes in the X-positive direction from the terminal arrangement surface 113 in the X-positive direction. The electrode terminal 120 of the container 110 in the X-negative direction protrudes in the X-negative direction from the terminal arrangement surface 113 in the X-negative direction.

[0038] The electrode terminals 120 are electrically connected to the positive and negative electrode plates of the electrode body via a current collector. In other words, the electrode terminals 120 are metal components that lead the electricity stored in the electrode body to the external space of the energy storage element 100 and introduce electricity into the internal space of the energy storage element 100 to store electricity in the electrode body. The electrode terminals 120 are made of aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper, copper alloy, etc. Of the electrode terminals 120 on both sides of the X-axis direction of the container 110, the electrode terminal 120 in the positive X-axis direction may be used as the positive electrode terminal and the electrode terminal 120 in the negative X-axis direction may be used as the negative electrode terminal, or the electrode terminal 120 in the negative X-axis direction may be used as the positive electrode terminal and the electrode terminal 120 in the positive X-axis direction may be used as the negative electrode terminal.

[0039] The electrode body is an energy storage element (power generation element) formed by laminating a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator. The positive electrode plate has a positive electrode active material layer formed on a positive electrode base layer which is a current collector foil made of a metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The negative electrode plate has a negative electrode active material layer formed on a negative electrode base layer which is a current collector foil made of a metal such as copper or a copper alloy. As for the active material used in the positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer, any known material can be used as long as it is capable of intercalating and releasing lithium ions. The separator can be a microporous sheet or nonwoven fabric made of resin. In this embodiment, the electrode body is formed by laminating electrode plates (positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate) in the Y-axis direction. The electrode body may be of any form, such as a wound electrode body formed by winding electrode plates (positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate), a laminated (stacked) electrode body formed by laminating a plurality of flat electrode plates, or a bellows-type electrode body in which the electrode plates are folded in a bellows shape.

[0040] The current collector is a conductive current collector (positive electrode current collector and negative electrode current collector) that is electrically and mechanically connected to the electrode terminal 120 and the electrode body. The positive electrode current collector is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, similar to the positive electrode base layer of the positive electrode plate of the electrode body, and the negative electrode current collector is made of copper or a copper alloy, similar to the negative electrode base layer of the negative electrode plate of the electrode body.

[0041] [1.2 Description of Tray 200] Next, the configuration of the tray 200 will be described in detail. The tray 200 is a box-shaped (rectangular parallelepiped) tray (module case) that constitutes the housing (outer shell) of the energy storage device 10, and it holds and accommodates a plurality of energy storage elements 100. The tray 200 is positioned outside the plurality of energy storage elements 100, fixing the plurality of energy storage elements 100 in place and protecting them from impacts, etc. The tray 200 is formed from an insulating material such as polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS), polyphenylene ether (PPE (including modified PPE)), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether (PFA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyethersulfone (PES), ABS resin, or composite materials thereof. As a result, the tray 200 prevents the multiple energy storage elements 100 from making electrical contact with external conductive materials such as metal members. However, if this is not necessary, the tray 200 may be made of a conductive material such as metal.

[0042] The tray 200 is an annular housing that surrounds the X-axis and Y-axis directions of multiple energy storage elements 100, with the entire surface in the Z-axis positive direction being open and a portion of the surface in the Z-axis negative direction being open. The tray 200 has a pair of opposing first side walls 210 on both sides in the X-axis direction, a pair of opposing second side walls 220 on both sides in the Y-axis direction, and a pair of opposing first bottom walls 230 and a pair of opposing second bottom walls 240 on the Z-axis negative side.

[0043] The first side wall 210 is a flat, rectangular wall portion that forms the short side of the tray 200, extending in the Y-axis direction parallel to the YZ plane, and is positioned to sandwich the energy storage elements 100 in the X-axis direction (first direction). The first side wall 210 is adjacent to the second side wall 220 and the first bottom wall 230, and has a smaller outer surface area than the second side wall 220. Specifically, the first side wall 210 in the X-axis positive direction is positioned opposite the terminal arrangement surface 113 and electrode terminals 120 in the X-axis positive direction of the multiple energy storage elements 100. The first side wall 210 in the X-axis negative direction is positioned opposite the terminal arrangement surface 113 and electrode terminals 120 in the X-axis negative direction of the multiple energy storage elements 100. As a result, the pair of first side walls 210 sandwich the multiple energy storage elements 100 in the X-axis direction.

