Battery pack

Abstract

To locally arrange a disconnect switch at a high position, while improving the efficiency in mounting components around the disconnect switch.SOLUTION: A battery pack 10 comprises: a plurality of battery modules 100; a storage body 200 that defines a storage space 250 in which the plurality of battery modules 100 are stored; a lower bracket 310 and an upper bracket 320 that are stacked in a plurality of stages in at least part of the storage space 250; and a disconnect switch 410 that cuts off a circuit electrically connecting the battery modules 100, and is provided on the lower bracket 310 and the upper bracket 320.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, battery packs used for various applications such as automobiles have been developed. A battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules, a housing that houses the plurality of modules, and a disconnect switch for disconnecting a circuit that electrically connects the battery modules to each other. The disconnect switch is generally sometimes also referred to as, for example, a service disconnect switch (SD / SW) or a service plug.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes an example of a battery pack. In this battery pack, a service plug is supported by a support member fixed to a housing member.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes an example of a battery pack. In this battery pack, a middle base is provided above the battery module. The middle base is provided with an SD / SW and other electronic components.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] For example, in the battery pack described in Patent Document 1, a support member is locally positioned in the area where the service plug is located. However, in this case, the area of ​​the support member is relatively small. Therefore, it can be difficult to mount components other than the service plug on the support member. Consequently, it can be difficult to improve the mounting efficiency of components around the service plug. For example, in the battery pack described in Patent Document 2, the SD / SW and other electronic components are mounted on the middle base. However, in this case, it can be difficult to position the SD / SW higher than the other electronic components.

[0007] One example of the object of the present invention is to improve the mounting efficiency of components surrounding the disconnect switch while positioning the disconnect switch at a locally elevated location. Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description herein. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is as follows: [1] Multiple battery modules, A housing that defines a housing space in which the aforementioned multiple battery modules are housed, Multiple brackets overlapping in multiple stages with respect to at least a portion of the aforementioned storage space, The circuit that electrically connects the battery modules to each other is interrupted, and the disconnect switches provided on the plurality of brackets, A battery pack equipped with the following features. [2] The battery pack according to [1], further comprising an electronic component provided on at least one of the plurality of brackets for controlling the plurality of battery modules. [3] The facility further comprises a breather through which the air inside the containment space and the air outside the containment space can pass. The battery pack according to [1] or [2], wherein the disconnect switch and the breather are arranged on opposite sides of the plurality of brackets. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the above embodiment of the present invention, the mounting efficiency of components surrounding the disconnect switch can be improved, and the disconnect switch can be positioned at a locally elevated location. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the battery pack according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the battery pack according to the embodiment with the upper case removed. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a plan view showing the lower bracket and upper bracket removed. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the AA cross-section in Figure 2 together with the floor panel. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In all drawings, similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted where appropriate.

[0012] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the battery pack 10 according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a plan view of the battery pack 10 with the upper case 220 removed. Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2 with the lower bracket 310 and upper bracket 320 removed. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the AA cross section of Figure 2 together with the floor panel 50.

[0013] In this embodiment, the battery pack 10 is mounted in an automobile. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the battery pack 10 is mounted below the floor panel 50 between the front and rear wheels of the automobile. Hereafter, unless otherwise specified, the battery pack 10 will be described as being mounted below the floor panel 50. However, the battery pack 10 can also be applied to applications other than automobiles.

[0014] In each figure, for the sake of explanation, the X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction are shown. The X-direction indicates the front-back direction of the battery pack 10. The Y-direction is perpendicular to the X-direction. The Y-direction indicates the left-right direction of the battery pack 10. The Z-direction is perpendicular to both the X-direction and the Y-direction. The Z-direction indicates the up-down direction of the battery pack 10. The arrow indicating the X-direction, the arrow arrow indicating the Y-direction, and the arrow indicating the Z-direction respectively indicate the front direction, left direction, and up direction of the battery pack 10. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the white circle with a black dot indicating the Z-direction indicates that the arrow indicating the Z-direction extends from the back to the front of the paper surface. In FIG. 4, the white circle with a black dot indicating the Y-direction indicates that the arrow indicating the Y-direction extends from the back to the front of the paper surface. However, the relationship between the X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction and the front-back direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the battery pack 10 is not limited to this example.

