Bus bar, bus bar assembly, and battery module

Abstract

A bus bar according to the present invention comprises: a plurality of first protrusions that protrude on one side in the plate thickness direction from a virtual surface connecting first and second ends and are arranged in series in the longitudinal direction at a predetermined pitch W; a plurality of second protrusions that protrude on the other side in the plate thickness direction from the virtual surface so as to be alternately positioned with the first protrusions along the longitudinal direction, and are arranged in series in the longitudinal direction at the predetermined pitch W so that the longitudinal distance from an adjacent first protrusion is W / 2; and a plurality of connection parts that connect the first end and the adjacent first or second protrusion, adjacent first and second protrusions, and the second end and the adjacent first or second protrusion, and that are inclined with respect to the virtual surface when viewed along the planar direction, the plurality of connection parts being elastically deformable so that the plurality of first protrusions and the plurality of second protrusions can become closer to each other in the plate thickness direction.

Description

Busbars, busbar assemblies and battery modules

[0001] The present invention relates to a bus bar and bus bar assembly for electrically connecting a plurality of batteries, and to a battery module in which a plurality of batteries are connected in parallel and in series.

[0002] Demand for reusable secondary batteries, such as lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium batteries, is increasing. When used as a power source for driving a motor in an automobile or as a power source for home or industrial use, it is necessary to obtain the desired power for each application. To this end, a battery module has been proposed in which multiple secondary batteries are connected in parallel and in series (see Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] The battery module described in Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of batteries each having a positive terminal and a negative terminal on a first end face on one side in the longitudinal direction, the first end faces of the batteries being arranged side by side on the same side, and a conductive member arranged above the first end faces of the plurality of batteries.

[0004] The plurality of batteries include first to n-th columns. The conductive member is divided into a plurality of sections, and one section is electrically connected to all negative electrode terminals of the batteries in a first column and all negative electrode terminals of the batteries in a second column adjacent to the first column, and is electrically connected to all positive electrode terminals of the batteries in a third column adjacent to the second column and all positive electrode terminals of the batteries in a fourth column adjacent to the third column. In other words, one section connects in series the negative electrode terminals of all batteries in the first and second columns and the positive electrode terminals of all batteries in the third and fourth columns.

[0005] The battery module described in Patent Document 1 is useful for batteries having a positive terminal and a negative terminal on a first end face on one side in the longitudinal direction, but is not applicable to batteries having first and second electrode terminals on the first end face on one side in the longitudinal direction and the second end face on the other side, respectively.

[0006] International Publication No. 2019 / 058938

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional technology, and has an object to provide a bus bar and a bus bar assembly that can connect in parallel and in series a plurality of batteries, each having first and second electrode terminals on one and the other longitudinal sides, respectively, and a battery module in which the plurality of batteries are connected in parallel and in series by the bus bar assembly.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a conductive busbar having a first plate surface on one side in a plate thickness direction and a second plate surface on the other side, the busbar having: a plurality of first protruding portions protruding toward one side in the plate thickness direction from an imaginary plane connecting first and second longitudinal end portions when viewed along the plate surface direction, the plurality of first protruding portions being arranged in series in the longitudinal direction at a predetermined pitch W; a plurality of second protruding portions protruding toward the other side in the plate thickness direction from the imaginary plane so as to be positioned alternately with the first protruding portions along the longitudinal direction, the plurality of second protruding portions being arranged in series in the longitudinal direction at the predetermined pitch W so that the longitudinal distance between adjacent first protruding portions is W / 2; and a plurality of connecting portions connecting the first end and an adjacent first or second protruding portion, between adjacent first and second protruding portions, and between the second end and an adjacent first or second protruding portion, the connecting portions being inclined with respect to the imaginary plane when viewed along the plate surface direction, the connecting portions being elastically deformable so that the plurality of first protruding portions and the plurality of second protruding portions are close to each other in the plate thickness direction.

[0009] The bus bar according to the present invention can effectively realize an electrically parallel connection state of a plurality of batteries each having first and second electrode terminals provided on one and the other longitudinal sides thereof.

[0010] Preferably, the predetermined pitch W is set to the width of the batteries electrically connected by the bus bars.

[0011] The present invention also provides a busbar assembly comprising a plurality of busbars arranged in parallel and spaced a distance H apart in the same plane, and first and second conductive connecting members connecting corresponding ends of the plurality of busbars, wherein the plurality of busbars are arranged such that the plate surfaces of adjacent busbars are oriented in opposite directions relative to each other.

[0012] The busbar assembly according to the present invention can effectively realize an electrically parallel-connected state of a plurality of batteries each having first and second electrode terminals provided on one and the other longitudinal sides, respectively.

[0013] When a first-stage battery row is defined as a row of multiple batteries of width W arranged in parallel and adjacent to each other in the width direction, and a second-stage battery row is defined as a row of multiple batteries arranged in parallel in a state where they are displaced in the width direction by W / 2 relative to the batteries in the first-stage battery row by being placed in a recess formed between adjacent batteries in the first-stage battery row, the distance H is set to the vertical distance between the batteries in the second-stage battery row and the batteries in the first-stage battery row.

[0014] The present invention also provides a battery module including: a battery box having a storage space that is defined by an X direction and a Y direction that are orthogonal to each other in a plan view and that has a predetermined depth in a Z direction that is orthogonal to both the X direction and the Y direction; a plurality of batteries that have first and second electrode terminals provided on a first end face on one longitudinal side and a second end face on the other longitudinal side, respectively, and that are stored in the battery box with the first end face facing a first X direction on one side of the X direction; and a plurality of busbar assemblies.

