Battery module

Abstract

Miniaturize the battery module equipped with a service plug. [Solution] The battery module 1 comprises a plurality of battery cells 20, a cell holder 30 that holds the plurality of battery cells 20 in an aligned state according to a predetermined arrangement rule, and a service plug 60 that is removably installed in a space S created in the cell holder 30 by omitting one battery cell 20 from a location where one battery cell 20 would normally be placed according to the arrangement rule, and which electrically connects or disconnects two adjacent battery cells 20.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery module.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a service plug device for releasably connecting a pair of battery modules in series.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When installing a service plug in a single module, it is assumed that various requirements such as safety, assembly, or miniaturization will arise, but no proposals have been made for such requirements in the past.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to miniaturize a battery module including a service plug.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a battery module including: a plurality of battery cells; a cell holder that holds the plurality of battery cells in an aligned state according to a predetermined arrangement rule; and a service plug that is removably installed in a space created in the cell holder by omitting one of the battery cells from a position where one battery cell should be arranged according to the arrangement rule, and electrically connects or disconnects two adjacent battery cells.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to this disclosure, battery modules equipped with service plugs can be miniaturized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the battery module. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the cell holder, cover, and service plug in their assembled state. [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the cell holder, cover, and service plug. [Figure 5] A conceptual diagram showing the electrical connections in the cell holder in Figure 3. [Figure 6] Plan view of the cell holder in Figure 3. [Figure 7] Enlarged view of Figure 6. [Figure 8] Figure 3 shows a partially exploded perspective view of the cell holder and service plug. [Figure 9] Figure 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the cell holder and service plug. [Figure 10] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the cell holder and service plug in their assembled state, magnified. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] A battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a plurality of battery cells; a cell holder that holds the plurality of battery cells in an aligned state according to a predetermined arrangement rule; and a service plug that is removably installed in a space created in the cell holder by omitting one of the battery cells from a location where one of the battery cells would be placed according to the arrangement rule, and that electrically connects or disconnects two adjacent battery cells.

[0010] According to the above configuration, a service plug is installed in the space created by skipping one battery cell from the location where one battery cell should originally be placed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in the size of the assembly of the cell holder and the service plug, and to realize miniaturization of the battery module equipped with the service plug.

[0011] In another embodiment, a plurality of the spaces may be set, and a plurality of the service plugs may be installed in each of the plurality of the spaces.

[0012] According to the above configuration, since there are a plurality of service plugs, the safety of the battery module is improved. This is beneficial in a form in which a plurality of battery cells are electrically connected so as to have a high voltage as a whole.

[0013] In another embodiment, the space and the service plug may be provided at an edge of the cell holder.

[0014] According to the above configuration, the attachment and detachment operation of the service plug can be easily performed. In addition, since the space is created at the edge of the cell holder, it becomes easy to install elements other than the service plug in the same space. Therefore, miniaturization of the battery module can be achieved.

[0015] In another embodiment, the cell holder is provided with bosses for assembling the cell holder or for assembling the cell holder and other components, and the bosses may be arranged in the space.

[0016] According to the above configuration, by utilizing the space created by skipping one battery cell, the service plug and the elements for assembly can be arranged together. Therefore, the battery module can be miniaturized.

[0017] In other embodiments, the edge extends along the longitudinal direction of the cell holder, the plurality of battery cells are aligned at intervals along the longitudinal direction, and the intervals include a first pitch and a second pitch longer than the first pitch. The service plug may be installed between two adjacent battery cells with the second pitch therebetween.

[0018] According to the above configuration, the service plug can be arranged without difficulty by using a location where the arrangement interval is relatively long.

[0019] The battery module according to another embodiment further includes a cover made of an insulating material that covers the cell holder, and an opening for exposing the service plug may be provided in the cover.

[0020] According to the above configuration, the cell holder that holds the battery cells is covered with a cover made of an insulating material, and the service plug is exposed from the opening of the cover. Since the attachment / detachment operation of the service plug can be performed with the cover attached, safety is improved.