[0044] The second side wall 220 is a flat, rectangular wall portion that forms the long side of the tray 200, extending in the X-axis direction parallel to the XZ plane, and is positioned to sandwich the energy storage elements 100 in the Y-axis direction (second direction). The second side wall 220 is adjacent to the first side wall 210 and the first bottom wall 230, and has a larger outer surface area than the first side wall 210. Specifically, the second side wall 220 in the Y-axis direction is positioned opposite the long side surface 111 in the Y-axis direction of the energy storage elements 100 at the Y-axis positive end. The second side wall 220 in the Y-axis negative direction is positioned opposite the long side surface 111 in the Y-axis negative direction of the energy storage elements 100 at the Y-axis negative end. As a result, a pair of second side walls 220 sandwich a plurality of energy storage elements 100 in the Y-axis direction.

[0045] Depending on the number and shape of the energy storage elements 100, the tray 200 may have a pair of long sides on both sides in the X-axis direction and a pair of short sides on both sides in the Y-axis direction. In other words, a pair of first side walls 210 may form the long sides of the tray 200, and a pair of second side walls 220 may form the short sides of the tray 200.

[0046] The first bottom wall 230 is a flat, rectangular wall portion that forms the bottom surface of the tray 200, extending in the Y-axis direction (a second direction intersecting the first direction) parallel to the XY plane, and is positioned in the Z-axis direction (a third direction intersecting the first and second directions) of the side surface of the energy storage element 100. The first bottom wall 230 is a wall portion adjacent to the first side wall 210. Specifically, the first bottom wall 230 in the X-axis positive direction protrudes in the X-axis negative direction from the first side wall 210 in the X-axis positive direction, and is positioned opposite the X-axis positive end of the Z-axis negative short side surface 112 of the multiple energy storage elements 100. The first bottom wall 230 in the X-axis negative direction protrudes in the X-axis positive direction from the first side wall 210 in the X-axis negative direction, and is positioned opposite the X-axis negative end of the Z-axis negative short side surface 112 of the multiple energy storage elements 100. As a result, the pair of first bottom walls 230 protrude from the pair of first side walls 210 in a direction that brings them closer to each other in the X-axis direction (first direction), and are positioned in the Z-axis negative direction (third direction, downward) at both ends of the X-axis direction of the short sides 112 of the multiple energy storage elements 100. The X-axis direction ends of the short sides 112 of the multiple energy storage elements 100 are then placed and supported in contact with the pair of first bottom walls 230.

[0047] The second bottom wall 240 is a flat, rectangular wall portion that forms the bottom surface of the tray 200, extending in the X-axis direction (first direction) parallel to the XY plane, and is positioned in the Z-axis direction (third direction) of the side surface of the energy storage element 100. The second bottom wall 240 is a wall portion adjacent to the second side wall 220. Specifically, the second bottom wall 240 in the Y-axis positive direction protrudes in the Y-axis negative direction from the second side wall 220 in the Y-axis positive direction, and is positioned opposite the short side surface 112 in the Z-axis negative direction of the energy storage element 100 at its Y-axis positive end. The second bottom wall 240 in the Y-axis negative direction protrudes in the Y-axis positive direction from the second side wall 220 in the Y-axis negative direction, and is positioned opposite the short side surface 112 in the Z-axis negative direction of the energy storage element 100 at its Y-axis negative end. As a result, the pair of second bottom walls 240 protrude from the pair of second side walls 220 in a direction that brings them closer to each other in the Y-axis direction (second direction), and are positioned in the Z-axis negative direction (third direction, downward) of the short sides 112 of the energy storage elements 100 at both ends in the Y-axis direction. The short sides 112 of the energy storage elements 100 at both ends in the Y-axis direction are then placed and supported in contact with the pair of second bottom walls 240.

[0048] In this way, by providing the tray 200 with a pair of first bottom walls 230 and a pair of second bottom walls 240, a rectangular opening 250 is formed in the central part of the bottom walls of the tray 200. The pair of second bottom walls 240 have the function of reinforcing the tray 200 because both ends in the X-axis direction are connected to the pair of first bottom walls 230.

