Bus bar and wiring module

Abstract

A bus bar 10 is configured by connecting a first member 10A and a second member 10B formed separately from the first member 10A, wherein the first member 10A and the second member 10B each include a connection part 11, the two connection parts 11 are arranged in a first direction D1, the first member 10A is provided with an extension part 13 that is formed extending from the connection part 11 and is disposed at a position offset from the connection part 11 in the first direction D1, the second member 10B has an overlapping part 14 disposed overlapping at least a portion of the extension part 13, the extension part 13 and the overlapping part 14 are electrically connected, and the distance SP1 between the two connection parts 11 in the first direction D1 can be adjusted by changing the first-direction D1 position of the overlapping part 14 in the second member 10B when the first member 10A and the second member 10B are not connected.

Description

Busbar and wiring modules

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a busbar and a wiring module.

[0002] Energy storage modules for electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and the like include a large number of stacked energy storage elements, which are electrically connected in series or parallel by bus bars. A bus bar described in JP 2016-6724 A (Patent Document 1 below) is a known example of such a bus bar. The bus bar is formed by processing a conductive metal plate. A pair of through holes for inserting battery electrodes are formed in the bus bar. The electrodes are inserted into the through holes and nuts are fastened to the electrodes, thereby electrically connecting the bus bar and the electrodes. The bus bar electrically connects a pair of adjacent batteries.

[0003] JP 2016-6724 A

[0004] In the above configuration, if the specifications of the battery are changed, for example, the spacing between the pair of adjacent electrodes may change. In such a case, it is necessary to fabricate a new bus bar so that the portion of the bus bar connected to the pair of electrodes is positioned at a position corresponding to the spacing between the pair of adjacent electrodes.

[0005] The busbar disclosed herein is a busbar configured by connecting a first member and a second member formed separately from the first member, wherein the first member and the second member each have a connection portion, the two connection portions being aligned in a first direction, the first member having an extension portion extending from the connection portion and positioned offset in the first direction from the connection portion, the second member having an overlapping portion positioned overlapping at least a portion of the extension portion, the extension portion and the overlapping portion being electrically connected, and when the first member and the second member are not connected, the distance between the two connection portions in the first direction can be adjusted by changing the position of the overlapping portion of the second member in the first direction.

[0006] The wiring module of the present disclosure is a wiring module that is attached to a plurality of energy storage elements each having an electrode terminal, and includes the above-mentioned bus bar, the connection portion of which is connected to the electrode terminal, a voltage detection wire electrically connected to the bus bar, and a protector that holds the bus bar and the voltage detection wire.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a bus bar in which the spacing between connection portions is adjustable.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a busbar according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the busbar according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view of the busbar according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the busbar according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating adjustment of the spacing between connection portions, showing the A-A cross-sectional view of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the energy storage module according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the energy storage module according to the first embodiment, illustrating a cross-section along the arrangement direction of the busbars. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a busbar according to a second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the busbar according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a B-B cross-sectional view of FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a front view of the busbar according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the busbar according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a first member according to the second embodiment. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating adjustment of the spacing between connection portions, showing a plan view of the busbar according to the second embodiment. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a busbar according to a third embodiment. FIG. 16 is a plan view of the busbar according to the third embodiment. Fig. 17 is a front view of a bus bar according to embodiment 3. Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a first member according to embodiment 3. Fig. 19 is an explanatory diagram illustrating adjustment of the spacing between connection portions while showing a plan view of the bus bar according to embodiment 3. Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a bus bar according to another embodiment.

[0009] [Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. [1] A busbar according to the present disclosure is a busbar configured by connecting a first member and a second member formed separately from the first member, wherein the first member and the second member each include a connection portion, the two connection portions are aligned in a first direction, the first member includes an extension portion extending from the connection portion and positioned offset in the first direction from the connection portion, the second member includes an overlapping portion positioned to overlap at least a portion of the extension portion, the extension portion and the overlapping portion are electrically connected, and when the first member and the second member are not connected, the spacing between the two connection portions in the first direction can be adjusted by changing the position of the overlapping portion of the second member in the first direction.

[0010] With this configuration, when connecting the first member and the second member, the spacing between the connecting portions of the bus bars can be adjusted.

[0011] [2] In the above [1], it is preferable that the first member further includes a connecting portion arranged between the connecting portion and the extending portion and configured to be elastically deformable.

[0012] With this configuration, the connecting portion is elastically deformed, and thus it is possible to allow the two connecting portions to be displaced relative to each other when the first member and the second member are connected.

