Power supply device

Abstract

In this power supply device, a housing that houses a battery pack is provided with a box-shaped body part having an upper opening, a front cover part that covers a front surface, and a top cover part connected to an upper surface. The body part is provided with a bottom cover part, an inner cover part, and a rear cover part. The rear cover part and the inner cover part have lower end parts connected to the bottom cover part via a first waterproof member, and the layered part of the side surfaces of the rear cover part and the inner cover part are connected via a second waterproof member. The inner cover part is provided with an inner plate that closes an opening window at the upper end with a waterproof structure. In a state in which the front cover part is connected to a main body part, a flange part of the front cover part and a flange part of the rear cover part are arranged in a coplanar manner, and the top cover part is connected by the waterproof structure via a third waterproof member.

Description

power supply

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply device in which a battery pack including a plurality of secondary battery cells is housed in a housing.

[0002] Power supply devices that house a battery pack including multiple secondary battery cells in a housing are used in home, factory, and other energy storage systems. These power supply devices house multiple secondary battery cells as a battery pack in a housing, but home energy storage systems and the like are sometimes installed outdoors. Since energy storage systems installed outdoors are exposed to wind and rain, the housing that houses the battery pack must have a waterproof structure. Power supply devices with waterproof housings have been developed (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] The power supply devices described above have problems such as the complex structure required to waterproof the housing, and the inability to easily disassemble the housing for maintenance. Furthermore, there are many limitations on the screw fastening direction and fixing locations, and the screws used to secure the exterior components can lead to poor appearance. In particular, power supply devices require the operation and replacement of safety components (fuses and breakers) periodically or when a problem occurs, so it is necessary to configure the housing with removable exterior components and ensure efficient removal work. While ensuring waterproof performance can be easily solved by filling the joints between components with adhesive, the inability to remove the components makes on-site work difficult.

[0004] Patent No. 6989040 Patent No. 7276171

[0005] A power supply device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a battery pack including a plurality of secondary battery cells and a housing that houses the battery pack. The housing includes a main body, a front cover, and a top cover. The main body includes a bottom cover, an inner cover, and a rear cover. The bottom cover has a rectangular shape in a plan view on which the battery pack is placed. The inner cover includes a front panel located on the front side, a pair of bent portions connected to both side edges of the front panel and respectively forming a pair of portions of a pair of side surfaces of the main body, and an inner plate. The rear cover includes a rear panel located on the rear side, a pair of side panels connected to both side edges of the rear panel and respectively forming a pair of side surfaces of the main body, and whose front ends are connected to the pair of bent portions of the inner cover in a stacked state, and flange portions bent inward at the upper edges of the rear panel and the pair of side panels. The rear cover and the inner cover have their respective lower ends waterproofly connected to the bottom cover via a first waterproofing member, and the pair of folded portions of the inner cover and the stacked portions of the pair of side panels are waterproofly connected via a second waterproofing member. The inner plate of the inner cover has an opening window formed by cutting out a central portion of the upper end of the front panel, and is detachably connected to the opening window to waterproofly close the opening. The front cover includes a front panel that covers the front panel of the inner cover, a pair of folded cover portions connected to both side edges of the front panel and covering the pair of folded portions, respectively, and flange portions folded inward at the upper edges of the front panel and the pair of folded cover portions. When the front cover is connected to the main body, the flange portions of the front cover and the rear cover are arranged on the same plane. The top cover has a rectangular shape in a plan view and is waterproofly connected to the flange portions of the front cover and the rear cover via a third waterproofing member arranged along the outer periphery.

[0006] According to the power supply device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to simplify the structure of the housing while achieving both an easy-to-attach and detach structure and a waterproof structure, thereby realizing the advantage of being able to perform maintenance work efficiently.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a power supply device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view of the power supply device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view of the power supply device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the power supply device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the power supply device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a main body of a housing of the power supply device shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a connecting structure between a bottom cover section and an inner cover section of the power supply device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the connecting structure between the bottom cover section and the inner cover section shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged exploded perspective view showing a connecting structure between the inner cover section and the rear cover section of the power supply device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the connecting structure between the inner cover section and the rear cover section shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view showing a flange section of the rear cover section of the power supply device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the bottom cover section of the power supply device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing another example of the bottom cover section of the power supply device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing another example of an inner plate of the power supply device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 15 is a rear perspective view of the inner plate shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a housing including the inner plate shown in Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is an exploded perspective view showing the coupling structure between a main body and a front cover of a power supply device according to embodiment 1. Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing the coupling structure between the main body and the front cover shown in Fig. 17. Fig. 19 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing the coupling structure between the front cover, main body and top cover of a power supply device according to embodiment 1. Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing the coupling structure between the front cover, main body and top cover shown in Fig. 19.

[0008] A power supply device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a battery pack including a plurality of secondary battery cells and a housing that houses the battery pack. The housing includes a main body portion formed in a box shape with an opening at the top and housing the battery pack inside, a front cover portion detachably connected to the front surface of the main body portion and covering the front surface of the main body portion, and a top cover portion detachably connected to the upper surface of the main body portion to which the front cover portion is connected. The main body portion includes a bottom cover portion, an inner cover portion, and a rear cover portion. The bottom cover portion has a rectangular shape in a plan view on which the battery pack is placed. The inner cover portion includes a front panel located on the front side, a pair of bent portions connected to both side edges of the front panel and respectively forming part of a pair of side surfaces of the main body portion, and an inner plate. The rear cover portion includes a back panel located on the rear side, a pair of side panels connected to both side edges of the back panel and forming a pair of side surfaces of the main body portion, each of which has its front end connected to the pair of bent portions of the inner cover portion in a stacked state, and flange portions bent inward at the upper edges of the rear panel and the pair of side panels. The rear cover and the inner cover have their respective lower ends waterproofly connected to the bottom cover via a first waterproofing member, and the pair of folded portions of the inner cover and the stacked portions of the pair of side panels are waterproofly connected via a second waterproofing member. The inner plate of the inner cover has an opening window formed by cutting out a central portion of the upper end of the front panel, and is detachably connected to the opening window to waterproofly close the opening. The front cover includes a front panel that covers the front panel of the inner cover, a pair of folded cover portions connected to both side edges of the front panel and covering the pair of folded portions, respectively, and flange portions folded inward at the upper edges of the front panel and the pair of folded cover portions. When the front cover is connected to the main body, the flange portions of the front cover and the flange portions of the rear cover are arranged on the same plane. The top cover has a rectangular shape in a plan view and is waterproofly connected to the flange portions of the front cover and the flange portions of the rear cover via a third waterproofing member arranged along the outer periphery.

[0009] According to the above configuration, the bottom cover, inner cover, and rear cover that make up the main body, which is formed in a box shape with an opening at the top, are reliably waterproofed on the bottom and sides via the first waterproofing member and the second waterproofing member, and the front side is open and waterproofed by connecting the easily detachable inner plate to the opening window of the inner cover in a waterproof structure, and the top side is open and waterproofed by closing the flange portion of the front cover and the flange portion of the rear cover connected to the main body with the top cover via the third waterproofing member, so that the top and front sides of the housing can be reliably waterproofed while maintaining a structure that allows for easy assembly. In particular, by dividing the waterproofing functions of the front and top sides between the inner plate and the front cover, it is possible to achieve both an easy-to-attach and easy-to-detach structure and a waterproof structure.

[0010] Furthermore, with the above configuration, the top surface of the main body is opened by removing the top cover of the housing that houses the battery pack, and the front surface of the main body is opened by removing the front cover and inner plate and opening the opening window of the inner cover, so that the top opening of the main body and the opening window that continues from this top opening to the front can be opened, and by opening a wide area free of obstacles to the battery pack housed inside, the feature of being able to work safely and efficiently can be realized.