[0049] In the configuration described above, within the tray 200, the energy storage elements 100 are bonded to other adjacent energy storage elements 100 and to the tray 200. Specifically, adjacent energy storage elements 100 are bonded and fixed together. The multiple energy storage elements 100 are bonded and fixed to a pair of first side walls 210, a pair of second side walls 220, a pair of first bottom walls 230, and a pair of second bottom walls 240 of the tray 200. These configurations will be described in detail below.

[0050] [1.3 Explanation of the adhesive configuration of the energy storage element 100 within the tray 200] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the spacer 300 and first adhesive body 400 arranged between two energy storage elements 100 according to this embodiment. Specifically, Figure 3 shows the configuration in which the spacer 300 and first adhesive body 400 are arranged on one of two adjacent energy storage elements 100. Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views showing the configuration of bonding multiple energy storage elements 100 within a tray 200 according to this embodiment. Specifically, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the energy storage device 10 shown in Figure 1 when it is cut by a plane passing through the IV-IV line and parallel to the XY plane, and viewed from the Z-axis positive direction. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the energy storage device 10 shown in Figure 1 when it is cut by a plane passing through the VV line and parallel to the XZ plane, and viewed from the Y-axis negative direction.

[0051] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the energy storage device 10, in addition to the above configuration, includes a spacer 300 and a first adhesive body 400. In other words, the spacer 300 and the first adhesive body 400 are placed between two adjacent energy storage elements 100. Specifically, the spacer 300 and the first adhesive body 400 are placed between the long sides 111 of two adjacent energy storage elements 100. As a result, the multiple energy storage elements 100 are fixed via at least one of the spacer 300 and the first adhesive body 400. In this embodiment, the multiple energy storage elements 100 are fixed via both the spacer 300 and the first adhesive body 400. In other words, the spacer 300 and the first adhesive body 400 are interposed between two adjacent energy storage elements 100, fixing the energy storage elements 100 together and integrating the multiple energy storage elements 100.

[0052] The spacer 300 is a member that is placed between the long sides 111 of two adjacent energy storage elements 100 to separate the long sides 111 from each other. In this embodiment, four spacers 300 are placed at both ends in the X-axis direction and both ends in the Z-axis direction of the long sides 111 of the energy storage element 100 (i.e., the four corners of the long sides 111). In this embodiment, the spacer 300 is a double-sided tape and has insulating properties. That is, the spacer 300 has an adhesive layer on both sides in the Y-axis direction that adheres to the long sides 111 of the energy storage element 100. The spacer 300 is, for example, a double-sided tape in which an adhesive layer is provided on both sides of an insulating base material such as resin, which is flat and rectangular in shape with a thickness of about 1 mm.

[0053] The first adhesive body 400 is a component that is placed between the long sides 111 of two adjacent energy storage elements 100 to bond the long sides 111 together. In this embodiment, the first adhesive body 400 is an adhesive that is placed in the center of the long side 111 of the energy storage element 100 and has insulating properties. As the adhesive, it can be a liquid before being placed (applied) to the long side 111 and bonding when it solidifies, or a gel before being placed (applied) to the long side 111, or a solid such as a hot melt adhesive can be used.

[0054] Thus, the first adhesive body 400 is positioned so as not to overlap with the spacer 300 when viewed from the Y-axis direction. To improve the insulation between the energy storage elements 100, the first adhesive body 400 may be placed over the entire surface of the long side surface 111 where the spacer 300 is not placed. However, it is preferable that the first adhesive body 400 be placed spaced apart from the spacer 300, as this allows the energy storage elements 100 to be cooled by creating a space between two adjacent energy storage elements 100. In this case, the insulation of the energy storage elements 100 can be ensured by placing an insulating film (such as a shrink tube) around the container 110 to cover the outer surface of the container 110.

[0055] For example, two energy storage elements 100 can be bonded together by applying the first adhesive 400 to the center of the long side surface 111 of each energy storage element 100, and then temporarily fixing the two energy storage elements 100 with a spacer 300 until the first adhesive 400 hardens. Alternatively, the two energy storage elements 100 can be bonded together by temporarily fixing the two energy storage elements 100 with a spacer 300, and then pouring the first adhesive 400 into the gap between the two energy storage elements 100.