[0013] [3] In the above [2], it is preferable that the second member further comprises an extension portion extending from the connection portion and arranged at a position offset in the first direction from the connection portion, the first member has an overlapping portion arranged overlapping at least a portion of the extension portion of the second member, the extension portion of the second member and the overlapping portion of the first member are electrically connected, and when the first member and the second member are not connected, the distance between the two connection portions in the first direction can be adjusted by changing the position of the overlapping portion in the second member in the first direction and changing the position of the overlapping portion in the first member in the first direction, and the second member further comprises a connecting portion arranged between the connection portion and the extension portion and configured to be elastically deformable.

[0014] With this configuration, since both the first member and the second member have connecting portions, each of the connecting portions can be elastically deformed, allowing the two connecting portions to be displaced relative to each other when the first member and the second member are connected.

[0015] [4] It is preferable that the connecting portion is plate-shaped, and that the connecting portion of the first member and the connecting portion of the second member have portions that overlap each other in a thickness direction of the connecting portion.

[0016] With this configuration, the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductive path between the two connection parts can be increased compared to when the connection part of the first member and the connection part of the second member do not overlap in the thickness direction of the connection part, thereby suppressing heat generation in the connection part when a large current flows through the connection part.

[0017] [5] In any one of [1] to [3] above, it is preferable that the first member and the second member each further have a side wall portion rising from the connection portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, the side wall portion of the first member being continuous with the extension portion in the first direction, and the side wall portion of the second member including the overlapping portion.

[0018] According to this configuration, the overlapping portion can be provided on the side wall portion, which allows for greater design freedom in comparison with, for example, providing the overlapping portion on the connection portion. For example, it becomes easier to increase the area of ​​the overlapping portion.

[0019] [6] In any one of the above [1] to [5], it is preferable that the first member and the second member have the same shape.

[0020] With this configuration, the manufacturing costs of the bus bar can be reduced more easily than when the first member and the second member have different shapes.

[0021] [7] The wiring module of the present disclosure is a wiring module attached to a plurality of energy storage elements each having an electrode terminal, and includes: a bus bar of any one of [1] to [6] above, the connection portion of which is connected to the electrode terminal; a voltage detection wire electrically connected to the bus bar; and a protector that holds the bus bar and the voltage detection wire.

[0022] [Details of the Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] The following describes embodiments of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. In the drawings, for the convenience of explanation, some components may be exaggerated or simplified. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios of each part may differ between drawings. In this specification, "orthogonal" does not only refer to a strict orthogonal relationship, but also includes a roughly orthogonal relationship within the scope of the operation and effect of this embodiment.

[0023] In addition, "facing" in this specification refers to surfaces or components facing each other, and includes not only cases where they are completely facing each other, but also cases where they are partially facing each other. In addition, "facing" in this specification includes both cases where a component separate from the two components is interposed between the two components, and cases where nothing is interposed between the two components.

[0024] In each drawing, three mutually perpendicular directions are shown, and the three directions are respectively indicated as a first direction D1, a second direction D2, and a third direction D3. That is, the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are perpendicular to each other, the first direction D1 and the third direction D3 are perpendicular to each other, and the second direction D2 and the third direction D3 are perpendicular to each other. By drawing arrows on both sides of the solid line indicating each direction, not only the direction of the arrow on the side with the symbol but also the direction of the arrow on the side without the symbol is considered to indicate the corresponding direction.

[0025] First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 7. In the following description, when multiple identical components are used, only some of the components may be designated by reference numerals, and the reference numerals for the other components may be omitted.

[0026] (Busbar 10) As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the busbar 10 is configured by connecting a first member 10A and a second member 10B. The first member 10A and the second member 10B are each formed by processing a conductive metal plate. The metal constituting the first member 10A and the second member 10B is, for example, copper, a copper alloy, aluminum, or an aluminum alloy. The busbar 10 includes two connection portions 11 and two linking portions 12 that link the two connection portions 11. The configuration of the busbar 10 will be described below, with the arrangement direction of the two connection portions 11 (the long side direction of the busbar 10) defined as a first direction D1, the width direction (short side direction) of the busbar 10 defined as a second direction D2, and the thickness direction of the connection portions 11 defined as a third direction D3. In this embodiment, the first member 10A and the second member 10B have the same shape, but for convenience, the connection portion 11 arranged on the left side of the bus bar 10 in the drawing is provided on the first member 10A.

