Power supply device

Abstract

A power supply device according to the present invention is configured such that an output interruption mechanism is formed from a busbar, a first connection part that is connected to a power supply line and a first end part of the busbar, a second connection part that is connected to a second end part of the busbar, and insulating knobs that have a female screw hole and press the busbar onto the first and second connection parts. The first and second connection parts are formed from a connection plate and a screw rod that is connected to the connection plate in a vertical posture. The insulating knobs are rotated to screw in the screw rods and press the busbar onto the connection plates to achieve an ON state in which power is supplied to a load, and the insulating knobs are loosened to separate the busbar from the connection plates to achieve an OFF state and interrupt short circuit currents during output terminal short circuits.

Description

power supply

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power supply device with a built-in battery, and more particularly to a power supply device equipped with an output cutoff mechanism that can cut off short-circuit current caused by an external short circuit at an output terminal.

[0002] A power supply device with a built-in battery can increase output power by connecting multiple batteries in series to increase the output voltage, but this power supply device is equipped with a service plug in the power line connected to the battery to cut off excessive short-circuit current caused by an external short circuit at the output terminal. Under normal use, the service plug connects the output terminal to the battery to supply power to the load, but during transportation, for example, the service plug is pulled out to cut off part of the power line and prevent short-circuit current from flowing in order to cut off short-circuit current caused by an external short circuit.

[0003] A power supply device equipped with a service plug that cuts off short-circuit current caused by an external terminal of an output terminal has already been developed (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] JP 2012-134090 A

[0005] The service plug in Patent Document 1 is connected to a power line connecting battery units in series to interrupt short-circuit current. The service plug is connected to the power line via a pair of sockets. The service plug is detachably inserted into the sockets. When the service plug is inserted into the socket, battery power is output from the output terminal. When the service plug is removed from the socket, the connection between the battery and the output terminal is interrupted, and battery output is no longer output to the output terminal. With the service plug removed from the socket, no voltage is output to the output terminal, and even if the output terminal is short-circuited in this state, no short-circuit current flows, making it possible to interrupt short-circuit current caused by an external short circuit at the output terminal.

[0006] Power supplies equipped with a service plug can interrupt output by inserting or removing the service plug. However, if the service plug is misaligned and removed while inserted into the socket, contact resistance between the service plug and the socket increases, preventing stable power supply to the load. Therefore, to prevent the service plug from moving out of position, a protective cover or other device is provided to hold the service plug in place. Power supplies that use this structure to interrupt output using a service plug have the disadvantages of requiring a large space for the service plug and a complex structure. Furthermore, additional steps, such as removing the protective cover, are required when inserting or removing the service plug, making insertion and removal time-consuming. Furthermore, because the service plug electrically connects by pressing against the elastically deformable metal plate of the socket, the socket must apply a strong elastic pressure to press against the service plug in order to reduce contact resistance in the on state. However, this hinders smooth insertion and removal of the service plug from the socket. While the service plug can be inserted and removed smoothly by weakening the elastic pressing force, this structure makes it difficult to maintain a stable connection with low resistance over a long period of time. Furthermore, the structure in which the metal plate of the socket is elastically pressed against the surface of the service plug to make an electrical connection makes it difficult for the elastically deforming socket to make surface contact with the surface of the service plug over a wide area, and it is also difficult to achieve stable contact over a wide area and reduce contact resistance.

[0007] The present disclosure has been developed with the objective of further overcoming the above drawbacks, and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a power supply device in which an output cutoff mechanism can be placed in a small space and which can be switched off with a simple operation to cut off a short-circuit current at the output terminals. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a power supply device in which the on-resistance can be reduced while the on-off switching of the output cutoff mechanism is easy.

[0008] A power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has all of the following configurations (A) to (G).

[0009] (A) The power supply device comprises a case, a battery unit housed in the case, an output terminal connected to the battery unit, and an output cut-off mechanism connected to a power supply line connecting the output terminal to the battery unit, for switching the output of the battery unit on and off.

[0010] (B) The output cutoff mechanism includes: a bus bar; a first connection portion at which a first end of the bus bar is arranged so as to be able to make contact or not make contact and which is connected to a power supply line; a second connection portion at which a second end of the bus bar is arranged so as to be able to make contact or not make contact; a first insulating knob with a female threaded hole that presses the first end of the bus bar against the first connection portion; and a second insulating knob with a female threaded hole that presses the second end of the bus bar against the second connection portion.

[0011] (C) The bus bar is connected to the power supply line by contacting the first connection portion and the second connection portion, and when the bus bar is in contact with the first and second connection portions, the output cutoff mechanism is in an ON state, and when the bus bar is not in contact with the first and second connection portions, the output cutoff mechanism is in an OFF state.

[0012] (D) The case has a knob window that exposes at least a portion of the first and second insulating knobs to the outside. (E) The first connection portion has a first connection plate that contacts and is electrically connected to a first end of the bus bar, and a first threaded rod that is disposed vertically on the first connection plate and is screwed into the female threaded hole of the first insulating knob.