[0021] The service plug may have a protrusion that passes through the opening and a shielding portion that extends from the upper end of the protrusion and covers the upper surface of the cover.

[0022] According to the above configuration, it becomes difficult to remove the cover unless the service plug has been removed. Also, it becomes difficult to attach the service plug unless the cover has been attached. That is, if the cover does not cover the cell holder, it becomes difficult to perform the attachment / detachment operation of the service plug. The operator is prompted to attach / detach the service plug with the cover covering the cell holder, and the safety of the battery module is improved.

[0023] The following describes specific examples of this disclosure in detail based on the drawings. In the following description, terms indicating specific directions or locations may be used as needed. The use of such terms is for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the disclosure with reference to the drawings, and the meaning of these terms does not limit the technical scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, parts with the same reference numerals appearing in multiple drawings indicate the same or equivalent parts or components. In addition, the embodiments shown below illustrate specific examples of the technical concept of this disclosure and do not limit this disclosure to those described below. Also, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc., of the components described below are intended as examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure to those specific examples unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, the content described in one embodiment or example is applicable to other embodiments and examples. Also, the size and positional relationships of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity in the explanation.

[0024] Referring to Figure 1, a battery module 1 according to one embodiment is applied to an emergency power source such as a battery backup unit (BBU). However, this disclosure does not specify the application of the battery module, and it can be used as a power source for various other electrical devices, such as a power source for a vehicle's drive motor.

[0025] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the battery module 1 comprises an outer casing 2, a battery assembly 3, and a circuit unit 4.

[0026] The outer casing 2 is, for example, a long rectangular parallelepiped, and is rectangular when viewed in the height direction Z (i.e., in a plan view). In the following description, the direction in which the long side of this rectangle extends is called the longitudinal direction X, and the direction in which the short side extends is called the width direction Y. The longitudinal direction X corresponds to the depth direction or front-to-back direction, the width direction Y corresponds to the left-to-right direction, and the height direction Z corresponds to the up-and-down direction. The longitudinal direction X, the width direction Y, and the height direction Z are orthogonal to the other two directions.

[0027] The outer casing 2 has a front end wall 11 and a rear end wall 12 facing each other in the longitudinal direction X, a bottom wall 13 and a top wall 14 facing each other in the height direction Z, and a pair of side walls 15 and 16 facing each other in the width direction Y. The bottom wall 13, the top wall 14, and the pair of side walls 15 and 16 connect the edges of the front end wall 11 and the rear end wall 12, respectively. The outer casing 2 defines the internal space enclosed by these walls.

[0028] The outer casing 2 is constructed by assembling multiple case components. In the illustrated example, the outer casing 2 has a case base 2a, a case cover 2b, and a pair of end plates 2c and 2d as case components, with the case base 2a forming the bottom wall 13, the case cover 2b forming the top wall 14 and a pair of side walls 15 and 16, one end plate 2c forming the front end wall 11, and the other end plate 2d forming the rear end wall. However, this is merely an example, and the configuration of the parts division of the outer casing 2 can be changed as appropriate.

[0029] The battery assembly 3 and the circuit unit 4 are housed in the outer casing 2, aligned along the longitudinal direction X.

[0030] The battery assembly 3 includes a plurality of battery cells 20 and a cell holder 30 that holds the plurality of battery cells 20 in place. For example, the battery cells 20 are non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries such as lithium-ion batteries. For example, the battery cells 20 have a cylindrical container 21. However, the battery cells may be batteries other than cylindrical ones, such as prismatic batteries, and may also be batteries other than lithium-ion batteries, such as all-solid-state batteries. The battery assembly 3 as a whole is generally rectangular and elongated in the longitudinal direction X.