[0056] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, in order to fix the energy storage elements 100 to the tray 200, the energy storage device 10 includes, in addition to the above configuration, a fixing member 500 and a second adhesive body 600. The fixing member 500 and the second adhesive body 600 allow a plurality of energy storage elements 100, arranged in the Y-axis direction (second direction), to be placed and fixed on the tray 200. Specifically, the fixing member 500 fixes the energy storage elements 100 to at least one of the pair of first side walls 210 and the pair of second side walls 220. In this embodiment, the plurality of energy storage elements 100 are fixed to all of the side walls of the pair of first side walls 210 and the pair of second side walls 220. Furthermore, the second adhesive body 600 allows both ends of the sides of the plurality of energy storage elements 100 in the X-axis direction (first direction) to be placed and fixed on the pair of first bottom walls 230.

[0057] The fixing member 500 is positioned between the multiple energy storage elements 100 and the side wall of the tray 200, and is a member that fixes the energy storage elements 100 to the side wall of the tray 200. Specifically, the fixing member 500 is positioned around the multiple energy storage elements 100 (both sides in the X-axis direction and both sides in the Y-axis direction), and the fixing member 500 fixes the area around the multiple energy storage elements 100 to the side wall of the tray 200. In this embodiment, the fixing member 500 is an adhesive and has insulating properties. As the adhesive, any adhesive that can be used for the first adhesive body 400 can be used.

[0058] Specifically, the fixing member 500 is positioned between the terminal arrangement surface 113 of the container 110 of the energy storage element 100 and the first side wall 210 of the tray 200, fixing the terminal arrangement surface 113 and the first side wall 210. The fixing member 500 is positioned between the long side surface 111 of the container 110 of the energy storage element 100 and the second side wall 220 of the tray 200, fixing the long side surface 111 and the second side wall 220. More specifically, the fixing member 500 is injected (filled) between the terminal arrangement surface 113 and the first side wall 210 across the entire inner surface of the first side wall 210, bonding and fixing the entire inner surface of the first side wall 210 to the terminal arrangement surface 113. The fixing member 500 is injected (filled) between the long side surface 111 and the second side wall 220, extending across the entire inner surface of the second side wall 220, and is fixed by bonding the entire inner surface of the second side wall 220 to the entire surface of the long side surface 111.

[0059] The fixing member 500 is positioned to avoid members such as busbars (not shown). The fixing member 500 may be positioned only on a portion of the inner surface of the first side wall 210, and may be fixed by bonding the portion of the inner surface to the terminal arrangement surface 113. The fixing member 500 may be positioned only on a portion of the inner surface of the second side wall 220, and may be fixed by bonding the portion of the inner surface to a portion of the long side surface 111.

[0060] The second adhesive member 600 is positioned between the multiple energy storage elements 100 and the bottom wall of the tray 200, and is a member that fixes the energy storage elements 100 and the bottom wall of the tray 200. Specifically, the second adhesive member 600 is positioned between the side surfaces of the multiple energy storage elements 100 in the negative Z-axis direction and the bottom wall of the tray 200, and the second adhesive member 600 fixes these side surfaces of the multiple energy storage elements 100 to the bottom wall of the tray 200. In this embodiment, the second adhesive member 600 is an adhesive and has insulating properties. Any adhesive that can be used for the first adhesive member 400 can be used as the adhesive.

[0061] Specifically, the second adhesive 600 is positioned between the short side 112 in the negative Z-axis direction of the container 110 of the energy storage element 100 and the pair of first bottom walls 230 and the pair of second bottom walls 240 of the tray 200, fixing the short side 112 to the pair of first bottom walls 230 and the pair of second bottom walls 240. More specifically, the second adhesive 600 is positioned over the entire inner surface of the pair of first bottom walls 230 and the pair of second bottom walls 240 by coating or the like, and bonds and fixes the entire inner surface of the pair of first bottom walls 230 and the pair of second bottom walls 240 to the short side 112. Alternatively, the second adhesive 600 may be positioned only on a portion of the inner surface of the pair of first bottom walls 230 and the pair of second bottom walls 240, and the short side 112 may be bonded and fixed to that portion of the inner surface.