[0013] (F) The second connection portion includes a second connection plate with which the second end of the bus bar comes into contact and is electrically connected, and a second threaded rod that is arranged in a vertical position on the second connection plate and is screwed into the female threaded hole of the second insulating knob.

[0014] (G) The first and second insulating knobs move to the screw rod tightening position, the bus bar is pressed against the first and second connecting plates, and the output cutoff mechanism is turned on; the first and second insulating knobs move to the loosened position, the bus bar is separated from the first and second connecting plates, and the output cutoff mechanism is turned off.

[0015] The power supply device described above has the advantage that the output cutoff mechanism has a simple structure and can be placed in a small space, and the output cutoff mechanism can be switched on and off with a simple operation to cut off the short circuit current of the output terminal.Furthermore, the power supply device described above also achieves the advantage of being able to reduce the on-resistance while easily switching the output cutoff mechanism on and off.

[0016] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the opposite end of the power supply device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the power supply device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an end of the power supply device shown in FIG. 1 provided with an output cutoff mechanism. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main portion of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the output cutoff mechanism shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing the off state of the output cutoff mechanism shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing the off state of the output cutoff mechanism according to another embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing the off state of the output cutoff mechanism according to yet another embodiment with a dashed line. FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing the off state of the output cutoff mechanism according to yet another embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view showing the off state of the output cutoff mechanism according to yet another embodiment. FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of the power supply device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram of a power supply device according to another embodiment.

[0017] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, terms indicating specific directions or positions (e.g., "upper," "lower," and other terms including these terms) will be used as necessary. However, the use of these terms is intended to facilitate understanding of the invention with reference to the drawings, and the meaning of these terms does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, parts that appear with the same reference numerals in multiple drawings indicate the same or equivalent parts or members.

[0018] Furthermore, the embodiments shown below are specific examples of the technical concept of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention thereto. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of the components described below are intended as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto. Furthermore, the content described in one embodiment or example can also be applied to other embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the sizes and positional relationships of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity of explanation.

[0019] The present disclosure may be specified by the following configurations and features.

[0020] A power supply device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes all of the following configurations (A) to (G).

[0021] (A) The power supply device comprises a case, a battery unit housed in the case, an output terminal connected to the battery unit, and an output cut-off mechanism connected to a power supply line connecting the output terminal to the battery unit, for switching the output of the battery unit on and off.

[0022] (B) The output cutoff mechanism includes: a bus bar; a first connection portion at which a first end of the bus bar is arranged so as to be able to make contact or not make contact and which is connected to a power supply line; a second connection portion at which a second end of the bus bar is arranged so as to be able to make contact or not make contact; a first insulating knob with a female threaded hole that presses the first end of the bus bar against the first connection portion; and a second insulating knob with a female threaded hole that presses the second end of the bus bar against the second connection portion.

[0023] (C) The bus bar is connected to the power supply line by contacting the first connection portion and the second connection portion, and when the bus bar is in contact with the first and second connection portions, the output cutoff mechanism is in an ON state, and when the bus bar is not in contact with the first and second connection portions, the output cutoff mechanism is in an OFF state.

[0024] (D) The case has a knob window that exposes at least a portion of the first and second insulating knobs to the outside. (E) The first connection portion has a first connection plate that contacts and is electrically connected to a first end of the bus bar, and a first threaded rod that is disposed vertically on the first connection plate and is screwed into the female threaded hole of the first insulating knob.

[0025] (F) The second connection portion includes a second connection plate with which the second end of the bus bar comes into contact and is electrically connected, and a second threaded rod that is arranged in a vertical position on the second connection plate and is screwed into the female threaded hole of the second insulating knob.

[0026] (G) The first and second insulating knobs move to the screw rod tightening position, the bus bar is pressed against the first and second connecting plates, and the output cutoff mechanism is turned on; the first and second insulating knobs move to the loosened position, the bus bar is separated from the first and second connecting plates, and the output cutoff mechanism is turned off.

[0027] In the power supply device described above, the insulating knob is screwed onto the threaded rod, bringing both ends of the bus bar into contact with the first and second connection plates, turning the output cut-off mechanism on, connecting the battery block to the output terminal and enabling power to be supplied to the load, and the insulating knob is rotated in the opposite direction to move in the pull-out direction, separating both ends of the bus bar from the first and second connection plates, turning the output cut-off mechanism off, disconnecting the battery block from the output terminal and cutting off short-circuit current caused by a short circuit in the output terminal.

[0028] Compared to conventional output cutoff mechanisms that are switched on and off by inserting and removing a service plug, the above output cutoff mechanism has the advantages of being able to be installed in a small space, being able to switch to the off state with a simple operation to cut off short-circuit current at the output terminals, and being able to switch on and off with the simple operation of screwing the insulating knob onto the threaded rod or turning it in the opposite direction.Furthermore, the above power supply device has the advantage of being able to reduce the on-resistance of the output cutoff mechanism, allowing power to be supplied to the load from the battery unit efficiently.