[0031] The circuit unit 4 may include a charge / discharge control module that controls the charging and discharging of the battery cells 20, a voltage conversion module that converts the DC voltage supplied to or from the battery cells 20 (e.g., step-down, step-up, or both), and a temperature control module that controls cooling according to the state of the battery cells 20. Some of the modules exemplified herein may be mounted on a circuit board located in another location (e.g., the space between the battery assembly 3 and the side wall).

[0032] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the battery assembly 3 includes, in addition to the battery cells 20 and cell holders 30 described above, a current collection structure 40, a lower cover 50, an upper cover 55, and a service plug 60.

[0033] The cell holder 30 is generally rectangular in shape and elongated in the longitudinal direction X. Although not shown in detail, the multiple battery cells 20 are held in a vertical position with their axial direction oriented in the height direction Z. The cell holder 30 has multiple housing sections 31 that individually house the multiple battery cells 20. Each housing section 31 is cylindrical to house the corresponding battery cell 20. The housing sections 31 are open on both the top and bottom. In other words, the top and bottom surfaces of the cell holder 30 are provided with multiple openings 32 that correspond one-to-one with the multiple housing sections 31. As a result, both end faces of each battery cell 20 are exposed above and below, respectively, when the battery cell 20 is housed in the housing section 31. For example, the positive electrode of the battery cell 20 is provided on one end face of the battery cell 20, and the negative electrode is provided on the other end face.

[0034] The cell holder 30 holds multiple battery cells 20 in an aligned state according to a predetermined arrangement rule. As shown in the figure, the multiple battery cells 20 may be arranged in a staggered pattern in a plan view. However, the arrangement rule is not limited to a staggered arrangement; it may also be a matrix arrangement or a single-column arrangement.

[0035] In this embodiment, where a staggered arrangement rule is applied, the multiple battery cells 20 each form multiple cell rows 25 extending in the longitudinal direction X, and the multiple cell rows 25 are arranged at equal intervals in the width direction Y. In each cell row 25, the battery cells 20 are, in principle (intentional exceptions will be described later), arranged at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction X. The arrangement of the battery cells 20 in two adjacent cell rows 25 is offset in the longitudinal direction X. "Equal intervals" is not limited to perfectly equal pitches and may have some error.

[0036] More specifically, in this embodiment, there are five cell rows 25. In principle, a first cell group consisting of two battery cells 20 arranged in the width direction Y, and a second cell group consisting of three battery cells 20 arranged in the width direction Y, are arranged alternately from one side in the longitudinal direction X to the other.

[0037] As schematically shown in Figure 5, the current collection structure 40 electrically connects multiple battery cells 20 and is installed so as to overlap the cell holder 30. In this embodiment, double-sided current collection is applied to the current collection structure 40, and the current collection structure 40 is provided on both the upper and lower surfaces of the cell holder 30.

[0038] In this embodiment, multiple battery cells 20 are connected sequentially in series one by one by the current collection structure 40. As a result, the battery assembly 3 as a whole is at a high voltage. For example, in this embodiment, the current collection structure 40 is composed of multiple lead plates 41 that connect the electrodes of two adjacent battery cells 20 within the cell holder 30. The multiple lead plates 41 include multiple upper lead plates 42 installed on the upper surface of the cell holder 30 and multiple lower lead plates 43 installed on the lower surface of the cell holder 30.

[0039] One battery cell 20 (the first battery cell) has its positive electrode exposed on the upper surface of the cell holder 30 and its negative electrode exposed on the lower surface. The adjacent battery cell 20 (the second battery cell) has its negative electrode exposed on the upper surface of the cell holder 30 and its positive electrode exposed on the lower surface. One upper lead plate 42 connects the positive electrode of one of the two adjacent battery cells 20 (the first battery cell) to the negative electrode of the other (the second battery cell). Another adjacent battery cell 20 (the third battery cell) has its positive electrode exposed on the upper surface of the cell holder 30 and its negative electrode exposed on the lower surface. Another upper lead plate 42 connects the positive electrode of one of the adjacent battery cells 20 (the second battery cell) to the negative electrode of the other (the third battery cell). In this way, the battery cells 20 are connected one by one in series.