[0062] Thus, the pair of first bottom walls 230 are positioned in the negative Z-axis direction (third direction) of the short side surface 112 of the container 110 of the energy storage element 100, and both ends of the short side surface 112 of the container 110 in the X-axis direction (first direction) are placed on and fixed to the pair of first bottom walls 230. In other words, both ends of the short side surface 112 of the energy storage element 100 in the X-axis direction are placed in contact with the pair of first bottom walls 230 and are directly fixed to the pair of first bottom walls 230 by the second adhesive body 600. The pair of second bottom walls 240 are positioned in the negative Z-axis direction of the short side surface 112 of the energy storage element 100 at both ends in the Y-axis direction, and the short side surface 112 is placed on and fixed to the pair of second bottom walls 240. In other words, the short side surface 112 of the energy storage element 100 at both ends in the Y-axis direction are placed in contact with the pair of second bottom walls 240 and are directly fixed to the pair of second bottom walls 240 by the second adhesive body 600.

[0063] [2. Explanation of Effects] As described above, according to the energy storage device 10 of this embodiment, the tray 200 has a pair of first bottom walls 230 that protrude toward each other from a pair of first side walls 210 that sandwich the energy storage element 100 in a first direction (X-axis direction) and extend in a second direction (Y-axis direction). The ends of the side surface (short side surface 112) of the energy storage element 100 that extends in the first direction are placed on and fixed to the pair of first bottom walls 230. In other words, the tray 200 is not provided with a bottom wall on which the entire side surface of the energy storage element 100 is placed, but rather with a pair of first bottom walls 230 on which the ends of the side surface of the energy storage element 100 are placed. By fixing the ends of the side surface of the energy storage element 100 to the pair of first bottom walls 230, the tray 200 is reinforced by the energy storage element 100. Thus, the tray 200 is configured to support the energy storage element 100 with a pair of first bottom walls 230. Anticipating that this may weaken the strength of the tray 200, the tray 200 is reinforced by fixing the energy storage element 100 to the pair of first bottom walls 230. This reduces the proportion occupied by the tray 200 compared to having a bottom wall on which the entire side surface of the energy storage element 100 rests, thus enabling miniaturization or weight reduction of the energy storage device 10. Since the amount of material used for the tray 200 can be reduced, costs can be reduced.

[0064] Conventional energy storage devices have the problem that they may not be able to provide sufficient cooling. For example, the conventional energy storage device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which the lower end of the energy storage element is fitted into a tray and placed on top, with the tray positioned to cover the entire lower end of the energy storage element. Therefore, in the conventional energy storage device, when cooling is performed, air cooling may be performed by flowing air from above or below, or by pressing a cooling plate such as a water cooler against the bottom surface of the energy storage element, but in either case sufficient cooling cannot be achieved. In contrast, the energy storage device 10 according to this embodiment has an opening 250 in the bottom wall, so that air cooling can be performed by flowing air from above or below, or by pressing a cooling plate such as a water cooler against the bottom surface (short side 112 in the negative Z-axis direction) of the energy storage element 100. In this way, the cooling structure of the energy storage device 10 is simplified, and an inexpensive and excellent cooling structure can be realized.

[0065] The energy storage element 100 has a container 110 with a side surface (short side surface 112) extending in a first direction (X-axis direction), and electrode terminals 120 protruding from the container 110 in the first direction. Both ends of the side surface of the container 110 in the first direction are placed on and fixed to a pair of first bottom walls 230. In this way, the vertically elongated energy storage element 100 extending in the first direction is fixed to the pair of first bottom walls 230 while lying on its side. This allows the tray 200 to be reinforced by the energy storage element 100, thus enabling a configuration that makes the energy storage device 10 smaller or lighter.

[0066] Each energy storage element 100 has a long side surface 111 facing a second direction (Y-axis direction) and a short side surface 112 facing a third direction (Z-axis direction). The short side surface 112 of the energy storage element 100 is fixed to a pair of first bottom walls 230 by being placed on them. In this way, the long side surface 111 of the energy storage element 100 faces a second direction and the short side surface 112 faces a third direction, allowing more energy storage elements 100 (for example, about 100) to be arranged in the second direction, thereby increasing the strength of the energy storage elements 100 placed on the tray 200. As a result, the tray 200 can be reinforced by the energy storage elements 100, making it possible to achieve a configuration that is smaller or lighter than the energy storage device 10.