[0029] In a power supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an output cutoff mechanism can be connected between the output terminal and the battery unit, and this power supply device can cut off the short-circuit current by disconnecting the output terminal from the power line.

[0030] A power supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of battery units connected in series, and the battery units can be connected in series via an output cutoff mechanism. This power supply device can cut off short-circuit current due to a short circuit at the output terminals by turning off the output cutoff mechanism and disconnecting the battery units.

[0031] In another embodiment of the power supply device according to the present disclosure, at least one of the first and second connection plates and the threaded rod can be connected in an insulated state via an insulating material. The output cutoff mechanism of this power supply device can switch the power supply device to an off state by separating the bus bar from the first and second connection portions. In the above power supply device, the first connection plate and the first threaded rod can be connected via an insulating material, and the second connection plate and the second threaded rod can be electrically connected without an insulating material. In the above power supply device, the first connection plate and the threaded rod can be connected via an insulating material, and the second connection plate and the threaded rod can be made of metal in an integrated structure. This structure firmly connects the connection plate and the threaded rod of the second connection portion, while also being advantageous in that it can be constructed from a single component, reducing component costs.

[0032] In a power supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the insulating knob can be configured with a plastic knob portion and a nut fixed to the knob portion, and the female screw hole of the nut can be the female screw hole of the insulating knob. The output cutoff mechanism of this power supply device has the advantage that the insulating knob moves the nut to the threaded rod and presses the bus bar against the connection plate, thereby pressing the bus bar strongly against the surface of the connection plate and achieving a stable on state with small contact resistance in a surface-to-surface contact state.

[0033] A power supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure has the advantage that the tip of the insulating knob protrudes from the surface of the case, allowing the user to easily and reliably rotate the insulating knob to switch the output cut-off mechanism on and off.

[0034] In a power supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the insulating knob can be connected to the case via a stopper mechanism that can rotate but can be stopped at a rotated position. This power supply device has the advantage of being able to hold the insulating knob in a rotated position and stably maintain the on / off state. In this power supply device, the stopper mechanism can be a ratchet mechanism.

[0035] In a power supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first connection portion can be connected to a battery unit and the second connection portion can be connected to an output terminal. Also, in a power supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first and second connection portions of the output cutoff mechanism are connected to the battery units connected in series with each other, and the battery units can be connected in series via the output cutoff mechanism.

[0036] (Embodiment 1) The power supply device 1 shown in Figures 1 to 8 includes a case 2, a battery unit 3 housed in the case 2, an output terminal 4 connected to the battery unit 3, and an output cut-off mechanism S connected to a power line 5 connecting the output terminal 4 to the battery unit 3, and switching the output of the battery unit 3 on and off.

[0037] (Battery Unit 3) The battery unit 3 comprises multiple battery cells connected in series and / or parallel. The battery cells are secondary batteries, preferably non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries such as lithium-ion secondary batteries. Non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries have a high charge / discharge capacity relative to their weight and volume, allowing for increased charge / discharge capacity while reducing size and weight. However, since other currently used batteries and batteries to be developed in the future can be used as battery cells, this disclosure does not limit the battery cells constituting the battery unit 3 to lithium-ion secondary batteries. Furthermore, the battery cells are not limited in shape or size; for example, cylindrical batteries as well as prismatic batteries can be used. The power supply device 1 can increase output voltage by connecting multiple battery units 3 in series and increase maximum output current by connecting them in parallel. Therefore, the power supply device 1 connects the battery units 3 in series and / or in parallel to achieve the optimal output voltage and maximum output current for the application.

[0038] (Case 2) The case 2 of the power supply device 1 shown in the exploded perspective view of Figure 3 and the partial perspective view of Figure 4 has a battery case 2A that houses the battery unit 3 and a surface cover 2B that is fixed to the surface of the battery case 2A. The battery case 2A houses the battery unit 3.

[0039] Case 2 is provided with a knob window 7 through which at least a portion of insulating knob 6 protrudes to the outside so that the user can rotate insulating knob 6. Surface cover 2B of case 2 in Figure 3 is provided with knob windows 7 through which first and second insulating knobs 6A and 6B protrude to the surface. The inner shape of knob window 7 is larger than the outer shape of insulating knob 6, and the tip of insulating knob 6 (described below) protrudes from knob window 7 to the surface, allowing the user to rotate insulating knob 6. Insulating knob 6 can be connected to case 2 via a stopper mechanism that can rotate but stop it at a rotated position.

[0040] The surface cover 2B in Figure 3 has an electrode window 8 through which the output terminal 4 protrudes to the surface. The surface cover 2B is made of metal or plastic. The metal surface cover 2B is structured so as not to come into contact with the output cutoff mechanism S except for the insulating knob 6, and the output terminal 4 is inserted through the electrode window 8 so that the output terminal 4 does not come into contact with the surface cover 2B. The plastic surface cover 2B has an insulating property so that the electrode window 8 can be made small so that the output terminal 4 comes into contact with the surface cover 2B, and the insulating surface cover 2B can cover the output cutoff mechanism S except for the insulating knob 6, which is advantageous in terms of external short-circuiting of the output cutoff mechanism S.