[0040] The current collection structure 40, including the service plug 60, will be further described below with reference to Figures 6 to 10. Note that in Figures 6 to 9, the service plug 60 is assembled or disassembled without the upper cover 55, but this is for illustrative purposes only. In reality, as will be described later, the service plug 60 is attached and detached with the upper cover 55 assembled to the cell holder 30.

[0041] Each lead plate 41 has a base portion 41a that is placed on the surface (upper or lower surface) of the cell holder 30, and two lead wires 41b that extend from the base portion 41a and are welded to the two electrodes, respectively. The two lead wires 41b reach the electrodes in the housing portion 31 from the surface side of the cell holder 30 through the opening 32 of the cell holder 30.

[0042] For example, the voltage of each battery cell 20 is 2-5V, and the number of battery cells 20 in the battery assembly 3 is 100-150, so the battery assembly 3 as a whole can have a high voltage of 200-750V. Service plugs 60 are interposed at various points in the series connection path between multiple battery cells 20. One lead plate 41 is rigidly attached to two battery cells 20 by welding, while the service plugs 60 are removablely installed on the cell holder 30 and can electrically connect or disconnect two adjacent battery cells 20. Because the high voltage of the battery assembly 3 can be divided at the locations where the service plugs 60 are installed, assembly and disassembly of the battery assembly 3 can be performed safely.

[0043] The base portion 41a of the lead plate 41 is gourd-shaped, dumbbell-shaped, or hourglass-shaped. The base portion 41a has a pair of circular portions that cover the two battery cells 20 and a constricted portion that connects the pair of circular portions. The upper surface of the cell holder 30 is provided with a plurality of lead plate receiving portions 33 that receive one upper lead plate 42 of this shape each. Although not shown in detail, the lower surface of the cell holder 30 is also provided with a plurality of lead plate storage portions that house one lower lead plate 43 of a similar shape each.

[0044] The lower cover 50 covers the lower surface of the cell holder 30 and the lower lead plate 43 from below. The upper cover 55 covers the upper surface of the cell holder 30 and the upper lead plate 42 from above. The upper cover 55 and the lower cover 50 are made of insulating material.

[0045] The service plug 60 is installed in a space S created in the cell holder 30 by omitting one battery cell 20 from a location where one battery cell 20 should be placed according to the battery cell 20 placement rules. In this embodiment, multiple spaces S are created in this way, and multiple service plugs 60 are installed in each of the multiple spaces S. The space S is set along the edge of the cell holder 30, in particular along a pair of long edges extending in the longitudinal direction X. The service plug 60 is also installed along these long edges, while being positioned inside the contour line of the cell holder 30 in a plan view and not protruding from the cell holder 30 in the longitudinal direction X or the width direction Y.

[0046] In this embodiment, a staggered arrangement is applied as an example of an arrangement rule. Two cell rows 25, one on one side and the other on the other side in the width direction Y, extend longitudinally along the long edge of the cell holder 30. In these two cell rows 25, battery cells 20 are omitted from the locations where they would normally be present in a staggered arrangement. This ensures that space S is available for the installation of the service plug 60.

[0047] In other words, according to the arrangement rules of this embodiment, a first cell group consisting of two battery cells 20 and a second cell group consisting of three battery cells 20 should be arranged alternately. However, at the location where the service plug 60 is installed, one battery cell 20 is removed, so the second cell group consists of two battery cells 20.

[0048] In the three cell rows 25 located in the center of the width direction Y, sandwiched between the two cell rows 25 at both ends of the width direction Y, the battery cells 20 constituting these cell rows 25 are arranged at equal pitches, as described above. On the other hand, in the two cell rows 25 at both ends, there is a first pitch P1, which is the original pitch equal to the pitch of the three cell rows 25 in the center, and a second pitch P2, which is longer than the first pitch P1, as the spacing between two adjacent battery cells 20. The second pitch P2 creates a space S generated by omitting one battery cell 20 from its original position, as described above, and more specifically, it is twice the length of the first pitch P1. The service plug 60 is installed in the space S between two adjacent battery cells 20 via this second pitch P2.