[0027] (First member 10A) The first member 10A includes a connection portion 11, an extension portion 13 extending from the connection portion 11, and a linking portion 12 disposed between the connection portion 11 and the extension portion 13. The connection portion 11 has a thin plate shape in the third direction D3. As shown in FIG. 4 , the connection portion 11 has, for example, a rectangular shape when viewed from the third direction D3. Two connection portions 11 are arranged side by side with a gap in the first direction D1. A through hole 11A is formed in the center of the connection portion 11. The through hole 11A penetrates the connection portion 11 in the third direction D3. As described below, the connection portion 11 is connected to an electrode terminal 2A of the energy storage element 2 by, for example, welding (see FIG. 6 ). The through hole 11A is used to confirm the position of the electrode terminal 2A disposed opposite the connection portion 11 in the third direction D3. Note that, unlike the present embodiment, the connection portion may have an insertion hole through which a bolt-shaped electrode terminal is inserted, for example. The connecting portion and the electrode terminal may be electrically connected by fastening a nut to the electrode terminal inserted into the insertion hole.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the extension portion 13 extends from the coupling portion 12 extending from the connection portion 11, and is connected to the connection portion 11 together with the coupling portion 12. The extension portion 13 is positioned offset in the first direction D1 relative to the connection portion 11. The extension portion 13 overlaps the connection portion 11 of the second member 10B in the third direction D3 and has a portion connected to the connection portion 11 of the second member 10B. The extension portion 13 and the connection portion 11 are electrically connected by joining, for example, by welding. The extension portion 13 has a thin plate shape in the third direction D3. As shown in FIG. 3 , in the first member 10A, the extension portion 13 is located on one side (upper side in the figure) of the connection portion 11 in the third direction D3. When the extension portion 13 is connected to the connection portion 11 of the second member 10B, the positions of the two connection portions 11 of the busbar 10 in the third direction D3 are aligned.

[0029] The connecting portion 12 has, for example, a plate shape and is bent relative to the connecting portion 11 and the extending portion 13 so as to protrude in the third direction D3. The connecting portion 12 is formed in a mountain shape relative to the connecting portion 11 and the extending portion 13. This allows the connecting portion 12 to be elastically deformable.

[0030] The elastic deformation of the connecting portion 12 allows a certain degree of relative displacement between the two connection portions 11. The connecting portion 12 can allow relative displacement in the arrangement direction (first direction D1) of the two connection portions 11. The connecting portion 12 can also allow relative displacement in the thickness direction (third direction D3) of the two connection portions 11.

[0031] 2 and 3 , the second member 10B has an overlapping portion 14 that overlaps at least a portion of the extending portion 13 of the first member 10A in the third direction D3. In this embodiment, the overlapping portion 14 is included in the connecting portion 11. The overlapping portion 14 is connected to at least a portion of the extending portion 13 by welding or the like.

[0032] 1 to 3 , in this embodiment, the second member 10B has the same configuration as the first member 10A and includes a connection portion 11, an extension portion 13, and a coupling portion 12. Also, as shown in FIG. 3 , the connection portion 11 of the first member 10A has an overlapping portion 14 that overlaps and is electrically connected to at least a portion of the extension portion 13 of the second member 10B. More specifically, in this embodiment, the first member 10A and the second member 10B have the same shape. This may reduce the manufacturing cost of the busbar 10 compared to a busbar configured with the first member and the second member having different shapes.

[0033] In the second member 10B, the extension portion 13 is disposed on the other side in the third direction D3 (the lower side in FIG. 3 ) of the connection portion 11. Furthermore, the connecting portion 12 of the second member 10B protrudes in the opposite direction (the lower side in FIG. 3 ) to the direction in which the connecting portion 12 of the first member 10A protrudes from the connection portion 11 and the extension portion 13 (the upper side in FIG. 3 ).

[0034] In this embodiment, busbar 10 includes two connecting portions 12, and therefore, when first member 10A and second member 10B are connected, elastic deformation of each of connecting portions 12 allows relative displacement of two connection portions 11 in each of first member 10A and second member 10B. Furthermore, busbar 10 has two portions where extension portion 13 and overlapping portion 14 are connected, thereby improving the strength of busbar 10.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connecting portion 12 of the first member 10A and the connecting portion 12 of the second member 10B have portions that overlap with each other in the thickness direction (third direction D3) of the connection portion 11. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductive path between the two connection portions 11 can be increased compared to when the connecting portion 12 of the first member 10A and the connecting portion 12 of the second member 10B do not overlap with each other in the thickness direction of the connection portion 11. Therefore, when a large current flows through the connecting portion 12, heat generation in the connecting portion 12 can be suppressed.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 3, in this embodiment, a gap 15 is formed between the two connecting portions 12. The two connecting portions 12 are spaced apart by the gap 15. The gap 15 is provided to open in the second direction D2. In other words, the gap 15 is not defined in the second direction D2. By providing the gap 15, the two connecting portions 12 do not interfere with each other and can elastically deform independently.