[0041] The battery case 2A can be made of plastic or metal. A plastic battery case 2A allows the battery unit 3 to be placed inside without insulation. A metal battery case 2A preferably places the battery unit 3 inside with insulation.

[0042] (Output shutoff mechanism S) The output shutoff mechanism S includes a bus bar 9, a first connection portion 10A that is arranged in a position where it can come into and out of contact with a first end 9A of the bus bar 9 in a freely detachable manner and is connected to the power line 5, a second connection portion 10B that is arranged in a position where it can come into and out of contact with a second end 9B of the bus bar 9 in a freely detachable manner, a first insulating knob 6A that presses the first end 9A of the bus bar 9 against the first connection portion 10A that connects the power line 5, and a second insulating knob 6B that presses the second end 9B of the bus bar 9 against the second connection portion 10B that connects the output terminal 4.

[0043] (Bus Bar 9) The output cutoff mechanism S includes a metal bus bar 9 that switches the power line 5 on and off in place of a conventional service plug. The bus bar 9 is switched to an ON state when connected to first and second connection portions 10A, 10B that are connected to the power line 5, and to an OFF state when separated from the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B that are connected to the power line 5. Since the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B are connected to the power line 5, they are connected by the bus bar 9 and are in an ON state, and when they are not connected to the bus bar 9, they are in an OFF state. The bus bar 9 is pressed by the insulating knob 6 and comes into contact with the first connection portion 10A and the second connection portion 10B, and is connected to the power line 5. With the bus bar 9 in this position, in contact with the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B, the output cutoff mechanism S is in an ON state, and power can be supplied from the power supply device 1 to the load. When the bus bar 9 is not in contact with the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B, i.e., when it is not in contact with them, the output cutoff mechanism S is in the OFF state, and cuts off the short-circuit current when the output terminal 4 is short-circuited.

[0044] The bus bar 9 can be made of a conductive metal plate such as aluminum, copper, or nickel. Because the bus bar 9 has electrical resistance, a load current flows through it, causing a voltage drop. The product of the voltage drop and the current results in wasted power consumption. To reduce this power consumption, the thickness and width of the metal plate are adjusted based on the load current to adjust the electrical resistance. The output cutoff mechanism S is turned on when first and second ends 9A, 9B on both ends of the bus bar 9 are connected to the power line 5, and turned off when either or both ends are disconnected from the power line 5. When the output cutoff mechanism S is turned on, the power supply device 1 supplies power to the load. When the output cutoff mechanism S is turned off, the output terminal 4 is disconnected from the battery unit 3, shorting the output terminal 4 and preventing short-circuit current from flowing.

[0045] 7 and 8 , the bus bar 9 is in an ON state when both first and second ends 9A, 9B are connected to the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B, which are connected to the power line 5, and is in an OFF state when both first and second ends 9A, 9B are separated from the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B. The bus bar 9 has through holes 9C at the first end 9A and the second end 9B, through which threaded rods 12 provided in the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B are inserted. The bus bar 9 is pressed against the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B by insulating knobs 6 that are screwed onto the threaded rods 12 inserted into the through holes 9C. In this state, the first end 9A is in contact with and connected to the first connection portion 10A, and the second end 9B is in contact with and connected to the second connection portion 10B.

[0046] (Connection portion 10, first connection portion 10A, second connection portion 10B) The output cutoff mechanism S is turned on by connecting the bus bar 9 to the connection portion 10 that connects the bus bar 9 to the power line 5. The connection portion 10 in FIGS. 5 and 6 includes a connection plate 16 to which an end of the bus bar 9 is connected, and a threaded rod 12 that is vertically connected to the connection plate 16. The connection portion 10 includes a first connection portion 10A that is connected to a first end 9A of the bus bar 9, and a second connection portion 10B that is connected to a second end 9B of the bus bar 9. The first connection portion 10A includes a first connection plate 16A that is in contact with and electrically connected to the first end 9A of the bus bar 9, and a first threaded rod 12A that is arranged vertically on the first connection plate 16A and is screwed into the female threaded hole 11 of the first insulating knob 6A. The second connection portion 10B includes a second connection plate 16B that contacts and is electrically connected to the second end 9B of the bus bar 9, and a second threaded rod 12B that is arranged vertically on the second connection plate 16B and is screwed into the female threaded hole 11 of the second insulating knob 6B. The first and second connection portions 10A, 10B connected to the power line 5 include first and second connection plates 16A, 16B that contact and electrically connect the first and second ends 9A, 9B of the bus bar 9 in a surface-to-surface contact state, and first and second threaded rods 12A, 12B that are arranged vertically on the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B and are screwed into the female threaded holes 11 of the first and second insulating knobs 6A, 6B. The first end 9A of the busbar 9 has a portion that is in surface contact with the first connecting plate 16A on one end side of the busbar 9, and the second end 9B has a portion that is in surface contact with the second connecting plate 16B on the other end side of the busbar 9.