[0049] Where the service plug 60 is installed, a plug receiving section 34 is provided instead of the lead plate receiving section 33. The plug receiving section 34 is V-shaped in plan view and has a shape that resembles two lead plate receiving sections 33 connected together. The plug receiving section 34 has two openings 32 corresponding to each of the two housing sections 31. The plug receiving section 34 houses a pair of half-lead plates 44 and 45, which are obtained by dividing a single lead plate 41 in half. The half-lead plates 44 and 45 have roughly circular base sections 44a and 45a and a single lead wire 44b and 45b extending from the base sections 44a and 45a. One half-lead plate 44 is placed on the upper surface of the cell holder 30 so as to cover one of the two openings 32 and is welded to the electrode of one of the battery cells 20 through the opening 32. The other half-lead plate 45 is placed on the upper surface of the cell holder 30 so as to cover one of the two openings 32, and is welded to the electrode of the other battery cell 20 through the opening 32.

[0050] Inside the plug receiving portion 34, two female screw holes 35a and 35b are open upward on the upper surface of the cell holder 30, between two openings 32 that expose the battery cell 20. The two female screw holes 35a and 35b may be directly formed in the cell holder 30, or they may be realized by nuts fitted into mounting holes provided in the cell holder 30. On the other hand, the half-lead plates 44 and 45 are provided with terminal portions 44c and 45c that are continuous with the base portions 44a and 45a, and through holes 44d and 45d are provided in the terminal portions 44c and 45c. The pair of half-lead plates 44 and 45 are positioned in the cell holder 30 such that the through holes 44d and 45d are vertically aligned with the female screw holes 35a and 35b.

[0051] The service plug 60 is installed so as to cover the two terminal portions 44c and 45c from above. The service plug 60 is provided with two through holes 61a through which two bolts 66 are inserted from above. The two bolts 66 pass through the through holes 44d and 45d of the two terminal portions 44c and 45c, respectively, and are screwed into the two female threaded holes 35a and 35b that align with the two through holes 44d and 45d, respectively. This connects the service plug 60 to the cell holder 30 in a removable manner. When the bolts 66 are tightened, the lower surface of the service plug 60 is in close contact with the two terminal portions 44c and 45c, thereby enabling electrical conductivity between the two battery cells 20 via the two half-lead plates 44 and 45 and the service plug 60. A washer 67 is interposed between the head of the bolt 66 and the upper surface of the service plug 60.

[0052] The service plug 60 is, in general terms, a plate-shaped member made of a conductive material (for example, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, copper alloy, etc.). The service plug 60 has a main body 61 that makes surface contact with the terminal portions 44c, 45c, a projection 62 that protrudes upward from the edge of the main body 61, and a visor portion 63 that is bent at the upper end of the projection 62. On the other hand, as described above, the cell holder 30 and the upper lead plate 42 are covered by the upper cover 55, but the upper cover 55 is provided with an opening 56 that exposes the service plug 60. The projection 62 passes through the opening 56. The visor portion 63 covers the upper surface of the upper cover 55.

[0053] When assembling the battery module 1, particularly the battery assembly 3, configured as described above, multiple battery cells 20 are housed in each of the multiple housing sections 31 of the cell holder 30, and multiple upper lead plates 42 are fitted into lead plate receiving sections 33 provided on the upper surface of the cell holder 30 and welded to the electrodes of the corresponding two battery cells 20. Similarly, multiple lower lead plates 43 are fitted into lead plate receiving sections 33 provided on the lower surface of the cell holder 30 and welded to the electrodes of the corresponding two battery cells 20. Half lead plates 44 and 45 are fitted into plug receiving sections 34 and welded to the electrodes of the corresponding battery cells 20. Next, with the service plug 60 removed, the lower cover 50 and upper cover 55 are assembled onto the cell holder 30.