[0067] Multiple energy storage elements 100, arranged in a second direction (Y-axis direction), are placed and fixed on the tray 200, with at least one of the spacer 300 and the first adhesive body 400 fixed in place. In this way, the strength of the multiple energy storage elements 100 is increased by fixing them, and then the multiple energy storage elements 100 are placed and fixed on the tray 200. As a result, the tray 200 can be reinforced by the energy storage elements 100, making it possible to realize a configuration that allows for miniaturization or weight reduction of the energy storage device 10.

[0068] In the energy storage device 10, a gap is formed between the energy storage elements 100 by at least one of the spacer 300 and the first adhesive body 400, and a cooling device (a fan or duct that blows cooling air, etc.) is placed in the third direction (negative Z-axis direction) of the tray 200, thereby cooling the energy storage elements 100. In this case, if the third direction is downward, the heated air flows from bottom to top, allowing for efficient cooling of the energy storage elements 100.

[0069] The energy storage element 100 is fixed to at least one of the pair of first side walls 210 and pair of second side walls 220 of the tray 200 that sandwich the energy storage element 100 in a first direction (X-axis direction) and a second direction (Y-axis direction). By fixing the energy storage element 100 to at least one side wall of the tray 200 in this way, the energy storage element 100 and the tray 200 are more integrated. As a result, the tray 200 can be reinforced by the energy storage element 100, making it possible to realize a configuration that makes the energy storage device 10 smaller or lighter.

[0070] [3 Explanation of variations] (Variation 1) Next, a modification 1 of the above embodiment will be described. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of tray 200a according to modification 1 of this embodiment. Specifically, Figure 6 is a diagram corresponding to tray 200 in Figure 2.

[0071] As shown in Figure 6, the tray 200a in this modified example does not have the pair of second bottom walls 240 that the tray 200 in the above embodiment had. The other configurations of this modified example are the same as in the above embodiment, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0072] In this modified example, the above configuration forms a large rectangular opening 250a between the pair of first bottom walls 230, extending from one of the pair of second side walls 220 to the other. In other words, the multiple energy storage elements 100 are not supported by bottom walls protruding from the second side walls 220, such as the second bottom wall 240, but are supported by the pair of first bottom walls 230 and are placed and fixed on the pair of first bottom walls 230.

[0073] As described above, the energy storage device according to this modified example can achieve the same effects as the embodiment described above. In particular, in this modified example, since the tray 200a does not have the pair of second bottom walls 240 as in the embodiment described above, the energy storage device 10 can be made smaller or lighter.

[0074] In this modified example, the tray 200 has the pair of second bottom walls 240 that it had in the above embodiment, but it may also have a configuration that does not have the pair of second side walls 220 that it had in the above embodiment. Even with this configuration, the energy storage device 10 can be made smaller or lighter.

[0075] (Modification 2) Next, a second modification of the above embodiment will be described. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an energy storage device 10a equipped with an energy storage element 100a according to the second modification of this embodiment. Specifically, Figure 7 corresponds to Figure 5. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the effects achieved by the energy storage device 10a according to the second modification of this embodiment. Specifically, Figure 8(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration when a cooling device 20 is placed in the energy storage device 10 of the above embodiment, and Figure 8(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration when a cooling device 20a is placed in the energy storage device 10a in this modification.

[0076] As shown in Figure 7, the energy storage device 10a in this modified example is equipped with multiple energy storage elements 100a and the tray 200a from Modification 1 above, instead of the multiple energy storage elements 100 and tray 200 that were provided in the energy storage device 10 in the above embodiment. The other configurations of this modified example are the same as in the above embodiment, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0077] The energy storage element 100a has a projection 114 that protrudes in the negative Z-axis direction (third direction) and is positioned between a pair of first bottom walls 230. The projection 114 is a rectangular parallelepiped shape that protrudes in the negative Z-axis direction, extends in the X-axis direction, and is flattened in the Z-axis direction, formed at the Z-axis negative end of the container 110a of the energy storage element 100a. The projection 114 has a shape that corresponds to the opening 250a formed between the pair of first bottom walls 230 of the tray 200a. In other words, the container 110a of the energy storage element 100a has a rectangular shape on its short side 112a in the Z-axis negative direction that is shorter in the X-axis direction than the short side 112 in the Z-axis positive direction, and the Z-axis negative end of the long side 111a has a rectangular shape that protrudes in the Z-axis negative direction.