[0015] In the battery module according to the present invention, the plurality of batteries are partitioned into a plurality of battery groups arranged in series along the X direction, each of which is movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction. The plurality of battery groups includes one or more first array battery groups and one or more second array battery groups, and the first and second array battery groups are arranged alternately in the X direction.

[0016] The first battery array group includes a first battery row in which a predetermined number of the batteries are arranged in parallel at a predetermined pitch W in the Y direction, and a second battery row in which the same or different number of batteries as in the first battery row are arranged in parallel at a pitch W in the Y direction while being displaced by W / 2 in the Y direction relative to the batteries in the first battery row, and the first battery row is arranged in the lowest row, and the first and second battery rows are arranged alternately in the Z direction.

[0017] The second battery array group includes the first battery row and the second battery row, the second battery row being arranged in the lowest row, and the first and second battery rows being arranged alternately in the Z direction.

[0018] The plurality of busbar assemblies include first and second array busbar assemblies arranged alternately in the X direction, and are arranged to be movable in the X direction but not in the Y direction on the other X side of the base-end battery group located furthest to the other X side of the plurality of battery groups in the X direction, between each of the first to nth battery groups, and on one X side of the tip-end battery group located furthest to one X side of the plurality of battery groups in the X direction.

[0019] The first and second array busbar assemblies each include a plurality of conductive busbars having a first plate surface on one side in the plate thickness direction and a second plate surface on the other side, the number of which is the same as the number of battery rows stacked in the Z direction, the plurality of conductive busbars being parallel to each other so that their plate surfaces face the corresponding battery rows in the battery group when installed, and the plate surfaces of adjacent busbars being oriented in opposite directions, and conductive first and second connecting members connecting one end side and the other end side of the plurality of busbars in the longitudinal direction.

[0020] The bus bar has: a plurality of first protrusions, the number of which is the same as the number of batteries in the first battery string, protruding toward one side in the plate thickness direction from an imaginary plane connecting both longitudinal ends of the bus bar when viewed along the plate surface direction; a plurality of second protrusions, the number of which is the same as the number of batteries in the second battery string, protruding toward the other side in the plate thickness direction from the imaginary plane when viewed along the plate surface direction; the plurality of second protrusions, the number of which is the same as the number of batteries in the second battery string, protruding along the other side in the plate thickness direction from the imaginary plane when viewed along the plate surface direction; and a plurality of connecting portions, the plurality of connecting portions being inclined with respect to the imaginary plane when viewed along the plate surface direction to connect an end portion on one longitudinal end to an adjacent first or second protrusion portion, between adjacent first and second protrusions, and between an end portion on the other longitudinal end to an adjacent first or second protrusion portion, the connecting portions being elastically deformable so that the first protrusions and the second protrusions are close to each other in the plate thickness direction.

[0021] In an installed state, the plurality of bus bars in the first array bus bar assembly are arranged alternately from the bottom up in a first position in which a first plate surface faces a first X direction and a second position in which a second plate surface faces the first X direction, and the plurality of bus bars in the second array bus bar assembly are arranged alternately from the bottom up in an installed state in the second position and the first position.

[0022] The base-end busbar assembly arranged on the other side of the base-end battery group in the X direction is the first-arranged busbar assembly when the base-end battery group is a first-arranged battery group, and is the second-arranged busbar assembly when the base-end battery group is a second-arranged battery group.

[0023] Furthermore, the battery module according to the present invention includes a plurality of battery groups formed by a plurality of batteries each having a first and second electrode terminal provided on one side and the other side in the longitudinal direction, and in each of the plurality of battery groups, the plurality of batteries are electrically connected in parallel, and further, it is possible to effectively create a state in which the plurality of battery groups are electrically connected in series.

[0024] Preferably, the first and second connecting members are configured to extend along the Z direction when installed, the first and second array busbar assemblies have the same configuration, and the first array busbar assembly is configured so that when rotated 180 degrees around the axis of the first or second connecting member, it becomes the second array busbar assembly.

[0025] Preferably, the second position is achieved by rotating the bus bar in the first position by 180 degrees about a central axis of the bus bar in the longitudinal direction.

[0026] Preferably, the first and second connecting members have outer surfaces that are insulated and are in contact with the inner surfaces of the side walls of the battery box so as to be movable in the X direction but not in the Y direction.

[0027] Preferably, the first and second connecting members have lower end surfaces that are insulated and abut against the inner surface of the bottom wall of the battery box.

[0028] The battery module according to the present invention may further include a conductive base-side partition plate disposed adjacent to the base-side busbar assembly on the other side in the X direction. The base-side partition plate is configured to abut against one of the first and second protrusions of the busbar of the base-side busbar assembly that protrudes toward the other side in the X direction, with its bottom surface and both side surfaces insulated from each other and abutting against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall and side wall of the battery box so as to be movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction.

[0029] Preferably, the base end partition plate is used as an external connection terminal for one of the positive and negative electrodes of the plurality of battery groups.

[0030] The battery module may include an insulating base-end partition plate instead of the conductive base-end partition plate. The insulating base-end partition plate is configured to abut against one of the first and second protrusions of the bus bar of the base-end busbar assembly, which protrudes toward the other side in the X direction, with its lower end surface and both side surfaces abutting against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall and side wall of the battery box, respectively, making it movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction. In this case, the base-end busbar assembly is used as an external connection terminal for one of the positive and negative electrodes of the plurality of battery groups.

[0031] The battery module according to the present invention may further include a conductive front partition plate disposed adjacent to one side in the X direction of a front bus bar assembly disposed on one side in the X direction of the front battery group. The front partition plate is configured to abut against one of the first and second protrusions of the bus bar of the front bus bar assembly, protruding toward one side in the X direction, with a lower end surface and both side surfaces of the front partition plate abutting against inner surfaces of a bottom wall and a side wall of the battery box in an insulated state so as to be movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction.