[0054] Next, the service plug 60 is placed on the terminal portions 45c, 45c of the half-lead plates 44, 45 through the opening 56 of the upper cover 55. At this time, the visor portion 63 is positioned to cover the upper surface of the upper cover 55 and is housed in a recess 57 provided in the upper cover 55. This allows the service plug 60 to be positioned on the cell holder 30 and the insertion hole 61a of the service plug 60 to be aligned with the female threads 35a, 35b. The service plug is then fastened to the cell holder 30 with two bolts 66. Because the visor portion 63 is housed in the recess 57, the service plug 60 is prevented from rotating along with the bolts 66 when they are tightened, making the fastening process easier.

[0055] The current collection structure 40 is completed when the service plug 60 is installed. The multiple battery cells 20 are connected in series one by one. Since this work is performed with the upper cover 55 made of insulating material installed, safety can be ensured. If an attempt is made to install the upper cover 55 after installing the service plug 60, the visor portion 63 will interfere with the upper cover 55, preventing the projection 62 and the visor portion 63 from passing through the opening 56. This allows workers to be instructed to install the upper cover 55 made of insulating material before installing the service plug 60, thereby ensuring safety.

[0056] Conversely, when disassembling the battery assembly 3, if the upper cover 55 is removed, the visor portion 63 engages with the upper cover 55. Therefore, the upper cover 55 cannot be easily removed. For this reason, the worker is instructed to first loosen the two bolts 66 and remove the service plug 60. The worker can lift the service plug 60 by pinching the visor portion 63 or projection 62, so the disassembly of the service plug 60 can be easily performed even with the upper cover 55 attached. Once the service plug 60 is completely removed, there is no longer an element (visor portion 63) that engages with the upper cover 55, so the worker can easily remove the upper cover 55.

[0057] Thus, both the installation and removal of the service plug 60 are performed with the upper cover 55 attached. Therefore, worker safety is ensured.

[0058] The battery module 1 includes a service plug 60 that is detachably installed in a space S created in the cell holder 30 by omitting one battery cell 20 from a location where one battery cell would normally be placed according to a predetermined arrangement rule. This prevents the assembly of the cell holder 30 and the service plug 60 from becoming too large, and enables miniaturization of the battery module 1 equipped with the service plug 60. In particular, in this embodiment, the service plug 60 does not protrude horizontally from the cell holder 30. This contributes to miniaturization of the entire battery module 1, including the battery assembly 3 and, consequently, the outer casing 2.

[0059] The service plug 60 is provided on the edge of the cell holder 30. This allows the operator to easily attach and detach the service plug 60. The cell holder 30 is also provided with a boss 39 for assembling the cell holder 30 or assembling the cell holder 30 with other parts, and the boss 39 is placed in space S together with the service plug 60. In this way, by effectively utilizing space S and arranging various elements together, the battery module 1 can be made even smaller.

[0060] Although this embodiment has been described so far, the above configuration can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the spirit of this disclosure.

[0061] In the above embodiment, multiple service plugs 60 are provided. However, this is just an example, and there may be only one service plug 60.

[0062] In the above embodiment, all service plugs 60 are installed along the long edge of the cell holder 30. However, this is just an example, and some or all of the service plugs 60 may be installed along the short edge of the cell holder 30, or they may be installed in the central region of the cell holder 30 in a plan view.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the boss 39 is placed together with the service plug 60 in the space S created by removing one battery cell 20. However, this is just one example. Only the service plug 60 may be placed, or elements other than the boss 39 may be placed together with the service plug 60.