[0078] The protruding portion 114 protrudes in the Z-axis direction such that its tip surface in the Z-axis direction is positioned in the same location in the Z-axis direction as the Z-axis direction end faces of the pair of first bottom walls 230. With this configuration, the protruding portion 114 is inserted into and fitted into the opening 250a between the pair of first bottom walls 230. This restricts the movement of the energy storage element 100a in the X-axis direction.

[0079] As described above, the energy storage device 10a according to this modified example can achieve the same effects as the embodiment described above. In particular, in this modified example, by providing the energy storage element 100a with a protrusion 114 positioned between the pair of first bottom walls 230 of the tray 200a, the energy storage element 100a can be easily positioned relative to the tray 200a. This suppresses the release of the fixing between the energy storage element 100a and the pair of first bottom walls 230 of the tray 200a, and maintains the reinforcement of the tray 200a by the energy storage element 100a, thereby enabling a configuration that makes the energy storage device 10a smaller or lighter.

[0080] As described above, the energy storage device 10 in the above embodiment allows for easy cooling. However, as shown in Figure 8(a), when a cooling device 20 such as a water-cooled or air-cooled cooling plate with a heat sink is placed in the energy storage device 10 in the above embodiment, it may be necessary to form a protrusion 21 on the cooling device 20 to contact the short side 112 of the energy storage element 100. In contrast, as shown in Figure 8(b), when a cooling device 20a such as a water-cooled or air-cooled cooling plate with a heat sink is placed in the energy storage device 10a in this modified example, it is sufficient to contact the short side 112a of the energy storage element 100a with the flat cooling device 20a. Thus, with the energy storage device 10a according to this modified example, the cooling device 20a can be brought into contact with the short side 112a of the energy storage element 100a without forming a protrusion on the cooling device 20a, thus enabling efficient cooling of the energy storage element 100a.

[0081] In this modified example, the protrusion 114 of the energy storage element 100a may be smaller than the opening 250a of the tray 200a, and the tip surface of the protrusion 114 in the negative Z-axis direction does not have to be positioned at the same location in the Z-axis direction as the end surfaces of the pair of first bottom walls 230 in the negative Z-axis direction. In the energy storage device 10a, if the energy storage elements 100 in the above embodiment are placed in place of the energy storage elements 100a at both ends in the Y-axis direction, the tray 200 in the above embodiment may be placed in place of the tray 200a.

[0082] (Other variations) Although an embodiment of the present invention (including its modifications; the same applies hereinafter) of an energy storage device has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects, and the scope of the present invention includes all modifications in the sense and scope of equivalence to the claims.

[0083] For example, in the above embodiment, the energy storage elements 100, 100a (hereinafter referred to as "energy storage elements 100, etc.") have a pair of electrode terminals 120 protruding from both sides in the X-axis direction of the container 110, 110a (hereinafter referred to as "container 110, etc."). However, it is also possible to have a configuration in which a pair of electrode terminals 120 protrudes from only one side in the X-axis direction of the container 110, etc., or a configuration in which two electrode terminals 120 protrude from both sides in the X-axis direction of the container 110, etc. Furthermore, it is also possible to have a configuration in which the electrode terminals 120 protrude from the long sides 111, 111a (hereinafter referred to as "long sides 111, etc.") or the short sides 112, 112a (hereinafter referred to as "short sides 112, etc.") of the container 110, etc. Thus, the arrangement position, protrusion direction, number, etc. of the electrode terminals 120 are not particularly limited.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the energy storage element 100, etc., is fixed by having both ends, such as the short side surface 112, rest on a pair of first bottom walls 230. However, the energy storage element 100, etc., may also be fixed by having both ends, such as the long side surface 111, rest on a pair of first bottom walls 230.

[0085] In the above embodiment, all energy storage elements 100 are placed and fixed on a pair of first bottom walls 230. However, it is also possible that none of the energy storage elements 100 are fixed to either of the first bottom walls 230.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the energy storage element 100, etc., is fixed to all of the side walls of the pair of first side walls 210 and the pair of second side walls 220. However, the energy storage element 100, etc., may not be fixed to any of these side walls, or to all of them.