[0011] In another form of the power supply device of the present disclosure, in the above form, the pair of folded portions of the inner cover portion have a stacking portion where a pair of side panels of the rear cover portion are stacked in an area excluding the lower end portion facing the bottom cover portion, and the second waterproofing member is a gasket member arranged extending in the vertical direction on the stacking portion.

[0012] According to the above configuration, the folded portion of the inner cover portion has a laminated portion on which the side panel of the rear cover portion is laminated, and a gasket member is arranged extending in the vertical direction on this laminated portion as a second waterproofing member, so that the laminated portion between the folded portion of the inner cover portion and the side panel of the rear cover portion is connected in a watertight structure from top to bottom, thereby ensuring waterproofing of the side of the main body portion.

[0013] In another aspect of the power supply device of the present disclosure, in any of the above aspects, the first waterproofing member includes an inner waterproofing member disposed between the inner cover portion and the bottom cover portion, and a rear waterproofing member disposed between the rear cover portion and the bottom cover portion. The rear waterproofing member is thicker than the inner waterproofing member to provide a stepped portion. A pair of side panels of the rear cover portion are connected in a stacked state facing the rear waterproofing member protruding from the inner cover portion connected to the bottom cover portion via the inner waterproofing member, and a second waterproofing member disposed in the stacked portion of the inner cover portion, and the pair of folded portions of the inner cover portion and the pair of side panels of the rear cover portion are arranged in a stepped structure. When the front cover portion is connected to the main body portion, a rear end edge of one of the pair of folded cover portions and a front end edge of one of the pair of side panels face each other, so that one of the folded cover portions and one of the side panels are arranged on the same plane, and a rear end edge of the other of the pair of folded cover portions and a front end edge of the other of the pair of side panels face each other, so that the other of the pair of folded cover portions and the other of the pair of side panels are arranged on the same plane.

[0014] According to the above configuration, the first waterproof member placed in the bottom cover section is composed of a rear waterproof section and an inner waterproof section of different thicknesses, so that the folded section of the inner cover section and the side panel of the rear cover section are arranged in a stepped structure, and the rear end edge of the folded cover section of the front cover section and the front end edge of the side panel are opposed to each other, so that the folded cover section and the side panel are arranged on the same plane, thereby realizing a clean appearance with a flush structure on the side of the housing without any steps.

[0015] A power supply device according to another aspect of the present disclosure is one in which, in any of the above aspects, the bottom cover portion includes a bottom plate to which the battery pack is fixed and a peripheral wall portion that protrudes downward along the outer edge of the bottom plate, and the first waterproofing member is a packing member that is arranged in a loop shape along the outer surface of the peripheral wall portion, with the packing member arranged along the upper region of the outer surface and fixing the lower ends of the inner cover portion and the outer cover portion in the lower region of the outer surface.

[0016] According to the above configuration, the bottom cover portion includes a peripheral wall portion that protrudes downward along the outer periphery of the bottom plate, and the first waterproofing member, which is a packing member, is arranged in a loop shape along the upper region of the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion. This allows the packing member to be arranged along the wide outer periphery, thereby reliably sealing the gap between the inner cover portion and the rear cover portion and the bottom cover portion in a watertight manner, thereby achieving a waterproof structure. Furthermore, because the packing member is arranged in the upper region of the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion and the lower ends of the inner cover portion and the rear cover portion are fixed to the lower region, no waterproofing function is required for fixing these parts, and simple fixing members can be used, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0017] In another aspect of the power supply device of the present disclosure, in any of the above aspects, the inner cover portion has positioning portions that protrude inward from upper edges of the pair of bent portions in a region where the flange portion of the rear cover portion and the flange portion of the front cover portion face each other. The positioning portions include a pair of horizontal portions bent inward from the upper edges of the pair of bent portions, respectively, and a pair of raised portions that extend in the front-to-rear direction and protrude upward from the tips of the pair of horizontal portions. The flange portions of the rear cover portion and the flange portions of the front cover portion each have slits at their opposing ends that guide the pair of raised portions, and rear portions of the pair of raised portions guide the slits provided in the flange portions of the rear cover portion to connect the rear cover portion to a fixed position of the inner cover portion, and front portions of the pair of raised portions guide the slits provided in the flange portions of the front cover portion to connect the front cover portion to a fixed position of the inner cover portion.

[0018] According to the above configuration, the inner cover portion has a positioning portion that protrudes inward from the upper edge of the bent portion to position the flange portion of the rear cover portion and the flange portion of the front cover portion, and the flange portions of the rear cover portion and the flange portions of the front cover portion each have a slit portion at their opposing ends that guides the rising portion of the positioning portion.By guiding the slit portion of each flange portion into the rising portion, the rear cover portion and the front cover portion can be connected while being positioned in a fixed position on the inner cover portion.

[0019] In another form of the power supply device of the present disclosure, in any of the above forms, the positioning portion has a front-to-rear width of the horizontal portion of 10 mm or more, and a protruding height of the rising portion of 1 mm or more, and also serves as a water ingress prevention portion that prevents water from entering through the gap between the opposing parts of the rear cover portion and the front cover portion.

[0020] According to the above configuration, the positioning portion has a front-to-rear width of the horizontal portion of 10 mm or more and a protruding height of the rising portion of 1 mm or more, so that it can also serve as a water intrusion prevention portion that prevents rainwater and other water from seeping into the interior through gaps between the opposing portions of the rear cover and front cover in the area where the flange portion of the rear cover and the flange portion of the front cover face each other. This is because, even if a small gap occurs where the rear cover and the front cover butt together and water seeps into the interior through this gap, the horizontal portion with a predetermined width and the rising portion with a predetermined height suppress the flow of direct jets seeping in through the gap, preventing water from seeping into the interior of the main body.

[0021] In another aspect of the power supply device according to the present disclosure, in any of the above aspects, the third waterproofing member is a frame-shaped packing member fixed to the outer peripheral edge of the underside of the top cover, and the rear cover and the front cover have positioning devices fixed to flanges at corners facing the four corners of the top cover. The positioning devices are bent in an L-shape in plan view along the corners, and include fixing portions at both ends that are fixed to the flanges, an intermediate connecting portion at an intermediate portion that is connected to the top cover, and an upright portion that is provided between the intermediate connecting portion and the fixing portion and positions the intermediate connecting portion at a predetermined height relative to the fixing portion. With the four corners of the top cover connected to the positioning devices, the frame-shaped packing member is positioned in a fixed position along the outer peripheral edge of the intermediate connecting portion, and the amount of elastic deformation of the frame-shaped packing member is determined by the height of the intermediate connecting portion.

[0022] According to the above configuration, positioning devices for positioning a frame-shaped packing member fixed to the outer peripheral edge of the underside of the top cover are fixed to the corners of the rear cover and the front cover, and the positioning devices are bent in an L-shape in a plan view along the corners, and have upstanding portions between the fixing portions at both ends fixed to the flange and the intermediate connecting portion connected to the top cover that position the intermediate connecting portion at a predetermined height relative to the fixing portions. Therefore, while the frame-shaped packing member is positioned in a fixed position along the outer peripheral edge of the intermediate connecting portion, the amount of elastic deformation of the frame-shaped packing member can be specified by the height of the intermediate connecting portion. In particular, the intermediate connecting portions of the positioning devices fixed to the four corners of the upper surfaces of the rear cover and the front cover are fitted so as to be located inside the corner portions of the frame-shaped packing member, so that the frame-shaped packing member can be easily and reliably positioned in a fixed position on the flange. In addition, by using a positioning device to determine the amount of elastic deformation when the frame-shaped packing member is crushed, the frame-shaped packing member can be elastically deformed appropriately over a long period of time, while suppressing deterioration of the frame-shaped packing member over time, thereby achieving ideal waterproofing.

[0023] In the power supply device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, in addition to any of the above aspects, the front cover portion is connected to the main body portion via detachable connectors at the pair of bent cover portions.