[0037] In this embodiment, before the first member 10A and the second member 10B are connected, the connection portion 11 and the extension portion 13 can be brought into surface contact and slidably contact with each other. That is, the first member 10A can be moved a predetermined distance in the first direction D1 relative to the second member 10B. This allows the position of the overlapping portion 14 in the connection portion 11 to be changed. That is, by changing the position of the extension portion 13 in the first direction D1 relative to the connection portion 11, the range of the overlapping portion 14 in the connection portion 11 can be changed in the first direction D1. For example, FIG. 5 shows cross sections of three different busbars 10. The positions of the overlapping portions 14 in the connection portions 11 differ among the three busbars 10, and as a result, the spacing SP1 between the two connection portions 11 is different. Here, the spacing SP1 between the two connection portions 11 is, for example, the distance between the centers of the connection portions 11 in the first direction D1. The center of the connection portion 11 is, for example, the center of the through hole 11A. As described above, according to this embodiment, the spacing SP1 between the two connection portions 11 of the busbar 10 can be adjusted using the same first member 10A and second member 10B.

[0038] It should be noted that it is not necessary to bring the connection portions 11 and the extension portions 13 into surface contact with each other and slide in the first direction D1 when determining the relative positioning of the first member 10A and the second member 10B in the busbar 10. For example, the first member 10A and the second member 10B may be arranged with a predetermined distance offset in the first direction D1 to determine the spacing SP1 between the two connection portions 11, and then the second member 10B may be arranged so as to overlap the first member 10A in the third direction D3, thereby determining the relative positioning of the first member 10A and the second member 10B.

[0039] (Wiring Module 3) As shown in Fig. 6 , the bus bar 10 of this embodiment is included in an energy storage module 1 mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. The energy storage module 1 includes a plurality of energy storage elements 2 each having an electrode terminal 2A, and a wiring module 3 attached to the plurality of energy storage elements 2. The wiring module 3 includes a bus bar 10, a flexible printed circuit board 20 (an example of a voltage detection wire) electrically connected to the bus bar 10, and a protector 30 that holds the bus bar 10 and the flexible printed circuit board 20. For simplicity, the configuration of the energy storage module 1 (the energy storage elements 2 and the wiring module 3) will be described below, with the lower side in Fig. 6 defined as the front, the upper side defined as the rear, the left-right direction defined as the left-right direction, and the up-down direction defined as the up-down direction in Fig. 7 .

[0040] The energy storage element 2 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The energy storage element 2 is thin in the left-right direction and long in the front-rear direction. Electrode terminals 2A are provided at the front and rear ends of the upper surface of the energy storage element 2. One of the two electrode terminals 2A of the energy storage element 2 is a positive electrode, and the other is a negative electrode. The energy storage element 2 is not particularly limited, and may be a secondary battery or a capacitor. The energy storage element 2 in this embodiment is a secondary battery. A plurality of energy storage elements 2 are stacked in the left-right direction with spacers 4 interposed therebetween.

[0041] The wiring module 3 is attached to the front and rear portions of the upper surfaces of the plurality of energy storage elements 2. Fig. 6 illustrates the wiring module 3 attached to the front portions of the upper surfaces of the plurality of energy storage elements 2. The wiring module 3 attached to the rear portions of the upper surfaces of the plurality of energy storage elements 2 is not illustrated, but is configured similarly to the wiring module 3 illustrated in Fig. 6.

[0042] The protector 30 is made of insulating synthetic resin. The protector 30 includes a busbar accommodating section 31 that accommodates the busbar 10 and a board accommodating section 32 that accommodates the flexible printed circuit board 20. The busbar accommodating sections 31 are frame-shaped and arranged side by side in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 7 , a connection hole 31B is provided in the bottom wall of the busbar accommodating section 31. The connection portion 11 of the busbar 10 is connected to the electrode terminal 2A via the connection hole 31B. As shown in FIG. 6 , the board accommodating section 32 has a groove-like shape that extends in the left-right direction. The board accommodating section 32 is disposed behind the busbar accommodating section 31. A notch 31A is formed in a wall portion of the busbar accommodating section 31 that is disposed closer to the board accommodating section 32. A metal piece 40 that electrically connects the busbar 10 and the flexible printed circuit board 20 is disposed in the notch 31A. The metal piece 40 and the busbar 10 are connected by welding, for example. The metal pieces 40 and the flexible printed circuit board 20 are connected by, for example, soldering. The wiring module 3 may include a cover (not shown) that covers the protector 30 that holds the bus bar 10 and the flexible printed circuit board 20.