[0032] 14. The battery module according to claim 13, wherein the leading-end partition plate preferably functions as an external connection terminal for the other of the positive and negative electrodes of the plurality of battery groups.

[0033] The battery module may be provided with an insulating front-end partition plate instead of the conductive front-end partition plate. The front-end partition plate is configured to abut against one of the first and second protrusions of the bus bar of the front-end bus bar assembly, which protrudes toward one side in the X direction, with its lower end surface and both side surfaces abutting against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall and side wall of the battery box, respectively, making it movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction. In this case, the front-end bus bar assembly is used as an external connection terminal for the other of the positive and negative electrodes of the plurality of battery groups.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery module to which a busbar assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery module shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 2. FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) are perspective views, respectively, of an example of batteries electrically connected by the busbar assembly, viewed from one axial side and the other axial side. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the base-side battery group and the second battery group in the battery module with the battery box removed. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the base-side busbar assembly and the second busbar assembly. FIG. 10 is a plan view of FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 9.

[0035] An embodiment of a busbar assembly according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figures 1 and 2 show a perspective view and a plan view, respectively, of a battery module 100 to which a busbar assembly 1 according to the present embodiment is applied. Figures 3 and 4 show cross-sectional views taken along lines III-III and IV-IV in Figure 2, respectively.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the battery module 100 includes a battery box 110, a plurality of batteries 90 housed in the battery box 110, and a plurality of bus bar assemblies 1.

[0037] The battery box 110 has an accommodation space that is defined by an X direction and a Y direction that are orthogonal to each other in a plan view and has a predetermined depth in a Z direction that is orthogonal to both the X direction and the Y direction. The battery box 110 is made of an insulating material such as plastic.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, in this embodiment, the battery box 110 has a bottom wall 112 that is rectangular in plan view, a side wall 114 that extends upward from the periphery of the bottom wall 112, and is open at the top.

[0039] The side walls 114 have a pair of first and second side walls 114a, 114b extending along the X direction while being spaced apart in the Y direction, a base end wall 114c connecting the other X-direction ends of the pair of first and second side walls 114a, and a tip end wall 114d connecting the one X-direction ends of the pair of first and second side walls 114a, 114b.

[0040] 5(a) and 5(b) are perspective views of the battery 90 as viewed from one axial side and the other axial side, respectively. As shown in 5(a) and 5(b), the battery 90 has a first electrode terminal (e.g., a positive electrode terminal) 91 and a second electrode terminal (e.g., a negative electrode terminal) 92 on a first end face 90a on one longitudinal side and a second end face 90b on the other longitudinal side, respectively. The battery 90 is, for example, a lithium ion battery.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the plurality of batteries 90 are housed in the battery box 110 with the first end surface 90 a facing one side in the X direction, and are arranged so as to be partitioned into a plurality of battery groups 200(1), 200(2), ... that are arranged in series in the X direction.

[0042] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the battery module 100 has eleven battery groups 200(1) to 200(11). For ease of understanding, Fig. 1 shows only the first battery group (base-end battery group) 200(1) and the second battery group 200(2), which are located furthest to the other side in the X direction, in a concrete manner, and the third to eleventh battery groups 200(3) to 200(11) are schematically shown by two-dot chain lines. The battery group located furthest to one side in the X direction (the eleventh battery group 200(11) in this embodiment) may be referred to as the tip-end battery group.

[0043] Figures 6 and 7 show a cross-sectional plan view taken along line VI-VI and a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line VII-VII in Figure 4, respectively. Figure 8 shows an exploded perspective view of the base-end battery group 200(1) and the second battery group 200(2) with the battery box 110 removed.

[0044] The plurality of battery groups (200(1) to 200(11) in this embodiment) include one or more first array battery groups 210 and one or more second array battery groups 220, and the first and second array battery groups 210, 220 are arranged alternately in the X direction, in a state in which they are movable in the X direction but not in the Y direction relative to the battery box 110.

[0045] 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the first base-end battery group 200(1), which is located furthest to the other side in the X direction among the plurality of battery groups, is the first array battery group 210. In this case, the second battery group 200(2), which is adjacent to one side of the base-end battery group 200(1) in the X direction, is the second array battery group 220, and from the third battery group 200(3) onwards, the first array battery groups 210 and the second array battery groups 220 are arranged alternately in this order.

[0046] In this embodiment, the first array battery group 210 provided as the base end battery group 200(1) (and the third, fifth, etc. battery groups) includes a first battery row 250 in which a predetermined number of the batteries 90 are arranged in parallel in the Y direction at a predetermined pitch W corresponding to the width of the batteries 90, and a second battery row 260 in which the same or different number of batteries 90 as in the first battery row 250 are arranged in parallel in the Y direction at a pitch W while being displaced by W / 2 in the Y direction relative to the batteries 90 in the first battery row 250, and is configured so that when the first battery row 250 is arranged in the lowest row, the first and second battery rows 250, 260 are arranged alternately from bottom to top in the Z direction.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the first battery array group 210 has three battery rows, including a first battery row 250 arranged in the bottom row, a second battery row 260 arranged in the second row from the bottom, and a first battery row 250 arranged in the third row from the bottom (top row).

[0048] In this embodiment, the second battery group 220 provided as the second battery group 200(2) (and the fourth, sixth, etc. battery groups) is common to the first battery group 210 in that it has the first and second battery strings 250, 260, but differs from the first battery group 210 in the arrangement order (stacking order) of the first and second battery strings 250, 260.