[0024] According to the above configuration, the front cover portion that covers the front surface of the main body portion is connected to the main body portion via a detachable connector at the folded cover portion, so that the appearance can be improved without exposing the detachable connector on the front plate located on the front side of the housing.

[0025] In another aspect of the power supply device of the present disclosure, in any of the above aspects, the assembled battery includes a reinforcing frame that positions multiple secondary battery cells in fixed positions, and flange portions of the rear cover portion and the front cover portion are positioned on the upper surface of the reinforcing frame.

[0026] With the above configuration, the flange portions of the rear cover and front cover are supported by the reinforcing frame of the battery pack, so that the reinforcing frame of the battery pack can support even large loads applied in the vertical direction of the housing, and deformation of the housing due to vertical compressive forces can be suppressed.

[0027] In the power supply device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, in any of the above aspects, the inner plate is fixed to the front panel with the fourth waterproofing member laminated between the inner plate and the edge of the opening window formed in the front panel. With this configuration, the inner plate can be made waterproof with respect to the inner cover portion with a simple structure.

[0028] In another aspect of the power supply device according to the present disclosure, in any of the above aspects, the inner plate includes a main plate portion, a fourth waterproofing member covering an outer peripheral edge of the main plate portion, and an inner plate portion disposed on the inner side of the main plate portion to which the fourth waterproofing member is attached, and having two grooves between the main plate portion and the fourth waterproofing member to guide the opening edge portion. The fourth waterproofing member attached to the main plate portion is a frame-shaped packing member. At least on each of both side portions of the main plate portion, the inner plate portion is disposed on the inner side of the frame-shaped packing member, and has one of the two grooves corresponding thereto. The inner plate is connected to the inner cover portion while guiding the opening edge portion into the two grooves.

[0029] According to the above configuration, the inner plate is connected to the opening edge portion via the grooves provided on both sides, so that it can be simply and easily attached and detached by sliding the opening edge portion into the grooves without using any fixing members.

[0030] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below are merely examples for embodying the technical concepts of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the following. Furthermore, this specification does not in any way specify the components set forth in the claims to be those of the embodiments. The dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of components described in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, and are merely illustrative examples, unless otherwise specified. The size and positional relationships of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity. Furthermore, in the following description, the same names and symbols indicate components that are identical or of the same quality, and detailed descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the elements constituting the present disclosure may be configured with the same components, such that multiple elements are shared by one component, or conversely, the functions of one component may be shared by multiple components.

[0031] The power supply device of the present disclosure is a stationary power supply device, for example, a power supply device for home, business, or factory use, used as a power storage device for storing power obtained from solar power generation or overnight power, or as a power source for daytime peak cutting, and can be used particularly as a power supply device installed outdoors to prevent the intrusion of rainwater, etc. Below, as one embodiment of the present disclosure, a power supply device used as a home power storage device installed outdoors will be described.

[0032] [Embodiment 1] A power supply device according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure is shown in Figures 1 to 6. In these figures, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the power supply device, Figures 2 to 4 show vertical longitudinal cross-sectional views, vertical transverse cross-sectional views, and horizontal cross-sectional views of the power supply device shown in Figure 1, Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the power supply device shown in Figure 1, and Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the main body of the power supply device shown in Figure 5. The power supply device 100 shown in these figures includes a battery pack 10 including a plurality of secondary battery cells 1, and a housing 2 that houses this battery pack 10.

[0033] (Battery assembly 10) The battery assembly 10 shown in Figures 2 to 6 includes a battery assembly 11 formed by assembling a plurality of secondary battery cells 1, an electrical equipment section 13 that houses electronic components that control and protect the charging and discharging of the plurality of secondary battery cells 1 that make up the battery assembly 11, and a reinforcing frame 14 that positions the battery assembly 11 and the electrical equipment section 13 in fixed positions.

[0034] (Secondary Battery Cell 1) The secondary battery cell 1 is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery with high energy efficiency, and a lithium-ion secondary battery, for example, can be suitably used. However, any rechargeable battery, such as a nickel-metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or a known secondary battery such as an all-solid-state battery, can be used as appropriate. Furthermore, the external shape of the secondary battery cell can be cylindrical, rectangular, or pouch-shaped.

[0035] (Battery Assembly 11, Battery Block 12) As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 , the battery assembly 11 includes a battery block 12 composed of multiple rechargeable battery cells 1. The illustrated battery pack 10 includes four battery blocks 12 arranged vertically and spaced apart to form the battery assembly 11. As shown in FIG. 4 , each battery block 12 constituting the battery assembly 11 has multiple rechargeable battery cells 1 arranged parallel to one another and facing vertically, and connected in series or parallel via lead plates. In this example, 144 rechargeable battery cells 1 are connected in eight parallel rows and eighteen parallel rows. The number of rechargeable battery cells 1 constituting the battery block 12, as well as the number of series and parallel rows, are not limited to this example and can be designed as appropriate depending on the specifications required for the power supply device. Similarly, the number of stacked battery blocks 12 can be designed depending on the specifications.

[0036] (Reinforcing Frame 14) The reinforcing frame 14 is formed by combining multiple metal frames to form a rectangular parallelepiped tower. The reinforcing frame 14 shown in the figures includes a pair of plate-shaped frames 14A arranged facing each other from the front to the rear, a bottom frame 14B connecting the lower ends of the opposing plate-shaped frames 14A in the front-to-rear direction, and a top frame 14C connecting the upper ends of the opposing plate-shaped frames 14A in the front-to-rear direction. Each plate-shaped frame 14A has an opening in the area where the battery block 12 is to be disposed, and protrusions 14a protruding upward from the upper ends of both left and right ends are provided. The upper ends of the opposing protrusions 14a are connected to each other by the top frame 14C. The reinforcing frame 14 is formed into a three-dimensional shape by connecting the top and bottom of the opposing plate-shaped frames 14A with the bottom frame 14B and the top frame 14C, providing a battery housing area for housing the battery assembly 11 and an electrical equipment housing area for disposing the electrical equipment 13. The reinforcing frame 14 shown in the figure has an upper area formed between the protrusions 14a on the left and right sides, which serves as an electrical storage area where the electrical part 13 is arranged, and a lower area sandwiched between the main body parts of the opposing plate-shaped frames 14A, which serves as a battery storage area where four battery blocks 12 are arranged.

[0037] (Housing 2) As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the housing 2 has an overall rectangular box-like exterior and a hollow interior storage space. As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the storage space houses a battery pack 10, which includes multiple battery blocks 12 arranged in multiple stages by a reinforcing frame 14 and an electrical component section 13 at the top. As shown in Figure 5, the housing 2 includes a main body 20 formed in a box shape with an opening at the top and housing the battery pack 10 inside, a front cover 6 detachably connected to the front surface of the main body 20 and covering the front surface of the main body 20, and a top cover 7 detachably connected to the top surface of the main body 20 to which the front cover 6 is connected. Each component constituting the housing 2 can be made of metal. However, the housing may also be made of resin, such as polycarbonate or ABS.

[0038] (Main body 20) As shown in Fig. 6, the box-shaped main body 20 includes a bottom cover 3 that is rectangular in plan view and forms the bottom surface, an inner cover 4 that forms the front side of the main body 20, and a rear cover 5 that forms the back surface and both side surfaces of the main body 20. The main body 20 is formed into a box shape with an opening at the top by connecting the bottom cover 3, inner cover 4, and rear cover 5, and the connecting portions thereof are connected via waterproof members to provide a waterproof structure. The main body 20 shown in the figure achieves a waterproof structure on the bottom by connecting the connecting portions between the bottom cover 3 and the inner cover 4 and the connecting portions between the bottom cover 3 and the rear cover 5 via first waterproof members 21. Furthermore, the connecting portions between the inner cover 4 and the rear cover 5 are connected via second waterproof members 22 to provide a waterproof structure on the sides.