[0043] The flexible printed circuit board 20 includes a sheet-like member made of insulating synthetic resin and a plurality of conductive paths protected by the sheet-like member. One end of the conductive paths is electrically connected to the bus bar 10 via a small metal piece 40. The other end of the conductive paths is connected to an external ECU (Electronic Control Unit) or the like via a connector (not shown). The ECU is equipped with a microcomputer, elements, etc., and has a well-known configuration that has functions such as detecting the voltage, current, temperature, etc. of each storage element 2 and controlling the charge and discharge of each storage element 2.

[0044] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the wiring module 3 (and the energy storage module 1). Note that in FIG. 7, the flexible printed circuit board 20 and the metal piece 40 are omitted, and only the main parts of the protector 30 are shown. The wiring module 3 may be configured so that the connecting portion 12 of the second member 10B of the bus bar 10 is disposed between adjacent energy storage elements 2 in the first direction D1. The protector 30 may have an accommodating recess 31C capable of accommodating the connecting portion 12. In the energy storage module 1, a spacer 4 may be provided between two energy storage elements 2 in the first direction D1, while ensuring a space capable of arranging the accommodating recess 31C.

[0045] In the wiring module 3, the connection portions 11 of the busbar 10 are arranged to face the electrode terminals 2A, and the connection portions 11 and the electrode terminals 2A are connected by welding. The busbar 10 connects the electrode terminals 2A of adjacent energy storage elements 2. That is, the spacing SP1 between the two connection portions 11 of the busbar 10 corresponds to the spacing between adjacent electrode terminals 2A in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the spacing SP1 between the connection portions 11 of the busbar 10 is adjustable when connecting the first member 10A and the second member 10B, and therefore the wiring module can be applied to a plurality of energy storage elements 2 having various spacings between the electrode terminals 2A.

[0046] In the energy storage module 1, the coupling portion 12 forms a conductive path between the two connection portions 11. Therefore, when the vehicle is in use, a large current flows through the coupling portion 12. In this embodiment, the bus bar 10 includes two coupling portions 12, and the two coupling portions 12 have portions that overlap with each other in the third direction D3. This makes it easier to increase the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductive path formed between the connection portions 11. This makes it easier to suppress heat generation in the coupling portion 12.

[0047] In this embodiment, the gap 15 is formed between the two connecting portions 12, so that heat generated at the two connecting portions 12 during use of the vehicle is transferred to the air disposed in the gap 15. As a result, the heat dissipation properties of the two connecting portions 12 can be further improved.

[0048] In the busbar 10 of this embodiment, the elastic deformation of the connecting portions 12 allows the connection portions 11 to be displaced in the arrangement direction. Therefore, according to the arrangement shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the connecting portions 12 allow the connection portions 11 to be displaced in the left-right direction. This allows for absorbing manufacturing tolerances and assembly tolerances of the energy storage elements 2 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, even if adjacent energy storage elements 2 are dynamically displaced in the left-right direction due to vehicle vibration or the like, the elastic deformation of the connecting portions 12 makes it difficult for the connection portions 11 and the electrode terminals 2A to be damaged. Similarly, since the connecting portions 12 can also allow the connection portions 11 to be displaced in the thickness direction of the connection portions 11, the arrangement shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 also allows for tolerances and fluctuations in the up-down direction of the energy storage elements 2.

[0049] (1-1) The busbar 10 according to the first embodiment is configured by connecting a first member 10A and a second member 10B formed separately from the first member 10A, wherein the first member 10A and the second member 10B each have a connection portion 11, and the two connection portions 11 are aligned in the first direction D1, the first member 10A has an extension portion 13 extending from the connection portion 11 and disposed at a position offset in the first direction D1 from the connection portion 11, and the second member 10B has an overlapping portion 14 disposed overlapping at least a portion of the extension portion 13, and the extension portion 13 and the overlapping portion 14 are electrically connected, and when the first member 10A and the second member 10B are not connected to each other, the distance SP1 between the two connection portions 11 in the first direction D1 can be adjusted by changing the position of the overlapping portion 14 of the second member 10B in the first direction D1.

[0050] With this configuration, when connecting the first member 10A and the second member 10B, the spacing SP1 of the connection portions 11 of the busbar 10 can be adjusted.

[0051] (1-2) In the first embodiment, the first member 10A further includes the connecting portion 12 that is disposed between the connecting portion 11 and the extending portion 13 and is configured to be elastically deformable.

[0052] With this configuration, the connecting portion 12 is elastically deformed, thereby allowing the two connecting portions 11 to be displaced relative to each other when the first member 10A and the second member 10B are connected.