[0047] The output cutoff mechanism S connects the first connection part 10A and the second connection part 10B to the power supply line 5. The power supply device 1 shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 13 has the output cutoff mechanism S connected between the output terminal 4 and the battery unit 3. This power supply device 1 switches the output cutoff mechanism S to the off state to disconnect the output terminal 4 from the power supply line 5 and interrupt the short-circuit current. In the power supply device 1 shown in this figure, for example, the first connection part 10A is connected to the battery unit 3 via the power supply line 5, and the output terminal 4 is connected to the second connection plate 16B of the second connection part 10B via the connection lead 15. The power supply device 1 of FIG. 14 connects an adjacent battery unit 3 in series via the output cutoff mechanism S. The output cutoff mechanism S connects both the first connection part 10A and the second connection part 10B to the battery unit 3 via the power supply line 5.

[0048] The first and second connection plates 16A, 16B are fixed to the surface of the battery case 2A. The first and second connection plates 16A, 16B in Fig. 5 are each fixed to the surface of the battery case 2A via set screws. The set screws pass through the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B and are screwed into the battery case 2A, securing the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B to the outer surface of the battery case 2A.

[0049] The first and second connection plates 16A, 16B are arranged in a non-contacting or insulated manner. In FIG. 5 , the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B are arranged at different vertical positions with a gap between them. The first and second connection plates 16A, 16B can be arranged so that they extend in a direction intersecting the bus bar 9. In FIG. 5 , the bus bar 9 extending in the vertical direction (vertical direction) contacts and presses against the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B extending in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the bus bar 9, resulting in an ON state in which the bus bar 9 bridges the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B and is electrically connected. The width (length) of the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B extending in the horizontal direction is made wider than the width of the bus bar 9, ensuring a contact surface between the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B and the bus bar 9.

[0050] The first connecting plate 16A in FIG. 7 has a connecting hole 19 through which the first threaded rod 12A passes. The first threaded rod 12A is inserted through the connecting hole 19 in the first connecting plate 16A, with the screw head positioned on the back surface of the first connecting plate 16A and connected to the first connecting plate 16A in a vertical position. The first connecting portion 10A in FIG. 7 has an insulating material 20 sandwiched between the first threaded rod 12A and the first connecting plate 16A, connecting the first threaded rod 12A and the first connecting plate 16A in an insulated state. The insulating material 20 is molded integrally with a cylindrical portion inserted into the through hole in the first connecting plate 16A and a flange portion sandwiched between the first connecting plate 16A and the screw head. The insulating material 20 is manufactured by molding plastic or ceramic. The first connection part 10A, in which the first connection plate 16A and the first threaded rod 12A are separate members, can be fixed to the battery case 2A by screwing the first connection plate 16A to the surface of the battery case 2A and embedding the screw head of the first threaded rod 12A in the battery case 2A. The threaded rod 12A can also be fixed by joining it to a fitting recess provided in the battery case 2A, or it can be fixed by adhering it to the first connection plate 16A via an insulating material 20.

[0051] The first connection portion 10A, which connects the first connection plate 16A and the first threaded rod 12A in an insulating state, can press the bus bar 9 against the first connection plate 16A to connect the bus bar 9 and the first connection plate 16A in a contacting state, as shown in Figure 8, but can also separate the bus bar 9 from the first connection plate 16A to make it difficult to connect the first connection plate 16A and the bus bar 9, i.e., to put them in a non-contacting state, as shown in Figure 7.

[0052] The output cutoff mechanism S can be turned on by connecting both ends of the bus bar 9 to the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B, but can be turned off by disconnecting one end of the bus bar 9 from either the first or second connection portion 10A, 10B. Therefore, the output cutoff mechanism S can be turned off by insulating at least one of the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B from the threaded rod 12 with an insulating material 20. However, the output cutoff mechanism S can also be turned off by insulating both the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B with the insulating material 20 and connecting them to the threaded rod 12. In this output cutoff mechanism S, the second connection portion 10B has the same structure as the first connection portion 10A. In the power supply device 1 shown in FIG. 7, the first connection plate 16A and the first threaded rod 12A are insulated by the insulating material 20. Therefore, even if the first end 9A of the bus bar is separated from the first connection plate 16A and the bus bar 9 is electrically connected to the second connection plate 16B via the second threaded rod 12B, the output cut-off mechanism S can be switched to the off state.

[0053] The second connection part 10B in Figure 6 has a second connection plate 16B and a second threaded rod 12B integrally formed, with the second threaded rod 12B fixed in a vertical position to the second connection plate 16B. This second connection part 10B can be manufactured by cutting or molding metal. The second connection part 10B, in which the second connection plate 16B and the second threaded rod 12B are integrally connected, has the advantage that the second connection plate 16B can be screwed to the surface of the battery case 2A, allowing the threaded rod 12B to be positioned in a fixed position without misalignment.

[0054] 6 connects the output terminal 4 to a second connection plate 16B. In order to connect the output terminal 4, the second connection plate 16B extends the connection lead 15 laterally from the region where the bus bar 9 is connected, and fixes the output terminal 4 to the connection lead 15. The output terminal 4 can be fixed by, for example, providing a flange at the rear end of a metal rod and welding the flange to the connection lead 15 to electrically connect and fix it.