[0039] (Bottom Cover Part 3) As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bottom cover part 3 includes a bottom plate 31 on which the battery pack 10 is placed and fixed, and a peripheral wall part 32 that protrudes downward from the outer periphery of the bottom plate 31. The metal bottom cover part 3 can be formed into a predetermined shape by press-forming a metal plate. The bottom cover part 3 shown in Figure 6 includes a stepped protrusion 33 in the center region of the bottom plate 31 that is one step higher than the surrounding area, and fixing screws 39 that pass through this stepped protrusion 33 are fixed to the bottom frame 14B of the reinforcing frame 14 to fix the battery pack 10 to the bottom cover part 3.

[0040] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the peripheral wall portion 32 is tubular with a predetermined height, and is formed so that the outer peripheral surface 32A has a predetermined vertical width. As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the peripheral wall portion 32 fixes the first waterproofing member 21 along the outer peripheral surface 32A. The first waterproofing member 21 is formed of a strip-shaped packing member 25A and is arranged in a loop shape along the outer peripheral surface 32A of the peripheral wall portion 32. By making the vertical width of the outer peripheral surface 32A of the peripheral wall portion 32 wide enough to fix the strip-shaped packing member 25A, the packing member 25A can be brought into close contact with a wide area against the lower ends 43, 53 of the inner cover portion 4 and the rear cover portion 5, thereby ensuring waterproofing. 7 and 8 , the bottom cover 3 has an upper region 32a of the outer peripheral surface 32A of the peripheral wall 32 that serves as an area for fixing the first waterproofing member 21, which is a strip-shaped packing member 25A, and a lower region 32b of the outer peripheral surface 32A that serves as an area for screwing the lower ends 43, 53 of the inner cover 4 and the rear cover 5. This structure places the strip-shaped packing member 25A in the upper region 32a of the outer peripheral surface 32A of the peripheral wall 32, and fixes the lower ends 43, 53 of the inner cover 4 and the rear cover 5 to the lower region 32b. This structure allows for fixing using simple fixing members, such as set screws, without using fixing members with a waterproofing mechanism. Furthermore, because this portion does not need to be detachably connected, fixing members such as rivets can also be used. The bottom cover portion 3 shown in the figure uses set screws 34 to fasten the inner cover portion 4 and rear cover portion 5, and a screw hole 35 into which the set screws 34 are screwed is provided in the lower region 32b of the peripheral wall portion 32.

[0041] (Inner cover portion 4) As shown in Fig. 6, the inner cover portion 4 includes a front panel 41 located on the front surface of the main body portion 20 and a pair of folded portions 42 connected to both side edges of the front panel 41 to form part of the side surfaces of the main body portion 20. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the inner cover portion 4 is connected to the bottom cover portion 3 at the lower end portions 43 of the front panel 41 and the folded portions 42 in a waterproof structure. The lower end portion 43 of the inner cover portion 4 is fixed to the peripheral wall portion 32 of the bottom cover portion 3 via set screws 34 inserted into the insertion holes 36, and the lower end portion 43 and the peripheral wall portion 32 compress the packing member 25, which is the first waterproof member 21, to connect them in a watertight manner.

[0042] Furthermore, the inner cover 4 has a bent portion 42 connected to the rear cover 5 in a waterproof structure. The bent portion 42 of the inner cover 4 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 has a laminated portion 42A extending rearward in an area excluding a lower end portion 43 facing the bottom cover 3, and a side panel 52 of the rear cover 5 is laminated and fixed to this laminated portion 42A. As shown in FIG. 9, the bent portion 42 has a strip-shaped packing member 25B extending vertically in an area forward of the laminated portion 42A as the second waterproof member 22. The bent portion 42 shown in the figure has a rear edge of the laminated portion 42A folded back in a U-shape and laminated on the outer surface to form a folded portion 42B. This folded portion 42B allows the maximum amount of compression of the packing member 25B to be determined when the side panel 52 of the rear cover 5 is fixed to the laminated portion 42A and the packing member 25B is sandwiched between them.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 , the inner cover 4 has an opening 44 formed by cutting out the center of the upper end of the front panel 41. The front panel 41 shown in the figures has an opening 44 formed by cutting out a rectangular shape extending from the center of the upper end in the left-right direction. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5 , the inner cover 4 includes an inner plate 8 that is detachably connected to the opening 44 and seals the opening 44 in a waterproof structure. In the inner cover 4 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the opening edge 45 of the opening 44 is a stepped recess that is one step lower than the front panel 41, and the inner plate 8 attached thereto is positioned flush with the front panel 41. This allows the front cover 6 to be positioned without any gaps in front of the inner cover 4. The metal inner cover 4 having the above structure can be formed into a desired shape by press-forming and bending a metal plate.

[0044] 6 , the rear cover 5 includes a rear panel 51 located on the rear surface of the main body 20, and a pair of side panels 52 connected to both side edges of the rear panel 51 to form the sides of the main body 20, and having front ends connected to the folded portions 42 of the inner cover 4 in a stacked state. The rear cover 5 connects the lower ends 53 of the rear panel 51 and the side panels 52 to the bottom cover 3 in a waterproof structure. Similar to the inner cover 4 described above, the lower end 53 of the rear cover 5 is fixed to the peripheral wall 32 of the bottom cover 3 via set screws 34 inserted through the insertion holes 36, and the lower end 53 and the peripheral wall 32 compress the packing member 25, which is the first waterproof member 21, to form a watertight connection.

[0045] Furthermore, the rear cover 5 has the front end of the side panel 52 laminated on the folded portion 42 of the inner cover 4. At this laminated portion, the packing member 25B, which is the second waterproofing member 22, is compressed between the laminated portion 42A of the folded portion 42 and the front end of the side panel 52, forming a watertight connection. As shown in FIG. 10 , the side panel 52 laminated on the laminated portion 42A of the folded portion 42 is fixed to the rear cover 5 via a waterproof fixing member in the region between the folded portion 42B and the packing member 25B fixed vertically to the laminated portion 42A. Examples of such fixing members include set screws 34 fixed via O-rings 37 and rivets. As shown in the figure, the side panel 52, into which the set screws 34 are inserted via the O-rings 37, has an insertion hole 36, and the folded portion 42, into which the set screws 34 are screwed, has a screw hole 35 at a position opposite the insertion hole 36. As described above, the set screws used to fasten the inner cover portion 4 and the rear cover portion 5 are not removed when in use, so tapping screws can also be used.

[0046] Furthermore, the rear cover 5 has flanges 55 bent inward at the upper edges of the rear panel 51 and the side panels 52. The flanges 55 shown in Figures 6 and 11 include a rear flange 55A provided at the upper end of the rear panel 51, a side flange 55B provided at the upper end of the side panel 52, and a connecting flange 55C provided at the upper end of the boundary between the rear panel 51 and the side panel 52, which are connected and arranged on the same plane. A notch 55D is provided at the boundary between the rear flange 55A and the side flange 55B, excluding the connecting flange 55C, to separate the rear flange 55A from the side flange 55B. The metal rear cover 5 having the above structure can be formed into a predetermined shape by press-forming a metal plate.

[0047] (Positioning Portion 46) To determine the connection position of the rear cover portion 5, which is secured to the inner cover portion 4 in a stacked state, the inner cover portion 4 shown in FIG. 9 has a positioning portion 46 that protrudes inward from the upper edge of the bent portion 42 and determines the connection position of the flange portion 55 of the rear cover portion 5. The positioning portion 46 shown in the figure includes a horizontal portion 46A bent inward from the upper edge of the bent portion 42 and a raised portion 46B formed at the tip of the horizontal portion 46A and extending in the front-rear direction and protruding upward. The flange portion 55 of the rear cover portion 5 has a slit portion 56 at the front end of a side flange portion 55B facing the raised portion 46B, which guides the raised portion 46B. The positioning portion 46 with this structure guides the slit portion 56 provided in the flange portion 55 of the rear cover portion 5 to the rear end side of the raised portion 46B extending in the front-rear direction, thereby allowing the rear cover portion 5 to be connected to the inner cover portion 4 in a fixed position. The positioning portion 46 also functions as a positioning portion 46 for specifying the connection position of the front cover portion 6 that is connected to the front surface of the main body portion 20, as will be described in detail later.