[0049] That is, the second battery array group 220 is configured such that the second and first battery rows 260, 250 are alternately arranged from bottom to top in the Z direction, with the second battery row 260 being arranged at the bottom.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the second battery group 220 has three battery rows, including a second battery row 260 arranged in the bottom row, a first battery row 250 arranged in the second row from the bottom, and a second battery row 260 arranged in the third row from the bottom (top row).

[0051] 3, 4, 7, and 8, in this embodiment, in the first battery row 250, a plurality of batteries 90 (14 batteries in the illustrated configuration) are arranged in parallel and adjacent to each other in the Y direction so that they can move in the X direction but cannot move in the Y direction. In this case, the arrangement pitch of the batteries in the first battery row 250 is the width W of the battery 90, and recesses that open to one side (upward) and the other side (downward) in the Z direction are formed between adjacent batteries 90, 90.

[0052] In this embodiment, the second battery row 260 has a plurality of batteries 90 (in the illustrated configuration, the number of batteries 90 in the first battery row 250 is 14 - 1 = 13) arranged so that they fit into the recesses formed between adjacent batteries 90, 90 in the first battery row 250. In this case, the arrangement pitch of the batteries 90 in the second battery row 260 is also the width W of the battery 90.

[0053] As described above, the first and second battery array groups 210, 220 are alternately arranged in the X direction, and in the first battery array group 210, the first and second battery rows 250, 260 are alternately stacked from the bottom row upward, and in the second battery array group 220, the second and first battery rows 260, 250 are alternately stacked from the bottom row upward.

[0054] In this configuration, the first and second battery strings 250, 260 between the battery groups 200 adjacent in the X direction face each other at the same height.

[0055] For example, the bottommost first battery row 250, the second-lowest second battery row 260, and the topmost first battery row 250 of the first base-end battery group 200(1) face the bottommost second battery row 260, the second-lowest first battery row 250, and the topmost second battery row 260 of the second battery group 200(2), respectively.

[0056] As shown in Figures 2, 6, and 8, the multiple busbar assemblies 1 include first array busbar assemblies 1A and second array busbar assemblies 1B that are arranged alternately in the X direction, and are arranged to be movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction on the other X direction side of the base-end battery group 200(1), between each of the multiple battery groups 200, and on one X direction side of the tip-end battery group that is located furthest to one side in the X direction among the multiple battery groups 200 (in this embodiment, the eleventh battery group 200(11)).

[0057] In this specification, the busbar assembly arranged on the other side of the base-end battery group 200(1) in the X direction will be referred to as the base-end busbar assembly, and the busbar assembly arranged on one side of the tip-end battery group in the X direction will be referred to as the tip-end busbar assembly, as appropriate.

[0058] Figures 9 to 11 respectively show an oblique view, a plan view, and an exploded oblique view of the base-end busbar assembly 1 and the second busbar assembly 1 interposed between the base-end battery group 200(1) and the second battery group 200(2).

[0059] The first and second array busbar assemblies 1A, 1B have in common the following features: a first plate surface on one side in the plate thickness direction and a second plate surface on the other side; a plurality of conductive busbars 10 arranged parallel to each other on approximately the same plane, with the plate surfaces facing the battery rows in the battery group 200, the number of the conductive busbars 10 being the same as the number of battery rows stacked in the Z direction; a conductive first connecting member 30 connecting first ends of the plurality of conductive busbars 10 at one longitudinal end; and a conductive second connecting member 40 connecting second ends of the plurality of conductive busbars 10 at the other longitudinal end.

[0060] As described above, in this embodiment, the battery group 200 has three battery rows. Therefore, each of the first and second bus bar array assemblies 1A and 1B has three conductive bus bars 10.

[0061] The bus bar 10 can be formed by forming a sheet of various conductive materials, preferably pure copper, beryllium copper, or phosphor bronze, into a predetermined long shape and then performing a forming process (wire bending process). Therefore, no mold is required and it can effectively handle small-lot, high-mix batteries, i.e., batteries of various shapes.

[0062] The bus bar 10 has a plurality of first protrusions 12 , a plurality of second protrusions 14 , and a plurality of connecting portions 16 .

[0063] 6, 10, and 11, the plurality of first protrusions 12 protrude toward one side in the plate thickness direction from an imaginary plane FP connecting the first and second ends when the bus bar 10 is viewed along the plate surface direction. As shown in Fig. 10, the plurality of first protrusions 12 are provided in the same number as the plurality of batteries 90 in the first battery string 210, and are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the bus bar 10 at the predetermined pitch W.

[0064] The second protrusions 14 protrude from the imaginary plane FP toward the other side in the plate thickness direction when the busbar 10 is viewed along the plate surface direction. The number of the second protrusions 14 is the same as the number of batteries in the second battery string 260, and the second protrusions 14 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the busbar 10 at the predetermined pitch W at positions displaced by W / 2 from the first protrusions 12 in the longitudinal direction of the busbar 10.

[0065] The multiple connecting portions 16 are inclined with respect to the imaginary plane FP when viewed along the plate surface direction so as to connect between the first end and the adjacent first or second protrusions 12, 14, between the adjacent first and second protrusions 12, 14, and between the second end and the adjacent first or second protrusions 12, 14, and are elastically deformable so that the multiple first protrusions 12 and the multiple second protrusions 14 are close to each other in the plate thickness direction.

[0066] On the other hand, the first and second array busbar assemblies 1A and 1B differ in the orientation of the plate surfaces of the busbars 10 positioned at the same height in the installed state.

[0067] More specifically, as shown in Figures 9 to 11, in the first array busbar assembly 1A, the busbar 10-1 located at the bottom of the plurality of busbars 10 in an installed state is in a first position in which the first plate surface faces one side in the X direction, the busbar 10-2 located second from the bottom is in a second position in which the second plate surface faces one side in the X direction, and thereafter, the plurality of busbars 10 are arranged so that the orientation of the plate surfaces alternates between the first position and the second position.