[0053] (1-3) In embodiment 1, the second member 10B further includes an extension portion 13 extending from the connection portion 11 and positioned offset in the first direction D1 from the connection portion 11, the first member 10A has an overlapping portion 14 positioned overlapping at least a portion of the extension portion 13 of the second member 10B, the extension portion 13 of the second member 10B and the overlapping portion 14 of the first member 10A are electrically connected, and when the first member 10A and the second member 10B are not connected, the position of the overlapping portion 14 in the first direction D1 of the second member 10B can be changed and the position of the overlapping portion 14 in the first member 10A can be changed to adjust the spacing SP1 between the two connection portions 11 in the first direction D1, and the second member 10B further includes a connecting portion 12 positioned between the connection portion 11 and the extension portion 13 and configured to be elastically deformable.

[0054] With this configuration, both the first member 10A and the second member 10B have connecting portions 12, and as each of the connecting portions 12 elastically deforms, relative displacement of the two connecting portions 11 can be tolerated in each of the first member 10A and the second member 10B when the first member 10A and the second member 10B are connected.

[0055] (1-4) In embodiment 1, the connection portion 11 is plate-shaped, and the connecting portion 12 of the first member 10A and the connecting portion 12 of the second member 10B have portions that overlap each other in the thickness direction of the connection portion 11 (third direction D3).

[0056] With this configuration, the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductive path between the two connection portions 11 can be increased compared to when the connection portion 12 of the first member 10A and the connection portion 12 of the second member 10B do not overlap in the thickness direction of the connection portion 11. Therefore, when a large current flows through the connection portion 12, heat generation in the connection portion 12 can be suppressed.

[0057] (1-5) In the first embodiment, the first member 10A and the second member 10B have the same shape.

[0058] With this configuration, the manufacturing cost of the busbar 10 can be reduced more easily than when the first member 10A and the second member 10B have different shapes.

[0059] (1-6) The wiring module 3 is a wiring module 3 attached to a plurality of energy storage elements 2 each having an electrode terminal 2A, and includes a bus bar 10 whose connection portion 11 is connected to the electrode terminal 2A, a voltage detection line (flexible printed circuit board 20) electrically connected to the bus bar 10, and a protector 30 that holds the bus bar 10 and the voltage detection line.

[0060] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 14. Hereinafter, descriptions of the same components, functions, and effects as those of the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0061] 8 to 12, the bus bar 110 of this embodiment is configured by connecting a first member 110A and a second member 110B by welding, etc. The first member 110A and the second member 110B have the same shape.

[0062] 13 , the first member 110A includes a connecting portion 11, a first side wall portion 112A (an example of a side wall portion), a second side wall portion 112B (an example of a side wall portion), a first coupling portion 113A (an example of a coupling portion), a second coupling portion 113B (an example of a coupling portion), a first extending portion 114A (an example of an extending portion), and a second extending portion 114B (an example of an extending portion). The connecting portion 11 has a thin plate shape in the third direction D3.

[0063] (First side wall portion 112A, second side wall portion 112B) The first side wall portion 112A extends in the third direction D3 from a side edge on one side (upper side in the illustration) of the connection portion 11 in the second direction D2. The second side wall portion 112B extends in the third direction D3 from a side edge on the other side (lower side in the illustration) of the connection portion 11 in the second direction D2. The first coupling portion 113A and the first extension portion 114A are formed extending in the first direction D1 from the first side wall portion 112A. The first coupling portion 113A is disposed between the first extension portion 114A and the first side wall portion 112A. The second coupling portion 113B and the second extension portion 114B are formed extending in the first direction D1 from the second side wall portion 112B. The second connecting portion 113B is disposed between the second extending portion 114B and the second side wall portion 112B.

[0064] The first connecting portion 113A is bent relative to the first side wall portion 112A and the first extending portion 114A so as to protrude to the other side (downward in the figure) in the second direction D2. The second connecting portion 113B is bent relative to the second side wall portion 112B and the second extending portion 114B so as to protrude to one side (upward in the figure) in the second direction D2. As shown in FIG. 9 , the first connecting portion 113A has a recess 115 on the surface opposite to the portion protruding from the first side wall portion 112A and the first extending portion 114A. The second connecting portion 113B is formed narrower in the first direction D1 than the first connecting portion 113A.

[0065] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the first extension portion 114A is arranged to overlap the second side wall portion 112B in the second direction D2. The second extension portion 114B is arranged to overlap the first side wall portion 112A in the second direction D2. As shown in Figure 10, the first side wall portion 112A includes an overlapping portion 116 that overlaps the second extension portion 114B and is electrically connected to the second extension portion 114B. The second side wall portion 112B includes an overlapping portion 116 that overlaps the first extension portion 114A and is electrically connected to the first extension portion 114A. As shown in Figure 9, the recess 115 accommodates the protruding portion of the second connecting portion 113B.