[0048] (First Waterproof Member 21) The first waterproof member 21 is fixed in a loop shape along the outer peripheral surface 32A of the bottom cover portion 3 and is in close contact with the inner surface of the lower end portion 43 of the inner cover portion 4 and the inner surface of the lower end portion 53 of the rear cover portion 5, thereby providing a waterproof structure for each. The first waterproof member 21 shown in FIGS. 8 and 12 includes an inner waterproof portion 21x disposed between the inner cover portion 4 and the bottom cover portion 3, and a rear waterproof portion 21y disposed between the rear cover portion 5 and the bottom cover portion 3. The first waterproof member 21 has a rear waterproof portion 21y that is thicker than the inner waterproof portion 21x to provide a stepped portion 21z. The protrusion amount of the stepped portion 21z is greater than the thickness of the bent portion 42, so that the rear waterproof portion 21y protrudes from the inner cover portion 4 connected to the bottom cover portion 3 via the inner waterproof portion 21x, as shown in FIG. 9. With this structure, with the lower end 43 of the bent portion 42 positioned in the inner waterproof portion 21x, the lower end of the second waterproofing member 22 fixed to the laminated portion 42A and the rear waterproof portion 21y can be brought close to or into contact with each other, making this connected portion waterproof. In this way, by connecting the side panel 52 of the rear cover portion 5 in a laminated state to the rear waterproof portion 21y protruding from the bent portion 42 and the second waterproofing member 22 provided in the bent portion 42, the side panel 52 of the rear cover portion 5 is positioned one step higher than the bent portion 42 of the inner cover portion 4.

[0049] The first waterproofing member 21 shown in Fig. 12 uses two packing members 25A to provide the stepped portion 21z. The first waterproofing member 21 shown in the figure has a first packing member 25a wound in a loop shape and fixed around the entire outer peripheral surface 32A of the bottom cover portion 3, and a second packing member 25b is further fixed in a double layer in the area where the lower end portion 53 of the rear cover portion 5 is located, thereby making the rear waterproof portion 21y thicker than the inner waterproof portion 21x and providing the stepped portion 21z. However, the first waterproofing member 21 can also have the stepped portion 21z provided by using two packing members 25A of different thicknesses, as shown in Fig. 13. 13, the first waterproof member 21 has an inner waterproof portion 21x formed by fixing a thin third packing member 25c to the region where the lower end 43 of the inner cover portion 4 is disposed, and a rear waterproof portion 21y formed by fixing a thick fourth packing member 25d to the region where the lower end 53 of the rear cover portion 5 is disposed. As a result, the rear waterproof portion 21y is made thicker than the inner waterproof portion 21x, and a step portion 21z is provided.

[0050] (Second Waterproof Member 22) The second waterproof member 22 is fixed to the laminated portion 42A of the folded portion 42 of the inner cover portion 4 and extends in the vertical direction. The second waterproof member 22 is in close contact with the inner surface of the side panel 52 of the rear cover portion 5, thereby providing a waterproof structure for the laminated portion 42A of the folded portion 42 and the side panel 52. The second waterproof member 22 shown in FIG. 9 is a strip-shaped packing member 25B disposed from the upper end to the lower end of the laminated portion 42A. The packing member 25B is in close contact with the opposing laminated portion and side panel over a wide area, ensuring reliable waterproofing. Furthermore, by positioning the lower end of the vertically extending packing member 25B close to or in contact with the first waterproof member 21 and the upper end of the packing member 25B facing the positioning portion 46 provided on the upper edge of the folded portion 42, the side panel can be reliably provided with a waterproof structure.

[0051] (Inner Plate 8) As shown in FIG. 6 , the inner plate 8 is detachably connected to the opening edge 45 of the opening window 44 provided in the inner cover portion 4 to open and close the opening window 44. The inner plate 8 shown in the figure is a rectangular plate material that conforms to the opening window 44, and its outer peripheral edge is laminated on the opening edge 45 to be connected to the inner cover portion 4 in a waterproof structure. The inner plate 8 shown in the figure includes a fourth waterproof member 24 laminated between the opening edge 45 of the opening window 44 and the opening edge 45, thereby achieving a waterproof structure. This fourth waterproof member 24 is a strip-shaped packing member 25D that is arranged along the opening edge 45. Because the opening edge 45 shown in the figure is U-shaped with an open top, the packing member 25D is also U-shaped in front view and fixed to the outer peripheral edge of the inner plate 8 along the opening edge 45. The inner plate 8 is fixed to the opening edge 45 in a region closer to the outer peripheral edge than the packing member 25D via a detachable connector that has waterproofing properties. Such a detachable connector can use a connecting screw 84 that is fixed via an O-ring 87. As shown in Figure 6, an insertion hole 86 is opened in the inner plate 8 through which the connecting screw 84 is inserted via the O-ring 87, and a screw hole 85 is formed at a position opposite the insertion hole 86 in the opening edge portion 45 of the front panel 41 into which the connecting screw 84 is screwed.

[0052] The above-described inner plate 8 has the advantage of being able to be connected to the inner cover portion 4 in a waterproof manner with a simple structure. However, as shown in Figures 14 to 16, the inner plate 8 can also be configured so that it can be slid up and down to be detachably connected to the opening edge portion 45. The inner plate 8 shown in Figures 14 to 16 includes a rectangular main body plate portion 81, a fourth waterproof member 24 that covers the outer peripheral edge portion of the main body plate portion 81, and an inner surface plate portion 82 that is disposed on the inner side of the main body plate portion 81 to which the fourth waterproof member 24 is attached and has two grooves 83 between the main body plate portion 81 and the fourth waterproof member 24 to guide the opening edge portion 45. The fourth waterproof member 24 attached to the main body plate portion 81 is a frame-shaped packing member 25E, and an inner peripheral surface is provided with an inner peripheral groove 25m that guides the outer peripheral edge of the main body plate portion 81. This inner plate 8 has an inner plate portion 82 disposed on the inner surface side of the frame-shaped packing member 25E on at least both side portions of the main body plate portion 81, and one of two groove portions 83 corresponding thereto, and the opening edge portion 45 of the front panel 41 is guided into the two left and right groove portions 83 while sliding vertically to be attached to the inner cover portion 4. The groove portion 83 formed in the inner cover portion 4 has a specified groove width so that, with the opening edge portion 45 being guided, the packing member 25E is in close contact with the opening edge portion 45 and maintained watertight, in other words, so that the opening edge portion 45 is press-fitted.

[0053] The inner plate 8 shown in Figures 14 to 16 has an inner plate portion 82 integrally formed with a main plate portion 81, but the inner plate portion can also be formed as a separate member from the main plate portion. Also, the inner plate 8 shown in the figures has inner plate portions 82 only on the left and right sides, forming two grooves 83, but the inner plate can also have an inner plate portion at the bottom end, forming a groove. This inner plate can guide the opening edge into the grooves formed in three directions to make it waterproof. Furthermore, the inner plate can also have inner plate portions at both the top and bottom ends, forming grooves on all four sides. This inner plate has the advantage of being able to be attached to the opening edge regardless of vertical orientation.

[0054] Regarding the structure for waterproofing the opening window 44 provided in the front panel 41 of the inner cover part 4 with the inner plate 8, as shown in Figure 16, this part is covered by the front cover part 6, so there is almost no need to worry about rainwater or the like entering from the outside, and the waterproofing of this part can be easily achieved. Therefore, the inner plate 8 can be easily detached, and while having a simple waterproofing structure, it can reliably prevent water from entering.