[0068] That is, in this embodiment, the first array bus bar assembly 1A has three bus bars 10, and the bus bar 10-3 located in the top row is in the first position. Figure 10 shows the bus bar 10-3 located in the top row of the first array bus bar assembly 1A in the first position and the bus bar 10-2 located in the second row from the bottom in the second position.

[0069] In contrast, in the second array busbar assembly 1B, the busbar 10-1 located at the bottom of the plurality of busbars 10 when installed is in the second position, the busbar 10-2 located second from the bottom is in the first position, and the plurality of busbars 10 are arranged such that the orientation of the plate surfaces alternates between the second position and the first position.

[0070] That is, in this embodiment, the second array bus bar assembly 1B has three bus bars 10, and the bus bar 10-3 located in the top row is in the second position. Figure 10 shows the bus bar 10-3 located in the top row of the second array bus bar assembly 1B in the second position and the bus bar 10-2 located in the second row from the bottom in the first position.

[0071] The first and second connecting members 30, 40 are formed from various conductive materials, and preferably from the same material as the bus bar 10.

[0072] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first and second connecting members 30, 40 are configured to extend along the Z direction when installed, and their outer surfaces are insulated and abut against the inner surfaces of the side walls 114a, 114b of the battery box 110 so as to be movable in the X direction but not in the Y direction.

[0073] In this embodiment, the first and second connecting members 30, 40 have their lower end surfaces insulated and abut against the inner surface 112 of the bottom wall of the battery box 110.

[0074] Of the multiple busbar assemblies 1, the base-end busbar assembly 1 arranged on the other side of the base-end battery group 200(1) in the X direction is the first-arranged busbar assembly 1A when the base-end battery group 200(1) is the first-arranged battery group 210, and is the second-arranged busbar assembly 1B when the base-end battery group 200(1) is the second-arranged battery group 220.

[0075] As shown in Figure 3 and other figures, in this embodiment, the base-end battery group 200(1) is a first array battery group 210. Therefore, as shown in Figures 2, 7, and 8, the base-end bus bar assembly is a first array bus bar assembly 1A.

[0076] The first and second array busbar assemblies 1A, 1B are arranged alternately in the X direction, so in this embodiment, the second busbar assembly 1 arranged between the base-end battery group 200(1) (first battery group) and the second battery group 200(2) is the second array busbar assembly 1B, and thereafter, the first and second array busbar assemblies 1A, 1B are arranged alternately with the battery group 200 sandwiched between them.

[0077] The lowest busbar 10-1 of the base-end busbar assembly 1 formed by the first array busbar assembly 1A is in a first posture in which the first plate surface faces one side in the X direction, and the lowest battery row of the base-end battery group 200(1) (first battery group) formed by the first array battery group 210 is the first battery row 250.

[0078] Therefore, the multiple first protrusions 12 of the bus bar 10-1 at the bottom of the base-end bus bar assembly 1 each abut against the corresponding electrode terminals (second electrode terminals 92) of the batteries 90 in the first battery row 250 at the bottom of the base-end battery group 200(1) (first battery group).

[0079] In addition, the bus bar 10-2 in the second row from the bottom of the base end bus bar assembly 1 is in a second position in which the second plate surface faces one side in the X direction, and the battery row in the second row from the bottom of the base end battery group 200 (1) (first battery group) formed by the first array battery group 210 is a second battery row 260.

[0080] Therefore, the multiple second protrusions 14 of the busbar 10-2 in the second row from the bottom of the base-end busbar assembly 1 each abut against the corresponding electrode terminals (second electrode terminals 92) of the batteries 90 in the second battery row 260 in the second row from the bottom of the base-end battery group 200(1) (first battery group).

[0081] Furthermore, the busbar 10-3 in the top row (the third row from the bottom in this embodiment) of the base-end busbar assembly 1 is in a first posture in which the first plate surface faces one side in the X direction, and the battery string in the top row (the third row from the bottom in this embodiment) of the base-end battery group 200(1) (first battery group) formed by the first array battery group 210 is a first battery string 250.

[0082] Therefore, the multiple first protrusions 12 of the busbar 10-3 in the top row (the third row from the bottom in this embodiment) of the base-side busbar assembly 1 each abut against the corresponding electrode terminals (second electrode terminals 92) of the batteries 90 in the first battery row 250 in the top row (the third row from the bottom in this embodiment) of the base-side battery group 200(1) (first battery group).

[0083] In other words, the base-side busbar assembly 1 is electrically connected in parallel to the corresponding electrode terminals (second electrode terminals 92) of all the batteries 90 in the base-side battery group 200(1).

[0084] Next, we will explain the electrical connection of the second busbar assembly 1. In this embodiment, the base-end busbar assembly 1 is the first-array busbar assembly 1A, and therefore the second busbar assembly 1 interposed between the base-end battery group 200(1) and the second battery group 200(2) in the X direction is the second-array busbar assembly 1B.

[0085] The bottom bus bar 10-1 of the second bus bar assembly 1 formed by the second array bus bar assembly 1B is in a second position in which the second plate surface faces one side in the X direction, and the first plate surface faces the other side in the X direction.

[0086] The base-end battery group 200(1) arranged on the other side of the second busbar assembly 1 in the X direction is the first array battery group 210, and the second battery group 200(2) arranged on one side of the X direction is the second array battery group 220.