[0015] In an embodiment, the front-back direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the battery pack 10 are determined by the automobile on which the battery pack 10 is mounted. The X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction respectively indicate the front-back direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the automobile. The arrow indicating the X-direction, the arrow indicating the Y-direction, and the arrow indicating the Z-direction respectively indicate the front direction, left direction, and up direction of the automobile. However, the relationship between the front-back direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the battery pack 10 and the front-back direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the automobile is not limited to this example.

[0016] Hereinafter, if necessary, the direction perpendicular to the Z-direction is referred to as the horizontal direction.

[0017] The battery pack 10 includes four battery modules 100, a housing 200, a lower bracket 310, an upper bracket 320, a disconnect switch 410, and a breather 420. The four battery modules 100 include a pair of left-side battery modules 100 arranged in the X direction and a pair of right-side battery modules 100 arranged in the X direction. The disconnect switch 410 may generally be also referred to as, for example, a service disconnect switch or a service plug. The housing 200 has a lower case 210 and an upper case 220. The lower case 210 may generally be also referred to as, for example, a tray or a main body portion. The lower case 210 includes a lower plate 212 and side frames 214. The upper case 220 may generally be also referred to as, for example, a cover or a lid portion.

[0018] Each battery module 100 has a plurality of battery cells stacked in the horizontal direction. For example, in each battery module 100, a plurality of battery cell groups each including a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel are connected in series. Alternatively, a single battery cell may be connected in series.

[0019] A pair of terminals 110 are provided in front of the side frame 214. The pair of terminals 110 are arranged substantially parallel to each other in the Y direction. The front end portion of each terminal 110 protrudes forward from the front surface of the side frame 214. In the electrical path, the four battery modules 100 are connected in series between the pair of terminals 110.

[0020] The number and arrangement of the battery modules 100 are not limited to the examples according to the embodiments. For example, the number of the battery modules 100 may be only two, only three, or five or more. That is, the battery pack 10 can include a plurality of battery modules 100.

[0021] The lower case 210 and the upper case 220 are attached to each other via a sealing material 230. The lower case 210, the upper case 220, and the sealing material 230 form a housing space 250. The housing space 250 houses four battery modules 100, a disconnect switch 410, a lower bracket 310, and an upper bracket 320.

[0022] The lower plate 212 defines the bottom of the storage space 250. The side frame 214 defines the lateral portion of the storage space 250. Specifically, viewed from the Z direction, the side frame 214 is provided along the outermost periphery of the lower plate 212. The upper case 220 defines the top of the storage space 250.

[0023] The sealing material 230 is, for example, an elastic material such as rubber. Viewed from the Z direction, the sealing material 230 is provided around the entire circumference of the side frame 214. As a result, viewed from the Z direction, the sealing material 230 surrounds the housing space 250. Therefore, the housing space 250 can be sealed from the space outside the housing 200 by the sealing material 230.

[0024] The lower bracket 310 and the upper bracket 320 are stacked in two layers relative to the storage space 250. Specifically, Lower bracket 310 The lower end is fixed to the lower plate 212 by fasteners such as bolts (not shown). Lower bracket 310 It covers at least some of the battery modules 100. The lower end of the upper bracket 320 is fixed to the upper surface of the lower bracket 310 by fasteners such as bolts (not shown). The upper bracket 320 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the lower bracket 310.

[0025] The disconnect switch 410 has the function of interrupting the circuit that electrically connects the battery modules 100 to each other. Some of the battery modules 100 are electrically connected to each other via the disconnect switch 410. In this embodiment, the circuit that electrically connects the battery modules 100 to each other may be a high-voltage circuit. Therefore, under certain conditions such as maintenance work on the battery pack 10 or emergency shutdown of the battery pack 10, it is necessary to interrupt the circuit that electrically connects the battery modules 100 to each other in order to ensure the safety of the workers handling the battery pack 10. In this embodiment, the circuit that connects the battery modules 100 to each other can be interrupted by operating the disconnect switch 410.