[0055] (Front Cover 6) As shown in Fig. 5, the front cover 6 is a cover member that is detachably connected to the front surface of the main body 20 and covers the inner cover 4. The front cover 6 is shaped to cover the front and side surfaces of the inner cover 4 and includes a front panel 61 that covers the front panel 41 of the inner cover 4 and bent cover portions 62 that are connected to both side edges of the front panel 61 and cover the bent portions 42 of the inner cover 4. As shown in Figs. 5, 17, and 18, when the front cover 6 is connected to the main body 20, the rear end edges of the bent cover portions 62 that cover the bent portions 42 of the inner cover 4 and the front end edges of the side panels 52 are positioned so that they face each other, and the bent cover portions 62 and the side panels 52 are positioned on the same plane. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 1, the housing 2 can achieve a beautiful appearance without using fasteners such as screws on the front surface and with flush side surfaces.

[0056] The front cover 6, which covers the front surface of the main body 20, is fixed to the bent portion 42 in the bent cover portion 62 via a waterproof detachable connector. Such a detachable connector can use a connecting screw 84 secured via an O-ring 87. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 18 , the bent cover portion 62 has an insertion hole 86 through which the connecting screw 84 is inserted via the O-ring 87, and the bent portion 42 into which the connecting screw 84 is screwed has a screw hole 85 at a position opposite the insertion hole 86. The screw hole 85 shown in the figure is a nut member 88 inserted into the bent portion 42. This structure, which includes the nut member 88, allows the connecting screw 84 to be reliably attached and detached for a long period of time. However, the screw hole 85 can also be formed by a process other than a nut member, such as burring.

[0057] Furthermore, the front cover 6 has flanges 65 bent inward at the upper edges of the front panel 61 and the folded cover portion 62. The flanges 65 shown in Figures 17 and 18 include a front flange 65A provided at the upper end of the front panel 61, a side flange 65B provided at the upper end of the folded cover portion 62, and a connecting flange 65C provided at the upper end of the boundary between the front panel 61 and the folded cover portion 62, which are connected and arranged on the same plane. A notch 65D is provided at the boundary between the front flange 65A and the side flange 65B, excluding the connecting flange 65C, separating the rear flange 65A from the side flange 65B. The metal front cover 6 having the above structure can be formed into a desired shape by press-forming a metal plate.

[0058] 17 and 18 , in order to specify the connection position of the front cover 6, which is connected to the inner cover 4 in a covering state, the positioning portion 46 provided on the inner cover 4 also serves as the positioning portion 46 of the front cover 6. The flange 65 of the front cover 6 is provided with a slit 66 for guiding the rising portion 46B at the rear end of the side flange 65B that faces the rising portion 46B. This positioning portion 46 guides the slit 66 provided in the flange 65 of the front cover 6 to the front end side of the rising portion 46B that extends in the front-to-rear direction, thereby making it possible to connect the front cover 6 to the inner cover 4 in a fixed position.

[0059] 18 , the positioning portion 46 can also serve as the water ingress prevention portion 47 that prevents water from seeping in through a gap 67 between the opposing portions of the rear cover portion 5 and the front cover portion 6. In the region where the upper end of the side panel 52 of the rear cover portion 5 faces the upper end of the folded cover portion 62 of the front cover portion 6, if a gap 67 is formed where the rear cover portion 5 and the front cover portion 6 butt together, there is a risk of water seeping in through this gap 67. In particular, if water seeps in through the gap 67 between the upper end of the side panel 52 and the upper end of the folded cover portion 62, and gets over the upper end of the inner cover portion 4, there is a risk that it will seep into the interior of the main body portion 20 and cause adverse effects. However, the housing 2 shown in Figures 9 and 17 is provided with a positioning portion 46 consisting of a horizontal portion 46A that protrudes inward at the joint between the upper end of the rear cover portion 5 and the upper end of the front cover portion 6 and a raised portion 46B provided at the tip, and this positioning portion 46 can suppress the flow of direct jets that infiltrate through the gap 67 and prevent water from entering the inside of the main body portion 20.

[0060] In this way, to prevent the advance of the direct jet, the positioning portion 46 has a horizontal portion 46A with a width (w) of 10 mm or more in the front-to-rear direction and a protruding height (h) of the rising portion 46B of 1 mm or more, as shown in Fig. 9. Even if water infiltrates through the gap 67 at the butted portion, the positioning portion 46 with this structure can function as a water infiltration prevention portion 47 that suppresses the flow of the direct jet that infiltrates through the gap 67 by virtue of the horizontal portion 46A having a predetermined width and the rising portion 46B having a predetermined height, thereby preventing the advance of water.

[0061] Furthermore, the flange 55 of the rear cover 5 and the flange 65 of the front cover 6 of the housing 2 are disposed on the reinforcing frame 14 of the battery pack 10 housed in the main body 20. The reinforcing frame 14 shown in the figure has top frames 14C fixed to the upper left and right ends, and the flange 55 of the rear cover 5 and the flange 65 of the front cover 6 are disposed on the upper surfaces of these top frames 14C. This structure has the advantage that the reinforcing frame 14 of the battery pack 10 prevents deformation of the housing 2 even when a compressive force is applied from above due to a load.

[0062] (Top Cover 7) The top cover 7 is a cover member detachably connected to the top surface of the main body 20 to which the front cover 6 is connected. The top cover 7 is connected to the top surfaces of the front cover 6 and the rear cover 5 in a waterproof structure via a third waterproof member 23 arranged along the outer periphery. The third waterproof member 23 is a frame-shaped packing member 25C that conforms to the outer periphery of the top cover 7, which is rectangular in plan view. The top cover 7 shown in Figures 5, 19, and 20 includes a top plate 71 that is rectangular in plan view and a peripheral wall portion 72 that protrudes downward from the outer periphery of the top plate 71. The peripheral wall portion 72 shown in the figures has a tip folded inward 180 degrees to form a folded portion 73. The metal top cover 7 can be formed into a predetermined shape by press-forming a metal plate. The top cover portion 7 fixes a frame-shaped packing member 25C along the inner peripheral surface of the folded portion 73 at the outer peripheral edge of the lower surface of the upper plate 71.

[0063] The top cover 7 having the above structure can optimize the depth (D) of the peripheral wall 72 by adjusting the folding amount of the folded portion 73. Here, the depth (D) of the peripheral wall 72 determines the elastic deformation (t-D) of the packing member 25C disposed inside. Because the top cover 7 is a component that is removed during maintenance of the power supply device 100, it is preferable to suppress deterioration of the packing member 25C over time. Generally, when a packing member is compressed strongly by increasing the elastic deformation, it adheres tightly and improves waterproofing, but deteriorates significantly over time. In contrast, when the elastic deformation is reduced and the compressing force is weakened, it reduces deterioration over time, but the adhesion weakens and waterproofing deteriorates. Therefore, taking these factors into consideration, it is preferable to optimize the elastic deformation of the packing member 25C provided on the top cover 7 when connected. As described above, the structure that allows the depth (D) of the peripheral wall portion 72 to be adjusted by the amount of folding of the folding portion 73 provided on the peripheral wall portion 72 of the top cover portion 7 can achieve the advantage of being able to specify the amount of elastic deformation of the packing member 25C fixed to the underside of the upper plate 71 to an optimal value, thereby suppressing deterioration over time while maintaining stable waterproofing.

[0064] 5 and 6 includes a positioning tool 75 for positioning the frame-shaped packing member 25C fixed to the top cover part 7 connected to the upper surface and for specifying the amount of elastic deformation of this packing member 25C. The housing 2 shown in the figures has positioning tools 75 fixed to the upper surfaces of the flange parts 55, 65 provided on the rear cover part 5 and the front cover part 6, respectively, at corners that face the four corners of the top cover part 7.