[0055] (First insulating knob 6A, second insulating knob 6B) The insulating knob 6 has a female threaded hole 11 into which the threaded rod 12 is screwed. The insulating knob 6 in Fig. 7 includes a plastic knob portion 17 and a nut 18 fixed to the knob portion 17. The female threaded hole 11 of the nut 18 corresponds to the female threaded hole 11 of the insulating knob 6. The insulating knob 6 is screwed onto the threaded rod 12 by rotating the nut 18 with the knob portion 17 to press the bus bar 9 against the connection plate 16, and the knob portion 17 is rotated in the opposite direction to loosen the nut 18 and separate the bus bar 9 from the connection plate 16.

[0056] The bus bar 9 is pressed against the connection plate 16 by the insulating knob 6. The bus bar 9 pressed against the connection plate 16 by the insulating knob 6 is electrically connected through surface contact with the connection plate 16. Pressing the bus bar 9 against the connection plate 16 with the insulating knob 6 ensures surface contact, resulting in a reliable electrical connection and enabling a stable connection with low resistance over a long period of time. The pressing by the insulating knob 6 also absorbs component tolerances, ensuring a reliable electrical connection through surface contact. The insulating knob 6 has a first insulating knob 6A and a second insulating knob 6B. The first insulating knob 6A presses the first end 9A of the bus bar 9 against the surface of the first connection plate 16A, electrically connecting the bus bar 9 to the first connection portion 10A. The second insulating knob 6B presses the second end 9B of the bus bar 9 against the second connection plate 16B, electrically connecting the bus bar 9 to the second connection portion 10B.

[0057] The output cutoff mechanism S can be switched between an ON state and an OFF state by the user rotating the insulating knob 6 protruding from the case 2. The output cutoff mechanism S can be switched to an ON state by rotating the insulating knob 6 in the tightening direction (clockwise rotation) and to an OFF state by rotating it in the opposite direction (loosening direction). When the insulating knob 6 is rotated clockwise (tightening direction), it presses the bus bar 9 and moves toward the connection plate 16. Because the connection plate 16 is connected to the power line 5, when the insulating knob 6 is rotated clockwise, the bus bar 9 is pressed against the connection plate 16, electrically connecting it to the ON state. When the insulating knob 6 is rotated counterclockwise (loosening direction), it moves away from the connection plate 16 in the opposite direction to the direction pressing the bus bar 9 toward the connection plate 16, moving to a position where it does not press the bus bar 9. The bus bar 9 that is not pressed by the connection plate 16 is switched to the OFF state without coming into contact with the connection plate 16. In almost all cases, the output cutoff mechanism S can be switched to the ON state by rotating the insulating knob 6 to the right and to the OFF state by rotating it to the left. This is because right-handed threads are almost always used for the threaded rod 12. Although left-handed threads can also be used for the threaded rod 12, this output cutoff mechanism S can be switched to the ON state by rotating the insulating knob 6 to the left and to the OFF state by rotating it to the right. At least a portion of the first and second insulating knobs 6A, 6B protrudes to the outside from a knob window 7 that opens in the front cover 2B of the case 2, and can be rotated by the user.

[0058] The insulating knob 6 can have a stopper mechanism (not shown) that allows it to rotate but stops it at a rotational position. The insulating knob 6 can be connected to the case 2 via the stopper mechanism. The stopper mechanism can hold the insulating knob 6 in the position rotated by the user, thereby maintaining the output cutoff mechanism S in the ON and OFF states. The stopper mechanism can be realized, for example, by a ratchet mechanism provided between the outer surface of the insulating knob 6 and the inner surface of the knob window 7. This ratchet mechanism allows rotation in both the tightening and loosening directions when the user forcibly rotates the insulating knob 6, but when the user does not forcibly rotate it, the insulating knob 6 and the knob window 7 are locked together and do not rotate freely. Furthermore, the insulating knob 6 and the case 2 can be prevented from rotating freely by a key-structured stopper mechanism. The key structure has key grooves on the outer peripheral surface of the insulating knob 6 and on the inner peripheral edge of the knob window 7, and the insulating knob 6 is rotated so that the key grooves of the insulating knob 6 and the knob window 7 are positioned opposite each other, and rotation can be stopped by inserting a key into both key grooves. This stopper mechanism pulls the key out of the key groove when rotating the insulating knob 6, and inserts the key into the key grooves of the insulating knob 6 and knob window 7 when stopping the insulating knob 6 in the rotated position to stop the rotation.