[0066] In this embodiment, the first and second coupling portions 113A and 113B can allow the two connecting portions 11 to be displaced relative to each other in the second direction D2. Also, the first and second coupling portions 113A and 113B can allow the two connecting portions 11 to be displaced relative to each other in the first direction D1.

[0067] In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the overlapping portion 116 is formed on the first side wall portion 112A and the second side wall portion 112B, which are portions different from the connection portion 11. Therefore, compared to the first embodiment, the degree of freedom in designing the overlapping portion 116 can be improved. For example, when the overlapping portion 14 is provided on the connection portion 11 as in the first embodiment, it is necessary to provide the overlapping portion 14 on the connection portion 11 while ensuring the function of the connection portion 11 of connecting the bus bar 10 and the electrode terminal 2A, so it may be difficult to increase the area of ​​the overlapping portion 14. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the overlapping portion 116 is provided in a portion different from the connection portion 11, so it is easy to increase the area of ​​the overlapping portion 116.

[0068] In this embodiment, the second connecting portion 113B is formed smaller than the internal space of the recess 115. A surplus space extending in the first direction D1 is provided between the recess 115 and the second connecting portion 113B. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14 , while the first extending portion 114A and the second side wall portion 112B are slidably contactable with each other and the second extending portion 114B and the first side wall portion 112A are slidably contactable with each other, the first member 110A and the second member 110B can be shifted in the first direction D1 by a predetermined length until the second connecting portion 113B and the recess 115 (first connecting portion 113A) abut in the first direction D1. This allows adjustment of the spacing SP2 between the two connection portions 11 of the busbar 110.

[0069] In addition, when the first member 110A and the second member 110B are connected, the busbar 110 of this embodiment can allow the two connection portions 11 to be displaced relatively in the second direction D2 by elastically deforming the first connecting portion 113A and the second connecting portion 113B.

[0070] (Action and effect of embodiment 2) (2-1) In the busbar 110 according to embodiment 2, the first member 110A and the second member 110B each further include side wall portions (first side wall portion 112A and second side wall portion 112B) that rise from the connection portion 11 in a direction (third direction D3) perpendicular to the first direction D1, and the side wall portion of the first member 110A is continuous with the extension portions (first extension portion 114A and second extension portion 114B) in the first direction D1, and the side wall portion of the second member 110B includes an overlap portion 116.

[0071] According to this configuration, the overlapping portion 116 can be provided on the side wall portion, which improves the design freedom of the overlapping portion 116 compared to, for example, a case where the overlapping portion is provided on the connection portion. For example, it becomes easier to increase the area of ​​the overlapping portion 116.

[0072] Third Embodiment A third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 15 to 19. Hereinafter, descriptions of the same components, functions, and effects as those of the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0073] 15 to 17, the bus bar 210 of this embodiment is configured by connecting a first member 210A and a second member 210B by welding, etc. The first member 210A and the second member 210B have the same shape.

[0074] 16 and 18 , the first member 210A includes a connection portion 11, a linking portion 212, and an extension portion 213. The widths (dimensions in the second direction D2) of the connection portion 212 and the extension portion 213 are set to be slightly smaller than half the width of the connection portion 11, and one edge of the connection portion 212 and the extension portion 213 in the second direction D2 is aligned with one edge of the connection portion 11 in the second direction D2. As shown in FIG. 17 , the extension portion 213 overlaps and is electrically connected to an overlapping portion 214 provided on the connection portion 11. As shown in FIG. 16 , the two connection portions 212 of the bus bar 210 are arranged side by side in the second direction D2.

[0075] In the first embodiment, the width of the linking portion 12 is the same as the width of the connecting portion 11, but in this embodiment, the width of the linking portion 212 is smaller than the width of the connecting portion 11, and the two linking portions 212 are arranged side by side in the width direction (second direction D2). As a result, in this embodiment, relative displacement of the two connecting portions 11 in the second direction D2 is more easily tolerated than in the first embodiment.

[0076] According to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 19, the spacing SP3 between the two connection portions 11 of the busbar 210 can be adjusted by changing the relative positions of the first member 210A and the second member 210B in the first direction D1.