[0065] The overall shape of the positioning tool 75 in plan view is an L-shaped bent shape that conforms to the corner portion. The positioning tool 75 shown in Figures 11 and 17 to 20 includes fixing portions 76 provided at both ends and fixed to the flange portions 55, 65, an intermediate connecting portion 77 provided in the middle and to which the top cover portion 7 is connected, and an upright portion 78 provided between the intermediate connecting portion 77 and the fixing portion 76 and positioning the intermediate connecting portion 77 at a predetermined height (H) relative to the fixing portion 76. The metal positioning tool 75 can be formed into the predetermined shape, for example, by bending both ends of a metal plate bent into an L-shape in plan view.

[0066] In the positioning tool 75 of this structure, the fixing portion 76 is fixed to the flange portions 55, 65 via set screws 89, and the intermediate connecting portion 77 has a threaded hole 85 into which a connecting screw 84 that passes through the top cover portion 7 is screwed. The top cover portion 7 serves as a waterproof detachable connecting tool and is fixed to the positioning tool 75 via the connecting screw 84, which is secured via an O-ring 87. An insertion hole 86 is opened in the top plate 71, and a threaded hole 85 is provided in the intermediate connecting portion 77 into which the connecting screw 84 is screwed, with a nut member 88 fixed thereto. In this way, the positioning tool 75 equipped with the nut member 88 can reliably attach and detach the connecting screw 84 over a long period of time. The threaded hole 85 can also be formed by burring or other processing instead of using a nut member.

[0067] As described above, the structure in which the positioning devices 75 are fixed to the four corners of the top surface of the main body 20 to which the front cover 6 is connected, i.e., the left and right corners of the front cover 6 and the left and right corners of the rear cover 5, has the advantage of easily and reliably positioning the frame-shaped packing member 25C fixed to the underside of the top cover 7 in a fixed position while it is fitted. In particular, the positioning device 75 shown in the figure positions each corner of the packing member 25C in a fixed position along the outer periphery of the intermediate connecting portion 77, thereby reliably positioning the four corners of the top cover 7 in a fixed position. Furthermore, because the intermediate connecting portion 77 is positioned away from the flanges 55, 65, the positioning device 75 is not pinched between the packing member 25C and the flanges 55, 65 when the top cover 7 is attached, and does not inhibit the elastic deformation of the packing member 25C. Therefore, the frame-shaped packing member 25C can be appropriately elastically deformed to ensure waterproofing.

[0068] Furthermore, the above-described positioning tool 75 has the advantage that the amount of elastic deformation (t-H) of the packing member 25C can be specified by adjusting the height (H) of the upright portion 78 during the bending process. As shown in Figures 19 and 20, this positioning tool 75 secures the top cover portion 7 to the positioning tool with the lower surface of the top plate 71 abutting against the upper surface of the intermediate connecting portion 77. Therefore, the amount of elastic deformation of the packing member 25C can be specified by specifying the height (H) of the intermediate connecting portion 77. The housing 2 having the above-described structure specifies the amount of elastic deformation by both the peripheral wall portion 72 provided on the top cover portion 7 and the positioning tool 75, i.e., the outside and inside of the frame-shaped packing member 25C, thereby ensuring appropriate compression of the packing member 25C and preventing deterioration over time while ensuring reliable waterproofing.

[0069] (Packing Members 25A to 25E) As described above, a rubber-like elastic body made of rubber or soft plastic can be used for the packing members 25A to 25E used in the first to fourth waterproof members 21 to 24. Silicon rubber, for example, is preferably used as such packing members.

[0070] (Electrical equipment section 13) The electrical equipment section 13 includes electronic components that control the charging and discharging of the multiple secondary battery cells 1 that make up the battery assembly 11, and protective components that protect the secondary battery cells 1 from overcurrent, etc. The electrical equipment section 13 shown in the figure includes a breaker 16 and a fuse 15 connected between the battery assembly 11 and an external output terminal (not shown).

[0071] (Breaker 16) The breaker 16 is a component that cuts off the electrical path when an overcurrent is detected in the total output of the battery assembly 11, thereby enhancing safety. The breaker 16 is a resettable component that can be opened and closed. The breaker 16 allows the user to manually restore the electrical path from a cut-off state to a connected state. The breaker 16 shown in the figure is provided with a selector switch that can be manually switched ON and OFF.

[0072] (Fuse 15) The fuse 15 is also a component that cuts off the electrical path when an overcurrent is detected, enhancing safety. However, once an overcurrent is detected, the fuse 15 remains in the cut-off state and does not recover even after the overcurrent subsides. The fuse 15 is an irreversible component that cuts off the electrical path by melting.

[0073] In this way, the power supply unit 100 provides doubly enhanced safety with the breaker 16 and the fuse 15. The operating current of the breaker 16 is set lower than the operating current of the fuse 15. This allows the operating current of the breaker 16 to provide a first protection, while the operating current of the fuse 15 to provide a second protection.

[0074] (Maintenance Method for the Power Supply Unit) A maintenance method for the power supply unit 100 described above will be described. Here, a method for replacing the fuse 15, which is an example of a replaceable part, will be described. (1) First, as shown by arrow A in FIG. 5 , the top cover 7 on the top surface of the housing 2 is removed. In this state, the top opening 26 of the main body 20 is opened. (2) Next, as shown by arrow B in FIG. 5 , the front cover 6 is removed from the main body 20. In this state, the inner cover 4 on the front surface of the main body 20 is exposed. (3) Furthermore, as shown by arrow C in FIG. 5 , the inner plate 8 connected to the inner cover 4 is removed. In this state, the opening window 44 on the upper end of the front panel 41 is opened. In this way, by removing the inner plate 8 on the inner cover 4, the front side of the electrical component section 13 can be easily opened. (4) Next, the breaker 16 connected to the output side of the battery assembly 11 is turned off. Specifically, the changeover switch 16A of the breaker 16 shown in Figure 2 is manually turned OFF. (5) With the breaker 16 in an OFF state, the fuse 15 is replaced. Specifically, the screws on both ends of the fuse 15 are removed, and a new fuse 15 is replaced and screwed in. (6) The changeover switch 16A of the breaker 16 is turned ON again. (7) The inner plate 8 is attached to the opening window 44 of the front panel 41 of the inner cover 4 to close the opening window 44 of the front panel 41. (8) The front cover 6 is attached to the front of the main body 20. (9) The top cover 7 is connected to the top surface of the main body 20 to which the front cover 6 is attached.

[0075] As described above, by turning off the breaker 16 when replacing the fuse 15, the voltage of the battery assembly 11 is not generated in the fuse 15, and the replacement work can be carried out safely.

[0076] The power supply device according to the present disclosure is suitable for use as a stationary power supply device, for example, for home, business, or factory use, as a power storage device for storing electricity generated by solar power generation or overnight electricity, or as a power source for daytime peak cutting.