[0087] Therefore, the multiple first protrusions 12 of the bus bar 10-1 in the lowest row of the second bus bar assembly 1 each abut against a corresponding electrode terminal (first electrode terminal 91) of the battery 90 in the first battery row 250 in the lowest row of the base-end battery group 200(1) (first battery group), and the multiple second protrusions 14 each abut against a corresponding electrode terminal (second electrode terminal 92) of the battery 90 in the second battery row 260 in the lowest row of the second battery group 200(2).

[0088] In addition, the bus bar 10-2 in the second row from the bottom of the second bus bar assembly 1 is in the first position, with multiple first protrusions 12 facing one side in the X direction and multiple second protrusions 14 facing the other side in the X direction.

[0089] Therefore, the multiple second protrusions 14 of the bus bar 10-2 in the second row from the bottom of the second bus bar assembly 1 each abut against a corresponding electrode terminal (first electrode terminal 91) of the battery 90 in the second row from the bottom of the second battery column 260 of the base-end battery group 200(1) (first battery group), and the multiple first protrusions 12 each abut against a corresponding electrode terminal (second electrode terminal 92) of the battery 90 in the first row from the bottom of the second battery group 200(2).

[0090] Furthermore, the busbar 10-3 on the top row (the third row from the bottom in this embodiment) of the second busbar assembly 1 is in a second posture, with the multiple second protrusions 14 facing one side in the X direction and the multiple first protrusions 12 facing the other side in the X direction.

[0091] Therefore, the multiple first protrusions 12 of the busbar 10-3 in the top row (the third row from the bottom in this embodiment) of the second busbar assembly 1 each abut against a corresponding electrode terminal (first electrode terminal 91) of the battery 90 in the first battery row 250 in the top row (the third row from the bottom in this embodiment) of the base-end battery group 200(1) (first battery group), and the multiple second protrusions 14 each abut against a corresponding electrode terminal (second electrode terminal 92) of the battery 90 in the second battery row 260 in the top row (the third row from the bottom in this embodiment) of the second battery group 200(2).

[0092] That is, in the battery module 100, the plurality of batteries 90 in one battery group 200 (for example, the base-end battery group 200(1)) are electrically connected in parallel by one bus bar assembly 1 (for example, the second bus bar assembly 1), and further, the one battery group and another battery group adjacent to each other in the X direction (for example, the second battery group 200(2)) are electrically connected in series by the one bus bar assembly.

[0093] Furthermore, the plurality of battery groups 200 and the plurality of busbar assemblies 1 are movable in the X direction while being unable to move in the Y direction, and the busbar 10 of the busbar assembly 1 is elastically deformable so that the first protrusion 12 and the second protrusion 14, which protrude to opposite sides based on the plate surface, are close to each other in the plate thickness direction.

[0094] Therefore, by compressing the plurality of busbar assemblies 1 and the plurality of battery groups 200 in the X direction, contact between the busbars 10 of the plurality of busbar assemblies 1 and the batteries 90 of the plurality of battery groups 200 can be effectively ensured.

[0095] Preferably, the battery box 110 can be provided with fixing means for fixing all or part of the plurality of busbar assemblies 1 in a position where the plurality of battery groups 200 housed in the battery box 100 are effectively electrically connected by the plurality of busbar assemblies 1 when the plurality of busbar assemblies 1 are positioned in that position.

[0096] For example, one or more slits (not shown) are formed at predetermined positions in the battery box 110, and one or more busbar assemblies 1 are held in a predetermined position by plate-shaped or pin-shaped stoppers inserted into the slits, thereby making it possible to hold the plurality of battery groups 200 and the plurality of busbar assemblies 1 in a predetermined position with the busbar 10 compressed in the plate thickness direction.

[0097] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the bus bar assembly 1 according to this embodiment has the same configuration and is capable of forming the first and second array bus bar assemblies 1A and 1B.

[0098] In detail, the first and second connecting members 30, 40 are configured to extend along the Z direction when installed, and when the first array busbar assembly 1A is rotated 180 degrees around the axis of the first or second connecting member 30, 40, the second array busbar assembly 1B is formed.

[0099] By providing such a configuration, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of types of parts, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and inventory management costs.

[0100] Furthermore, in the busbar assembly 1 according to this embodiment, the busbar 10 in the first position can be rotated 180° around the longitudinal center axis of the busbar 10 to produce the second position.

[0101] By providing such a configuration, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of types of parts, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and inventory management costs.

[0102] As shown in Figures 1, 2, 8, etc., in this embodiment, the battery module 100 further includes a conductive base-end partition plate 150 arranged adjacent to the other side of the base-end bus bar assembly 1 in the X direction.

[0103] The base-side partition plate 150 is configured to abut against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall 112 and the side walls 114 a, 114 b of the battery box 110 with its lower end surface and both side surfaces insulated, making it movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction, and to abut against the protrusions of the first and second protrusions 12, 14 of the bus bars 10 of the base-side bus bar assembly 1 that protrude toward the other side in the X direction (in this embodiment, the second protrusion 14 of the bottom bus bar 10, the first protrusion 12 of the second bus bar 10 from the bottom, and the second protrusion 14 of the top bus bar 10 (third from the bottom)).

[0104] Preferably, the base-end partition plate 150 is configured to act as an external connection terminal for one of the positive and negative electrodes of the battery module 100, i.e., the plurality of battery groups 200. The base-end partition plate 150 may be formed from the same material as the bus bar 10.

[0105] An insulating base-end partition plate (not shown) may be provided instead of the conductive base-end partition plate 150. Similar to the base-end partition plate 150, the insulating base-end partition plate is configured to abut against one of the first and second protrusions 12, 14 of the bus bar 10 of the base-end bus bar assembly 1 that protrudes toward the other side in the X direction, with its lower end surface and both side surfaces abutting against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall 112 and side walls 114 a, 114 b of the battery box 110, respectively, making it movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction.