[0077] (Other Embodiments) The above-described first to third embodiments can be modified and implemented as follows: The above-described first to third embodiments and the following modifications can be implemented in combination with each other within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0078] In the first to third embodiments, the first members 10A, 110A, and 210A and the second members 10B, 110B, and 210B have the same shape, respectively. However, the first and second members may have different shapes. For example, the busbars disclosed herein include a busbar 310 shown in FIG. 20. The busbar 310 is composed of the first member 10A of the first embodiment and a flat second member 310B. The second member 310B includes a connection portion 11, but does not include the linking portion 12 and the extension portion 13 included in the second member 10B of the first embodiment.

[0079] In the first and third embodiments, the connecting portions 12 and 212 are provided, and in the second embodiment, the first connecting portion 113A and the second connecting portion 113B are provided. However, the connecting portions may be omitted.

[0080] In the first to third embodiments, the bus bars 10, 110, and 210 have the through holes 11A. However, the through holes may be omitted.

[0081] In the first embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board 20 is used as the voltage detection wire. However, the voltage detection wire may be an electric wire, a flexible flat cable, or the like.

[0082] In the first embodiment, the bus bar 10 and the flexible printed circuit board 20 are indirectly connected via the metal pieces 40. However, the bus bar and the flexible printed circuit board may be directly connected.

[0083] In the first embodiment, the first side wall portion 112A and the second side wall portion 112B are exemplified as an example of the side wall portion. However, the first member and the second member may each have a single side wall portion.

[0084] 1: Energy storage module 2: Energy storage element 2A: Electrode terminal 3: Wiring module 4: Spacer 10: Bus bar 10A: First member 10B: Second member 11: Connection portion 11A: Through hole 12: Linking portion 13: Extension portion 14: Overlapping portion 15: Gap 20: Flexible printed circuit board (an example of a voltage detection line) 30: Protector 31: Bus bar accommodating portion 31A: Notch portion 31B: Connection hole 31C: Accommodating recess 32: Board accommodating portion 40: Small metal piece 110: Bus bar 110A: First member 110B: Second member 112A: First side wall portion (an example of a side wall portion) 112B: Second side wall portion (an example of a side wall portion) 113A: First linking portion (an example of a linking portion) 113B: Second linking portion (an example of a linking portion) 114A: First extension portion (an example of an extension portion) 114B: Second extension portion (an example of an extension portion) 115: Recess 116: Overlapping portion 210: Bus bar 210A: First member 210B: Second member 212: Connection portion 213: Extension portion 214: Overlapping portion 310: Bus bar 310B: Second member D1: First direction D2: Second direction D3: Third direction SP1: Spacing of connecting portions 11 in embodiment 1 SP2: Spacing of connecting portions 11 in embodiment 2 SP3: Spacing of connecting portions 11 in embodiment 3

Claims

1. A busbar constructed by connecting a first member and a second member formed separately from the first member, wherein the first member and the second member each have a connection portion, the two connection portions are aligned in a first direction, the first member has an extension portion formed extending from the connection portion and disposed at a position offset in the first direction relative to the connection portion, the second member has an overlapping portion disposed overlapping at least a portion of the extension portion, the extension portion and the overlapping portion are electrically connected, and when the first member and the second member are not connected, the spacing between the two connection portions in the first direction can be adjusted by changing the position of the overlapping portion of the second member in the first direction.

2. The busbar according to claim 1, wherein the first member further comprises a coupling portion disposed between the connection portion and the extension portion and configured to be elastically deformable.

3. The busbar as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second member further comprises an extension portion extending from the connection portion and disposed at a position offset in the first direction with respect to the connection portion, the first member has an overlapping portion disposed overlapping at least a portion of the extension portion of the second member, the extension portion of the second member and the overlapping portion of the first member are electrically connected, and when the first member and the second member are not connected, the spacing between the two connection portions in the first direction can be adjusted by changing the position of the overlapping portion of the second member in the first direction and by changing the position of the overlapping portion of the first member in the first direction, and the second member further comprises a linking portion disposed between the connection portion and the extension portion and configured to be elastically deformable.

4. The busbar according to claim 3, wherein the connection portion is plate-shaped, and the coupling portion of the first member and the coupling portion of the second member have portions that overlap each other in a thickness direction of the connection portion.

5. The busbar as described in claim 1, wherein the first member and the second member each further include a side wall portion rising from the connection portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, the side wall portion of the first member is continuous with the extension portion in the first direction, and the side wall portion of the second member includes the overlapping portion.

6. The busbar of claim 1, wherein the first member and the second member have the same shape.

7. A wiring module to be attached to a plurality of energy storage elements each having an electrode terminal, comprising: a busbar according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the connection portion of which is connected to the electrode terminal; a voltage detection wire electrically connected to the busbar; and a protector that holds the busbar and the voltage detection wire.

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