[0077] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Power supply device 1 Secondary battery cell 2 Housing 3 Bottom cover section 4 Inner cover section 5 Rear cover section 6 Front cover section 7 Top cover section 8 Inner plate 10 Assembled battery 11 Battery assembly 12 Battery block 13 Electrical section 14 Reinforcement frame 14A Plate-shaped frame 14B Bottom frame 14C Top frame 14a Protrusion 15 Fuse 16 Breaker 16A Changeover switch 20 Main body 21 First waterproof member 21x Inner waterproof section 21y Rear waterproof section 21z Step section 22 Second waterproof member 22A Upper and lower packings 23 Third waterproof member 24 Fourth waterproof member 25, 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D, 25E ​​Packing member 25a First packing member 25b Second packing member 25c First packing member 25d Second packing member 25m Inner peripheral groove 26 Top opening 31 Bottom plate 32 Peripheral wall portion 32A Outer peripheral surface 32a Upper region 32b Lower region 33 Step convex portion 34 Set screw 35 Screw hole 36 Insertion hole 37 O-ring 39 Fixing screw 41 Front panel 42 Bent portion 42A Laminated portion 42B Folded portion 43 Lower end portion 44 Opening window 45 Opening edge portion 46 Positioning portion 46A Horizontal portion 46B Rising portion 47 Water ingress prevention portion 51 Rear panel 52 Side panel 53 Lower end portion 55 Flange portion 55A Rear flange portion 55B Side flange portion 55C Connecting flange portion 55D Notch 56 Slit 61 Front panel 62 Bent cover 65 Flange 65A Front flange 65B Side flange 65C Connecting flange 65D Notch 66 Slit 67 Gap 71 Top plate 72 Peripheral wall 73 Folded portion 75 Positioning tool 76 Fixing portion 77 Intermediate connecting portion 78 Upright portion 79 Nut member 81 Main body plate 82 Inner plate 83 Groove 84 Connecting screw 85 Screw hole 86 Insertion hole 87 O-ring 88 Nut member 89 Set screw

Claims

1. A power supply device comprising: a battery pack having a plurality of secondary battery cells; and a housing that houses the battery pack, wherein the housing comprises: a main body portion formed in a box shape with an opening at the top and housing the battery pack inside; a front cover portion that is detachably connected to the front surface of the main body portion and covers the front surface of the main body portion; and a top cover portion that is detachably connected to the upper surface of the main body portion to which the front cover portion is connected, wherein the main body portion comprises: a bottom cover portion that is rectangular in a plan view on which the battery pack is placed; a front panel located on the front side, an inner cover portion that includes: a front panel located on the front side, a pair of bent portions that are connected to both side edges of the front panel and form part of a pair of side surfaces of the main body portion, and an inner plate; a back panel located on the back side, a pair of side panels that are connected to both side edges of the back panel and form the pair of side surfaces of the main body portion, and whose front ends are connected to the pair of bent portions of the inner cover portion in a stacked state, the rear cover portion and the inner cover portion have their respective lower ends connected to the bottom cover portion via a first waterproof member in a waterproof structure, and the laminated portions of the pair of folded portions of the inner cover portion and the pair of side panels are connected to each other via a second waterproof member in a waterproof structure; the inner plate of the inner cover portion has an opening window formed by cutting out a central portion of an upper end portion of the front panel, and is detachably connected to the opening window to close the opening window in a waterproof structure; the front cover portion comprises: a front panel covering the front panel of the inner cover portion; a pair of folded cover portions connected to both side edges of the front panel and covering the pair of folded portions, respectively; and flange portions folded inward at upper edges of the front panel and the pair of folded cover portions; and when the front cover portion is connected to the main body portion, the flange portions of the front cover portion and the flange portions of the rear cover portion are arranged on the same plane,a power supply device, wherein the top cover portion is rectangular in a plan view and is connected in a waterproof structure to the flange portion of the front cover portion and the flange portion of the rear cover portion via a third waterproofing member arranged along the outer peripheral edge.

2. A power supply device as described in claim 1, wherein the pair of bent portions of the inner cover portion are provided with a laminated portion on which the pair of side panels of the rear cover portion are laminated in an area excluding the lower end portion facing the bottom cover portion, and the second waterproofing member is a packing member arranged to extend vertically on the laminated portion.

3. A power supply device as described in claim 2, wherein the first waterproof member comprises an inner waterproof portion disposed between the inner cover portion and the bottom cover portion, and a rear waterproof portion disposed between the rear cover portion and the bottom cover portion, the rear waterproof portion being thicker than the inner waterproof portion to provide a step portion, the rear waterproof portion protruding from the inner cover portion connected to the bottom cover portion via the inner waterproof portion, and the pair of side panels of the rear cover portion are connected in a stacked state opposite the second waterproof member disposed in the stacked portion of the inner cover portion, and the pair of bent portions of the inner cover portion and the pair of side panels of the rear cover portion are arranged in a step structure, a power supply device in which, when the front cover portion is connected to the main body portion, the rear end edge of one of the pair of folded cover portions and the front end edge of one of the pair of side panels are opposed to each other, so that one of the pair of folded cover portions and one of the pair of side panels are arranged on the same plane, and the rear end edge of the other of the pair of folded cover portions and the front end edge of the other of the pair of side panels are opposed to each other, so that the other of the pair of folded cover portions and the other of the pair of side panels are arranged on the same plane.

4. A power supply device as described in claim 1, wherein the bottom cover portion comprises a bottom plate to which the battery pack is fixed, and a peripheral wall portion that protrudes downward along the outer periphery of the bottom plate, and the first waterproofing member is a packing member that is arranged in a loop shape along the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion, and the packing member is arranged along an upper region of the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion, and the lower ends of the inner cover portion and the rear cover portion are fixed in a lower region of the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion.

5. A power supply device as described in claim 1, wherein the inner cover portion has positioning portions that position the flange portions protruding inward from the upper edges of the pair of bent portions in an area where the flange portions of the rear cover portion and the flange portions of the front cover portion face each other, the positioning portions comprising: a pair of horizontal portions bent inward from the upper edges of the pair of bent portions of the inner cover portion, and a pair of raised portions formed on the tips of the pair of horizontal portions, extending in the front-to-rear direction and protruding upward, respectively; the flange portions of the rear cover portion and the flange portions of the front cover portion each have slit portions at their opposing ends for guiding the pair of raised portions, the slit portions provided in the flange portions of the rear cover portion being guided into the rear portions of the pair of raised portions to connect the rear cover portion to a fixed position on the inner cover portion, and the slit portions provided in the flange portions of the front cover portion being guided into the front portions of the pair of raised portions to connect the front cover portion to a fixed position on the inner cover portion.

6. A power supply device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the positioning section has a width of 10 mm or more in the front-to-rear direction of the pair of horizontal sections and a protruding height of 1 mm or more of the pair of rising sections, and is also used as a water ingress prevention section that prevents water from infiltrating through the gap between the opposing parts of the rear cover section and the front cover section.

7. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the third waterproofing member is a frame-shaped packing member fixed to the outer peripheral edge of the underside of the top cover portion, and the rear cover portion and the front cover portion have positioning devices fixed to the flange portions of the corner portions facing the four corner portions of the top cover portion, the positioning devices being L-shaped in plan view along the corner portions, and comprising: fixing portions provided at both ends and fixed to the flange portions; an intermediate connecting portion provided at the middle portion and to which the top cover portion is connected; and an upright portion provided between the intermediate connecting portion and the fixing portion and positioning the intermediate connecting portion at a predetermined height relative to the fixing portion, and wherein, with the four corners of the top cover portion respectively connected to the positioning devices, the frame-shaped packing member is positioned in a fixed position along the outer peripheral edge of the intermediate connecting portion, and the amount of elastic deformation of the frame-shaped packing member is determined by the height of the intermediate connecting portion.

8. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the front cover portion is connected to the main body portion at the pair of bent cover portions via detachable connectors.

9. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the battery pack is provided with a reinforcing frame that positions the plurality of secondary battery cells in fixed positions, and the flanges of the rear cover and front cover are positioned on the upper surface of the reinforcing frame.

10. A power supply device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the inner plate is fixed to the front panel with a fourth waterproofing member laminated between the inner plate and the edge of the opening window opened in the front panel.

11. A power supply device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the inner plate comprises: a main body plate portion; a fourth waterproofing member covering the outer peripheral edge of the main body plate portion; and an inner surface plate portion arranged on the inner surface of the main body plate portion to which the fourth waterproofing member is attached, and having two grooves between the main body plate portion and the fourth waterproofing member to guide the opening edge portion; the fourth waterproofing member attached to the main body plate portion is a frame-shaped packing member, and at least on each of both side portions of the main body plate portion, the inner surface plate portion is arranged on the inner surface of the frame-shaped packing member and has one of the two grooves corresponding thereto; and the inner plate is connected to the inner cover portion while guiding the opening edge portion into the two grooves.

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