[0026] The disconnect switch 410 is located at the upper front end of the upper bracket 320. Therefore, the disconnect switch 410 can be positioned at a locally elevated location. In this embodiment, the disconnect switch 410 is oriented diagonally upward and forward. As shown in Figure 1, the front surface of the disconnect switch 410 is exposed from the upper case 220. Therefore, an operator of the battery pack 10 can open the lid 52 provided on the floor panel 50 and operate the disconnect switch 410 from the front of the battery pack 10.

[0027] The air inside the containment space 250 and the air outside the containment space 250 can pass through the breather 420. Specifically, the breather 420 has a ventilation membrane to equalize the pressure difference between the inside pressure of the containment space 250 and the outside pressure of the containment space 250. Therefore, if the outside pressure of the containment space 250 is higher than the inside pressure of the containment space 250, the breather 420 allows outside air into the containment space 250. Conversely, if the inside pressure of the containment space 250 is higher than the outside pressure of the containment space 250, the breather 420 discharges the air inside the containment space 250 to the outside. In addition, the breather 420 is capable of shielding against foreign matter such as water and dust. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the entry of foreign matter such as water and dust from the outside space into the inside space of the containment space 250.

[0028] The breather 420 is located at the upper rear end of the upper bracket 320. Therefore, the breather 420 can be positioned at a locally elevated position. In this embodiment, the disconnect switch 410 and the breather 420 are located on opposite sides of the upper bracket 320 in the X direction. This positions the breather 420 on the opposite side of the upper bracket 320 from the side facing the lid 52. This prevents water flowing in from the front of the floor panel 50 from being directly sprayed onto the breather 420.

[0029] The lower bracket 310 is provided with at least one electronic component 312. In the example shown in Figure 2, when viewed from above, two electronic components 312 are arranged on both sides of the upper bracket 320 in the Y direction. However, the number and arrangement of the lower brackets 310 are not limited to the example shown in Figure 2. Each electronic component 312 controls a plurality of battery modules 100. In an embodiment, the electronic component 312 is a BMS (Battery Management System). For example, the electronic component 312 manages and controls the charging and discharging of the plurality of battery modules 100.

[0030] In this embodiment, each electronic component 312 is mounted on a lower bracket 310 that is different from the upper bracket 320 on which the disconnect switch 410 and breather 420 are provided. Viewed from above, the area of ​​the lower bracket 310 is larger than the area of ​​the upper bracket 320. Each electronic component 312 is located in the Z direction relative to the upper bracket 320 of the lower bracket 310. to It is located in a non-overlapping area. Therefore, the mounting efficiency of components around the disconnect switch 410 can be improved.

[0031] The structure of the multiple brackets on which the disconnect switch 410 and breather 420 are provided is not limited to the lower bracket 310 and upper bracket 320 according to the embodiment. For example, the disconnect switch 410 and breather 420 may be provided on three or more brackets that overlap in three or more stages with respect to the housing space 250. In this example, the disconnect switch 410 and breather 420 can be provided on the uppermost bracket. The electronic component 312 can be provided on a bracket lower than the uppermost bracket. In this case, the electronic component 312 can be positioned in an area that does not overlap with the uppermost bracket in the Z direction. This improves the mounting efficiency of components around the disconnect switch 410 while positioning the disconnect switch 410 and breather 420 at a locally higher position.

[0032] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, but these are merely examples of the present invention, and various other configurations can also be adopted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 10 battery packs 50 Floor Panels 52 Lid 100 Battery Modules Terminal 110 200 containment units 210 Lower Case 212 Lower Plate 214 Side Frame 220 Upper Case 230 sealant 250 storage space 310 Lower Bracket 312 Electronic Components 320 Upper Bracket 410 Disconnect Switch 420 Breezer

Claims

1. Multiple battery modules, A housing that defines a housing space in which the aforementioned multiple battery modules are housed, Multiple brackets overlapping in multiple stages with respect to at least a portion of the aforementioned storage space, A disconnect switch is provided in at least one of the multiple brackets, excluding the lowest bracket, which disconnects the circuit that electrically connects the battery modules to each other. A breather through which the air inside the containment space and the air outside the containment space can pass, Equipped with, A battery pack in which the disconnect switch and the breather are located on opposite sides of the plurality of brackets.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic component provided on at least one of the plurality of brackets for controlling the plurality of battery modules.

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