[0059] The insulating knobs 6 include a first insulating knob 6A and a second insulating knob 6B. The first and second insulating knobs 6A and 6B are spaced apart from each other. The output cutoff mechanism S can be reliably switched between the ON and OFF states by rotating the first and second insulating knobs 6A and 6B. The first and second insulating knobs 6A and 6B are spaced apart toward both ends of the busbar 9 in accordance with the positions of the first and second threaded rods 12A and 12B and the first and second ends 9A and 9B of the busbar 9, thereby facilitating parallel contact between both ends of the busbar 9 and the first and second connecting plates 16A and 16B. When the first and second insulating knobs 6A and 6B are rotated in the tightening direction, they are moved to the tightening positions of the threaded rods 12, respectively, bringing the busbar 9 into surface contact with the connecting plate 16 in a parallel state, thereby achieving the ON state. By screwing nuts 18 of first and second insulating knobs 6A, 6B onto threaded rod 12, bus bar 9 can be pressed against first and second connecting plates 16A, 16B, so that bus bar 9 is pressed strongly against the surfaces of first and second connecting plates 16A, 16B, achieving a stable ON state with small contact resistance in a surface-to-surface contact state. Also, by rotating first and second insulating knobs 6A, 6B in the loosening direction and moving them to the loosened position, bus bar 9 can be reliably separated from connecting plate 16 without being pressed by first and second insulating knobs 6A, 6B, achieving an OFF state in which the bus bar 9 is not electrically connected.

[0060] In the output cutoff mechanism S, both insulating knobs 6 are tightened to connect both ends of the bus bar 9 to the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B. The first insulating knob 6A presses the first end 9A of the bus bar 9 against the first connection plate 16A, and the second insulating knob 6B presses the second end 9B of the bus bar 9 against the second connection plate 16B, bringing the first and second ends 9A, 9B of the bus bar 9 into surface contact with the first and second connection plates 16A, 16B, thereby turning the power supply device 1 to the ON state and supplying power to the load. During transportation, for example, both the first and second ends 9A, 9B are loosened to separate both ends of the bus bar 9 from the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B, turning the power supply device 1 to the OFF state and interrupting the short-circuit current that flows when the output terminal 4 is short-circuited.

[0061] (Separation Portion 13) When not pressed by the insulating knob 6, the bus bar 9 separates from the first and second connection portions 10A, 10B, resulting in an OFF state where the bus bar 9 is not electrically connected. The present disclosure does not specify a structure for separating the bus bar 9 from the connection portions 10A, 10B when not pressed by the insulating knob 6. For example, a separation portion 13 may be provided to separate the bus bar 9 from the connection portions 10A, 10B. The separation portion 13 reliably maintains the separated state and can interrupt short-circuit current due to a short circuit in the output terminal 4. For example, the output cutoff mechanism S shown in FIG. 7 includes a separation portion 13 that elastically presses the bus bar 9 from its back surface in the separation direction. This separation portion 13 can be realized, for example, by an elastic body 13a disposed in a compressed state between the bus bar 9 and the connection plate 16 or between the bus bar 9 and the battery case 2A. The output cutoff mechanism S shown in FIG. 7 includes a separation portion 13 of an elastic body 13a formed by a compression spring 13b disposed between the bus bar 9 and the battery case 2A. Compression spring 13b is, for example, a coil spring, and its own elastic restoring force presses bus bar 9 in a direction separating it from connection plate 16. In output cutoff mechanism S shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 7, a recess 21 is provided in battery case 2A, and the coil spring of compression spring 13b is inserted into recess 21 and positioned to prevent misalignment.

[0062] 9 to 11 show other embodiments of the separator 13. In the output cutoff mechanism S of FIG. 9, a separator 13 made of a rubber-like elastic body 13c is arranged between the bus bar 9 and the battery case 2A. The rubber-like elastic body 13c is arranged in a compressed state between the bus bar 9 and the battery case 2A, and separates the bus bar 9 that is not pressed by the insulating knob 6 from the connection plate 16. In this structure, the separator 13 made of the rubber-like elastic body 13c is bonded to the back surface of the bus bar 9 and the surface of the battery case 2A, allowing it to be positioned in a fixed position without misalignment.

[0063] Furthermore, the output cutoff mechanism S can also use an elastic metal plate 13d for the bus bar 9, and realize the separation portion 13 by the elasticity of the bus bar 9. This bus bar 9 that is not pressed by the insulating knob 6 can be deformed by its own elastic restoring force and separated from the connection plate 16. As shown by the chain line in Figure 10, this output cutoff mechanism S can be turned off by loosening the first insulating knob 6A and deforming the bus bar 9 by its elastic restoring force, separating the first end 9A of the bus bar 9 from the first connection plate 16A.

