Energy storage device

Abstract

To provide a power storage device which can suppress vibration in a vertical direction and a lamination direction of a laminated body.SOLUTION: A power storage device includes: a laminated body in which battery cells and spacers are laminated; and a housing which houses the laminated body. The housing includes a pair of side walls extending in a lamination direction of the laminated body. At least one of the spacers laminated on the battery cells includes: an upper surface holding part which holds an upper surface of the battery cell; and a fixing part which connects the upper surface holding part with the side wall and fixes these components.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a power storage device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for manufacturing a battery pack by stacking a plurality of battery cells, compressing them from both sides, and housing the compressed plurality of battery cells in a housing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For example, in a structure in which a laminate in which a battery cell and a spacer are laminated is compressed and housed in a housing, the laminate vibrates in the vertical direction and the lamination direction when mounted on a vehicle. Regarding the vertical vibration, it can be suppressed, for example, by inserting a sponge member above the laminate, but there has been no countermeasure against the vibration in the lamination direction.

[0005] This disclosure has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a power storage device capable of suppressing vibration of a laminate in the vertical direction and the lamination direction.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The power storage device according to this disclosure includes a laminate in which a battery cell and a spacer are laminated, and a housing that houses the laminate, the housing includes a pair of side walls extending in the lamination direction of the laminate, and at least one of the spacers laminated with the battery cell includes an upper surface holding portion that holds the upper surface of the battery cell, and a fixing portion that connects and fixes the upper surface holding portion and the side wall.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to this disclosure, vibrations in the vertical and stacking directions of the laminate can be suppressed by using a spacer that includes an upper surface holding portion for holding the upper surface of a battery cell and a fixing portion for connecting and fixing the upper surface holding portion and the side wall. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of an energy storage device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing Figure 1 cut along line AA. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] A power storage device according to an embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the components in the following embodiments include those that are easily substituted or substantially identical to those that are easily substituted by a person skilled in the art.

[0010] The configuration of the energy storage device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The energy storage device according to this embodiment is installed in vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the energy storage device 1 comprises a laminate 10, a support member 20, and a housing 30.

[0012] The laminate 10 has a structure in which multiple battery cells 11 and multiple spacers (cell separators) 12, 13 are stacked in a predetermined direction (stacking direction). Multiple laminates 10 (two in this case) are housed in the space within the housing 30.

[0013] In the laminate 10, the battery cells 11 and spacers 12 and 13 are arranged alternately in the stacking direction. Spacers 12 and 13 have the same function, but their thicknesses differ in the stacking direction. Specifically, the thickness of spacer 12 is smaller than that of spacer 13.

[0014] Furthermore, spacers 12 and 13 are arranged alternately, one at a time, in the stacking direction. However, the arrangement of spacers 12 and 13 is not limited to this; for example, multiple spacers 12 and 13 may be arranged alternately in the stacking direction.

[0015] In this configuration, in each stacked body 10 housed within the housing 30, at least one of the spacers 12 and 13 stacked with the battery cell 11 is equipped with an upper surface holding portion 14 and a fixing portion 15.

[0016] The upper surface holding portion (flange) 14 is for holding the upper surface of the battery cell 11. In the example shown in Figure 1, the upper surface holding portion 14 is attached to a spacer 13 located near the center in the stacking direction of the stacked body 10. Although the figure shows an example where the spacer 13 and the upper surface holding portion 14 are separate components, the spacer 13 and the upper surface holding portion 14 may be integrated into a single unit.

[0017] The fixing portion 15 is for connecting and fixing the upper surface holding portion 14 to the side wall 31 of the housing 30. This fixing portion 15 is made up of fastening members such as bolts.

[0018] Thus, the laminate 10 uses three types of spacers (a thin spacer 12, a thick spacer 13, and a spacer 13 with an upper surface holding portion 14). Furthermore, by using spacers 12 and 13 of different thicknesses, it becomes possible to position the spacer 13 with the upper surface holding portion 14 at the desired location without being affected by variations in the thickness of the battery cells 11.

[0019] The support member 20 is for supporting the laminate 10 within the housing 30. This support member 20 supports the laminate 10 at both ends in the lamination direction of the laminate 10.

[0020] The housing 30 is for accommodating the laminate 10. This housing 30 is formed by, for example, die-casting of aluminum or the like. Further, the housing 30 includes a pair of side walls 31 and a lid member 32.

[0021] The side wall 31 is for partitioning the inside of the housing 30 into a plurality (here, two) of spaces. This side wall 31 extends in the lamination direction of the laminate 10. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, an upper surface holding portion 14 is fixed to the upper portion of the side wall 31 by a fixing portion 15.

[0022] The lid member 32 is for covering the upper portion of the housing 30. This lid member 32 is formed in a flat plate shape.

[0023] In the power storage device according to the embodiment described above, a spacer 13 including an upper surface holding portion 14 that holds the upper surface of the battery cell 11 and a fixing portion 15 that connects and fixes the upper surface holding portion 14 and the side wall 31 is used. Thereby, when the power storage device 1 is mounted on a vehicle, vibrations in the vertical direction and the lamination direction of the laminate 10 can be suppressed.

[0024] That is, in the power storage device according to the embodiment, by using three types of spacers (thin spacer 12, thick spacer 13, spacer 13 with upper surface holding portion 14) and arranging the spacer 13 with upper surface holding portion 14 at a predetermined position, the movement of the laminate 10 including the battery cell 11 in the vertical direction and the lamination direction is suppressed. Thereby, since the sponge member that has conventionally been used for suppressing vibrations in the vertical direction can be eliminated, the cost can be reduced. Further, a high effect can be expected for vibrations in the lamination direction that could not be suppressed by the conventional structure.

[0025] Further effects and modifications can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments expressed and described above. Accordingly, various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 1. Energy storage device 10 Laminate 11 battery cells 12,13 Spacers 14 Top holding part 15 Fixed part 20 Support members 30 cabinets 31 Side wall 32 Lid member

Claims

[Claim 1] A laminate in which battery cells and spacers are stacked, A housing that accommodates the two aforementioned laminates, Equipped with, The housing comprises side walls extending in the stacking direction of the laminate, The aforementioned side wall is A first side wall is positioned between the two laminates, A second side wall facing the first side wall, with one of the two laminates in between, A third side wall facing the first side wall, with the other of the two laminates in between, It consists of, The previous spacer is The first spacer, The first spacer and a second spacer of a different thickness, A third spacer having an upper surface holding portion that holds the upper surface of the battery cell, It consists of, It includes a fixing part that connects and fixes the upper surface holding part and the side wall, One of the two laminates is The third spacer, which has the upper surface retaining portion connected to the first side wall, The third spacer, which has the upper surface retaining portion connected to the second side wall, Equipped with, The other of the two laminates is The third spacer, which has the upper surface retaining portion connected to the first side wall, The third spacer, which has the upper surface retaining portion connected to the third side wall, A power storage device equipped with the following features.

Images