[0064] This disclosure may include the following aspects: (Aspect 1) Multiple battery cells, A cell holder that holds the plurality of battery cells in an aligned state according to a predetermined arrangement rule, A service plug is detachably installed in the space created in the cell holder by omitting one battery cell from the location where one battery cell should be placed according to the aforementioned arrangement rules, and which electrically connects or disconnects two adjacent battery cells. A battery module equipped with the following features. (Aspect 2) Multiple such spaces are provided, and multiple service plugs are installed in each of the multiple such spaces. A battery module as described in Embodiment 1. (Aspect 3) The space and the service plug are provided on the edge of the cell holder. The battery module according to claim 1 or 2. (Aspect 4) The cell holder is provided with a boss for assembling the cell holder or assembling the cell holder with other parts, and the boss is positioned in the space. The battery module described in embodiment 3. (Aspect 5) The aforementioned edge extends along the longitudinal direction of the cell holder, The plurality of battery cells are arranged at intervals along the longitudinal direction, and the intervals include a first pitch and a second pitch that is longer than the first pitch. The service plug is installed between two adjacent battery cells separated by the second pitch. A battery module according to embodiment 3 or 4. (Aspect 6) The cell holder is further provided with a cover made of insulating material, The cover is provided with an opening that exposes the service plug. A battery module according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5. (Aspect 7) The service plug has a projection that passes through the opening and a visor that extends from the upper end of the projection and covers the upper surface of the cover. The battery module described in embodiment 6. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 1 Battery Module 2. Outer case 2a Case base 2b Case Cover 2c, 2d end plates 3. Battery Assembly 4 Circuit Units 11 Front end wall 12 Back end wall 13 Bottom wall 14 Upper wall 15 Side wall 16 side wall 20 battery cells 21 Container 25 cell columns 30 Cell Holder 31 Storage Unit 32 Aperture 33 Lead plate receiving section 34 Plug receiving section 35a, 35b Female threaded holes 39 Boss 40 Current collection structure 41 Lead Plate 41a Base section 41b Lead wire 42 Upper lead plate 43 Lower lead plate 44,45 Half lead plate 44a, 45a Base section 44b, 45b Lead wires 44c,45c terminal section 44d,45d through hole 44e, 45e Notch 50 Lower cover 55 Top cover 56 Opening 57 Recess 60 Service Plugs 61 Main body 61a Through hole 62 Protrusion 63 Eaves 66 volts 67 Washer P1 First Pitch P2, 2nd pitch S Space

Claims

1. Multiple battery cells, A cell holder that holds the plurality of battery cells in an aligned state according to a predetermined arrangement rule, A service plug is detachably installed in the space created in the cell holder by omitting one battery cell from the location where one battery cell should be placed according to the aforementioned arrangement rules, and which electrically connects or disconnects two adjacent battery cells. A pair of terminals are installed on the upper surface of the cell holder and are electrically connected to the two adjacent battery cells, Equipped with, The service plug is installed by screwing it over the pair of terminal portions from above. Battery module.

2. Multiple such spaces are provided, and multiple service plugs are installed in each of the multiple such spaces. The battery module according to claim 1.

3. The space and the service plug are provided on the edge of the cell holder. The battery module according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The cell holder is provided with a boss for assembling the cell holder or assembling the cell holder with other parts, and the boss is positioned in the space. The battery module according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned edge extends along the longitudinal direction of the cell holder, The plurality of battery cells are arranged at intervals along the longitudinal direction, and the intervals include a first pitch and a second pitch that is longer than the first pitch. The service plug is installed between two adjacent battery cells separated by the second pitch. The battery module according to claim 3.

6. The cell holder is further provided with a cover made of insulating material, The cover is provided with an opening that exposes the service plug. The battery module according to claim 1 or 2.

7. Multiple battery cells, A cell holder that holds the plurality of battery cells in an aligned state according to a predetermined arrangement rule, A service plug is detachably installed in the space created in the cell holder by omitting one battery cell from the location where one battery cell should be placed according to the aforementioned arrangement rules, and which electrically connects or disconnects two adjacent battery cells. A cover made of insulating material that covers the cell holder, Equipped with, The cover is provided with an opening that exposes the service plug. The service plug has a projection that passes through the opening and a visor that extends from the upper end of the projection and covers the upper surface of the cover. Battery module.

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