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 , the separation section 13 can also be realized by a separation link 14 that moves the bus bar 9 in the separation direction using the insulating knob 6. The separation link 14 connects and links the insulating knob 6 and the bus bar 9 while allowing the insulating knob 6 to rotate. For example, the separation link 14a in FIG. 11 has a through hole through which the insulating knob 6 is inserted so as to be rotatable, and the insulating knob 6 is rotatably inserted into this through hole. The inner shape of the through hole is smaller than the outer shape of the flange 6a of the insulating knob 6, and the flange 6a is hooked on the inner periphery of the through hole. The separation link 14a engages with the back surface of the bus bar 9 so that the bus bar 9 can be separated from the connection plate 16. The separation link 14a in FIG. 11 hooks both ends of the bus bar 9 to separate the bus bar 9 from the connection plate 16. The separation link 14a does not rotate together with the insulating knob 6, but is pulled by the flange 6a of the insulating knob 6, causing the insulating knob 6 to rotate in the loosening direction and move in a direction to separate the bus bar 9 from the connection plate 16. When the insulating knob 6 rotates in the loosening direction and moves in the loosening direction along the threaded rod 12, the separation link 14a pulls the bus bar 9, which is locked by the locking portion, in the separation direction, separating the bus bar 9 from the connection plate 16. In addition, the separation link 14b in Figure 12 has a connecting cover provided around the flange 6a that covers the bus bar 9 side of the insulating knob 6, and serves as a connecting portion that connects and fixes the bus bar 9 to the bus bar 9. As in Figure 11, this separation link 14b also has an opening to allow the insulating knob 6 to be inserted and to allow the insulating knob 6 to rotate, and is hooked onto the flange 6a on the inner periphery of the opening and connected to the bus bar 9, so that the bus bar 9 can be moved in the separation direction by the insulating knob 6 being rotated in the loosening direction.

[0065] The present disclosure can be effectively used in a power supply device that has an output cutoff mechanism that cuts off short-circuit current, instead of a conventional service plug.

[0066] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1...power supply device 2...case 2A...battery case 2B...surface cover 3...battery unit 4...output terminal 5...power line 6...insulating knob 6A...first insulating knob 6B...second insulating knob 6a...flange 7...knob window 8...electrode window 9...bus bar 9A...first end 9B...second end 9C...through hole 10...connecting portion 10A...first connecting portion 10B...second connecting portion 11...female thread hole 12...threaded rod 12A...first threaded rod 12B...second threaded rod 13...separating portion 13a...elastic body 13b...compression spring 13c...rubber-like elastic body 13d...elastic metal plate 14, 14a, 14b...separating link 15...connecting lead 16...connecting plate 16A...first connecting plate 16B... Second connection plate 17... Knob portion 18... Nut 19... Connection hole 20... Insulating material 21... Recess S... Output cutoff mechanism

Claims

1. A power supply device comprising: a case; a battery unit housed in the case; an output terminal connected to the battery unit; and an output cut-off mechanism connected to a power supply line connecting the output terminal to the battery unit and switching an output of the battery unit on and off, the output cut-off mechanism comprising: a bus bar; a first connection portion at which a first end of the bus bar is arranged to be able to make contact or not and connected to the power supply line; a second connection portion at which a second end of the bus bar is arranged to be able to make contact or not; a first insulating knob with a female threaded hole for pressing the first end of the bus bar against the first connection portion; and a second insulating knob with a female threaded hole for pressing the second end of the bus bar against the second connection portion, the bus bar is connected to the power supply line in contact with the first connection portion and the second connection portion, and when the bus bar is in contact with the first and second connection portions, the output cut-off mechanism is in an ON state, and when the bus bar is not in contact with the first and second connection portions, the output cutoff mechanism is in an OFF state, the case comprises a knob window exposing at least a portion of the first and second insulating knobs to the outside, the first connection portion comprises a first connection plate with which the first end of the bus bar comes into contact and is electrically connected, and a first threaded rod arranged perpendicular to the first connection plate and screwed into the female threaded hole of the first insulating knob, the second connection portion comprises a second connection plate with which the second end of the bus bar comes into contact and is electrically connected, and a second threaded rod arranged perpendicular to the second connection plate and screwed into the female threaded hole of the second insulating knob, the first insulating knob moves to a tightening position of the first threaded rod and the second insulating knob moves to a tightening position of the second threaded rod, the bus bar is pressed against the first and second connection plates and the output cutoff mechanism is in an ON state, The first insulating knob moves to the loosened position of the first threaded rod, the second insulating knob moves to the loosened position of the second threaded rod, the bus bar separates from the first and second connection plates, and the output cut-off mechanism is turned off.

2. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the output cutoff mechanism is connected between the output terminal and the battery unit.

3. A power supply device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of said battery units connected in series with each other, and said output cutoff mechanism connects said battery units in series.

4. A power supply device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first connection plate and the first threaded rod or the second connection plate and the second threaded rod are connected in an insulated state via an insulating material.

5. A power supply device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first connection plate and the first threaded rod are connected via the insulating material, and the second connection plate and the second threaded rod are electrically connected and connected without the insulating material.

6. A power supply device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second insulating knobs comprises a plastic knob portion and a nut fixed to the knob portion, the nut forming the female screw hole of each of the first and second insulating knobs.

7. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the tip portions of the first and second insulating knobs each protrude from the surface of the case.

8. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second insulating knobs is connected to said case via a stopper mechanism which can rotate but can be stopped at a rotated position.

9. The power supply device according to claim 8, wherein the stopper mechanism is a ratchet mechanism.

10. A power supply device according to claim 2, wherein the first connection portion is connected to the battery unit, and the second connection portion is connected to the output terminal.

11. A power supply device according to claim 3, wherein the first and second connection parts are connected to the battery units which are connected in series with each other.

Images