[0087] In the above embodiment, a spacer 300 and a first adhesive body 400 are placed between every two adjacent energy storage elements 100. However, it is also possible that one or both of the spacer 300 and the first adhesive body 400 are not placed between any two energy storage elements 100.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the spacer 300 is an insulating double-sided tape having adhesive layers on both sides. However, the spacer 300 may be a hook-and-loop fastener structure that can be attached and detached, such as a hook-and-loop fastener (Velcro) or hook-and-loop tape. Furthermore, the spacer 300 may have an adhesive layer on only one side, or it may be a resin spacer (holder) that does not have adhesive layers on either side. In addition, the spacer 300 may be a conductive material that does not have insulating properties. The spacer 300 may have irregularities formed on the surface facing the energy storage element 100, which form a channel through which a coolant such as cooling air passes.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the first adhesive body 400 is an insulating adhesive. However, the first adhesive body 400 may be a conductive adhesive that does not have insulating properties, or it may be anything that has an adhesive function and is not referred to as an adhesive, and its material is not particularly limited. The same applies to the fixing member 500 and the second adhesive body 600. Furthermore, the fixing member 500 may be a filler or other material that does not have an adhesive function.

[0090] The present invention also includes forms constructed by arbitrarily combining the components of the above embodiments and their variations. [Industrial applicability]

[0091] This invention can be applied to energy storage devices equipped with energy storage elements such as lithium-ion secondary batteries. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0092] 10, 10a energy storage device 20, 20a cooling device 21, 114 Protrusion 100, 100A energy storage element 110, 110a container 111, 111a long side 112, 112a short side 113 Terminal arrangement surface 120 Electrode terminal 200, 200a tray 210 First side wall 220 Second side wall 230 First bottom wall 240 Second bottom wall 250, 250a opening 300 Spacer 400 First adhesive body 500 Fixing member 600 Second adhesive body

Claims

1. An energy storage device comprising an energy storage element having a side surface extending in a first direction, and a tray on which the energy storage element is placed, The aforementioned tray is A pair of first side walls are arranged in the first direction, with the energy storage element sandwiched between them. It has a pair of bottom walls that project from the pair of first side walls toward each other in the first direction and extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction, The pair of bottom walls are arranged on the side surface of the energy storage element in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, and both ends of the side surface in the first direction are placed on and fixed to them. The tray has a pair of second side walls positioned to sandwich the energy storage element in the second direction, The energy storage element is fixed by adhesive to at least one of the pair of first side walls and the pair of second side walls. Energy storage device.

2. An energy storage device comprising an energy storage element having a side surface extending in a first direction, and a tray on which the energy storage element is placed, The aforementioned tray is A pair of first side walls are arranged in the first direction, with the energy storage element sandwiched between them. It has a pair of bottom walls that project from the pair of first side walls toward each other in the first direction and extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction, The pair of bottom walls are arranged on the side surface of the energy storage element in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, and both ends of the side surface in the first direction are placed on and fixed to them. The energy storage element is fixed to at least one side wall of the pair of first side walls. Energy storage device.

3. An energy storage device comprising an energy storage element having a side surface extending in a first direction, and a tray on which the energy storage element is placed, The aforementioned tray is A pair of first side walls are arranged in the first direction, with the energy storage element sandwiched between them. It has a pair of bottom walls that project from the pair of first side walls toward each other in the first direction and extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction, The pair of bottom walls are arranged on the side surface of the energy storage element in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, and both ends of the side surface in the first direction are placed on and fixed to them. The energy storage element has a projection that protrudes in the third direction and is positioned between the pair of bottom walls. Energy storage device.

4. The energy storage element comprises a container having the side surface and electrode terminals protruding from the container in the first direction, The pair of bottom walls are fixed to the first-direction ends of the side surfaces of the container by which they are placed. The energy storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The energy storage element has a long side facing the second direction and a short side facing the third direction, The pair of bottom walls are positioned in the third direction of the short side, and both ends of the short side in the first direction are placed on and fixed. The energy storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The tray is provided with a plurality of energy storage elements arranged in the second direction, The plurality of energy storage elements are fixed via at least one of a spacer and an adhesive. The energy storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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