[0106] In this case, the base end bus bar assembly 1 is used as an external connection terminal for the battery module 100 , that is, one of the positive and negative electrodes of the plurality of battery groups 200 .

[0107] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , in this embodiment, the battery module 100 further includes a conductive tip-side partition plate 160 disposed adjacent to one side in the X direction of the tip-side busbar assembly 1, which is disposed on one side in the X direction of the tip-side battery group (in this embodiment, the eleventh battery group 200(11)).

[0108] The tip-side partition plate 160 is configured to abut against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall 112 and the side walls 114 a, 114 b of the battery box 110 with its lower end surface and both side surfaces insulated, making it movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction, and to abut against the protrusions of the first and second protrusions 12, 14 of the bus bars 10 of the tip-side bus bar assembly 1 that protrude toward one side in the X direction (in this embodiment, the second protrusion 14 of the bottom bus bar 10, the first protrusion 12 of the second bus bar 10 from the bottom, and the second protrusion 14 of the top bus bar 10 (third from the bottom)).

[0109] Preferably, the tip side partition plate 160 is configured to act as an external connection terminal for the other of the positive and negative electrodes of the battery module 100, i.e., the plurality of battery groups 200. The tip side partition plate 160 may be formed from the same material as the bus bar 10.

[0110] An insulating tip-side partition plate (not shown) may be provided instead of the conductive tip-side partition plate 160. Similar to the tip-side partition plate 160, the insulating tip-side partition plate is configured to abut against the protruding portion of the first and second protruding portions 12, 14 of the bus bar 10 of the tip-side bus bar assembly 1 that protrudes toward one side in the X direction, with its lower end surface and both side surfaces abutting against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall 112 and side walls 114 a, 114 b of the battery box 110, respectively, making it movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction.

[0111] In this case, the tip bus bar assembly 1 is used as an external connection terminal for the battery module 100 , that is, the other of the positive and negative electrodes of the plurality of battery groups 200 .

[0112] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 busbar assembly 1A first array busbar assembly 1B second array busbar assembly 10 busbar 12 first protrusion 14 second protrusion 16 connecting portion 30 first connecting member 40 second connecting member 90 battery 90a first end surface 90b second end surface 91 first electrode terminal 92 second electrode terminal 100 battery module 110 battery box 150 base end side partition plate 160 tip end side partition plate 200 battery group 210 first array battery group 220 second array battery group 250 first battery row 260 second battery row FP imaginary surface

Claims

1. A conductive busbar having a first plate surface on one side in a plate thickness direction and a second plate surface on the other side, the busbar having a plurality of first protrusions protruding toward one side in the plate thickness direction from an imaginary plane connecting first and second longitudinal ends when viewed along the plate surface direction, the plurality of first protrusions being arranged in series in the longitudinal direction at a predetermined pitch W; a plurality of second protrusions protruding toward the other side in the plate thickness direction from the imaginary plane so as to be positioned alternately with the first protrusions along the longitudinal direction, the plurality of second protrusions being arranged in series in the longitudinal direction at a predetermined pitch W so that the longitudinal distance between adjacent first protrusions is W / 2; and a plurality of connecting parts connecting between the first end and the adjacent first or second protrusions, between adjacent first and second protrusions, and between the second end and the adjacent first or second protrusions, the connecting parts being inclined with respect to the imaginary plane when viewed along the plate surface direction, the plurality of connecting parts being elastically deformable so that the plurality of first protrusions and the plurality of second protrusions are close to each other in the plate thickness direction.

2. The bus bar according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pitch W is set to the width of the batteries electrically connected by the bus bar.

3. A busbar assembly comprising: a plurality of busbars according to claim 2 arranged in parallel and spaced apart by a distance H in the same plane; and first and second conductive connecting members connecting corresponding ends of said plurality of busbars, said plurality of busbars being arranged such that the plate faces of adjacent busbars are oriented in opposite directions relative to each other.

4. The busbar assembly as described in claim 3, wherein a first tier battery row is a row of multiple batteries of width W arranged in parallel and adjacent to each other in the width direction, and a second tier battery row is a row of multiple batteries arranged in parallel in a state where the batteries are displaced in the width direction by W / 2 relative to the batteries in the first tier battery row by being placed in recesses formed between adjacent batteries in the first tier battery row, and the distance H is set to the vertical distance between the batteries in the second tier battery row and the batteries in the first tier battery row.

5. A battery box having a storage space defined by an X direction and a Y direction perpendicular to each other in a plan view and having a predetermined depth in a Z direction perpendicular to both the X direction and the Y direction; a plurality of batteries each having a first end face on one side in the longitudinal direction and a second end face on the other side, the plurality of batteries being stored in the battery box with the first end face facing a first X direction on one side in the X direction; and a plurality of busbar assemblies, the plurality of batteries being partitioned into a plurality of battery groups arranged in series along the X direction with each battery movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction, the plurality of battery groups including one or more first array battery groups and one or more second array battery groups, the first and second array battery groups being arranged alternately in the X direction, the first arrayed battery group includes a first battery row in which a predetermined number of the batteries are arranged in parallel at a predetermined pitch W in the Y direction, and a second battery row in which the batteries in the first battery row are displaced by W / 2 in the Y direction with respect to the batteries, and the same or a different number of the batteries as the first battery row are arranged in parallel at a pitch W in the Y direction, the first battery row being arranged in the lowest tier, and the first and second battery rows being arranged alternately in the Z direction; the second arrayed battery group includes the first battery row and the second battery row, the second battery row being arranged in the lowest tier, and the first and second battery rows being arranged alternately in the Z direction; the multiple bus bar assemblies include first and second arrayed bus bar assemblies arranged alternately in the X direction, and are arranged to be movable in the X direction but not to be movable in the Y direction on the other X direction side of a base end battery group located furthest on the other X direction side of the multiple battery groups, between each of the first to nth battery groups, and on one X direction side of a tip end battery group located furthest on one side in the X direction of the multiple battery groups, the first and second array bus bar assemblies each have a first plate surface on one side in a plate thickness direction and a second plate surface on the other side, the number of conductive bus bars being the same as the number of battery rows stacked in the Z direction, the conductive bus bars being parallel to each other so that their plate surfaces face corresponding battery rows in the battery group in an installed state, and the plate surfaces of adjacent bus bars are oriented in opposite directions, and conductive first and second connecting members connecting one end side and the other end side of the plurality of bus bars in the longitudinal direction,the busbar has: a plurality of first protrusions, the same number as the number of batteries in the first battery string, protruding toward one side in the plate thickness direction from an imaginary plane connecting both longitudinal ends when viewed along the plate surface direction, the plurality of first protrusions being arranged along the longitudinal direction of the busbar at the predetermined pitch W; a plurality of second protrusions, the same number as the number of batteries in the second battery string, protruding toward the other side in the plate thickness direction from the imaginary plane when viewed along the plate surface direction, the plurality of second protrusions being arranged along the longitudinal direction of the busbar at the predetermined pitch W at positions displaced by W / 2 in the longitudinal direction of the busbar from the first protrusions; and a plurality of connecting portions, inclined with respect to the imaginary plane when viewed along the plate surface direction to connect an end portion on one longitudinal end side to an adjacent first or second protrusion portion, between adjacent first and second protrusion portions, and between an end portion on the other longitudinal end side to an adjacent first or second protrusion portion, the connecting portions being elastically deformable so that the plurality of first protrusions and the plurality of second protrusions are close to each other in the plate thickness direction; a battery module comprising: the plurality of bus bars in the first array bus bar assembly are arranged, in an installed state, from the bottom up, alternating in a first posture in which a first plate surface faces a first X-direction and a second posture in which a second plate surface faces the first X-direction; the plurality of bus bars in the second array bus bar assembly are arranged, in an installed state, from the bottom up, alternating in the second posture and the first posture; and a base-end bus bar assembly arranged on the other side of the base-end battery group in the X-direction is the first array bus bar assembly when the base-end battery group is a first array battery group, and is the second array bus bar assembly when the base-end battery group is a second array battery group.

6. A battery module as described in claim 5, characterized in that the first and second connecting members are configured to extend along the Z direction when installed, the first and second array busbar assemblies have the same configuration, and when the first array busbar assembly is rotated 180 degrees around the axis of the first or second connecting member, it becomes the second array busbar assembly.

7. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein the second position is achieved by rotating the bus bar in the first position by 180 degrees about the longitudinal center axis of the bus bar.

8. A battery module as described in any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the first and second connecting members have insulated outer surfaces and are abutted against the inner surface of the side wall of the battery box so as to be movable in the X direction but not in the Y direction.

9. The battery module according to claim 8, wherein the first and second connecting members have lower end surfaces insulated from each other and abut against the inner surface of the bottom wall of the battery box.

10. A battery module as described in any one of claims 5 to 7, further comprising a conductive base-end partition plate arranged adjacent to the other side in the X direction of the base-end busbar assembly, wherein the base-end partition plate is configured to abut against one of the first and second protrusions of the busbar of the base-end busbar assembly, the protrusion protruding toward the other side in the X direction, with its lower end face and both side faces being insulated and abutting against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall and side wall of the battery box so as to be movable in the X direction but not movable in the Y direction.

11. The battery module according to claim 10, wherein the base end side partition plate functions as an external connection terminal for one of the positive and negative electrodes of the plurality of battery groups.

12. A battery module as described in any of claims 5 to 7, further comprising an insulating base-end partition plate arranged adjacent to the other side in the X direction of the base-end busbar assembly, wherein the base-end partition plate is configured to abut against one of the first and second protrusions of the busbar of the base-end busbar assembly that protrudes toward the other side in the X direction with its lower end face and both side faces abutting against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall and side walls of the battery box, respectively, making it movable in the X direction but immovable in the Y direction, and wherein the base-end busbar assembly acts as an external connection terminal for one of the positive and negative electrodes of the multiple battery groups.

13. The battery module described in claim 11, further comprising a conductive tip side partition plate arranged adjacent to one side in the X direction of a tip side bus bar assembly arranged on one side in the X direction of the tip side battery group, wherein the tip side partition plate is configured to abut against one of the first and second protrusions of the bus bar of the tip side bus bar assembly, the protrusion protruding towards one side in the X direction, with a lower end face and both side faces of the tip side partition plate abutting against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall and side wall of the battery box in an insulated state so as to be movable in the X direction but not movable in the Y direction.

14. The battery module according to claim 13, wherein the leading end partition plate functions as an external connection terminal for the other of the positive and negative electrodes of the plurality of battery groups.

15. The battery module described in claim 12, further comprising an insulating tip side partition plate arranged adjacent to one side in the X direction of a tip side bus bar assembly arranged on one side in the X direction of the tip side battery group, wherein the tip side partition plate is configured to abut against one of the first and second protrusions of the bus bar of the tip side bus bar assembly, the protrusion protruding to one side in the X direction, with its lower end face and both side faces abutting against the inner surfaces of the bottom wall and side wall of the battery box, respectively, so as to be movable in the X direction but not movable in the Y direction, and wherein the tip side bus bar assembly acts as an external connection terminal for the other of the positive and negative electrodes of the multiple battery groups.

Images