Sensor unit

Abstract

A sensor unit (10) is provided with: a housing (20); a substrate (71) fixed inside the housing (20); an acceleration sensor (72) mounted on the substrate (71); and a plurality of pairs of components (96) having mutually different masses. Each of the plurality of pairs of components (96) comprises a first-side fixing component (35, 91) fixed to an upper side of the housing (20) in a height direction and a second-side fixing component (40, 92) fixed to a lower side of the housing (20) in the height direction. A pair of components (96) to be fixed to the housing (20) is selectable from the plurality of pairs of components (96). Changing the pair of components (96) to be fixed to the housing (20) results in a variation in mass.

Description

Sensor unit

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a sensor unit to be put into battery manufacturing equipment.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a sensor unit to be put into battery manufacturing equipment, which includes a bottomed cylindrical case that is processed in the same manner as the outer can of a battery in the battery manufacturing equipment, and a sensor attached to the case for detecting a force acting on the case from the battery manufacturing equipment. This sensor unit detects the force applied to the outer can or the like from the battery manufacturing equipment, and the detection information by the sensor unit is used to identify abnormal parts of the equipment.

[0003] International Publication No. 2022 / 080209

[0004] When an acceleration sensor is mounted on the sensor unit, vibrations and impacts received within the battery manufacturing equipment can be measured. However, since at least a part of the battery (hereinafter referred to as the input part) actually put into the battery manufacturing equipment has a different mass from the mass of the sensor unit corresponding to the input part, even when the same load is applied to the input part and the sensor unit, the accelerations received by the input part and the sensor unit are different, and there has been a problem that it is difficult to detect the acceleration of the input part with high accuracy.

[0005] In addition, since the center-of-gravity positions of the input part and the sensor unit corresponding thereto are different, there is also a problem that the behavior of the sensor unit when a load is applied is different from the behavior of the input part when a load is applied, and there is also a problem that it is difficult to detect the center-of-gravity acceleration applied to the input part with high accuracy. Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a sensor unit that can easily detect the acceleration within the battery manufacturing equipment of the input part that is put into the battery manufacturing equipment and constitutes at least a part of the battery with high accuracy, and can also easily detect the center-of-gravity acceleration of the input part within the battery manufacturing equipment.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the sensor unit according to this disclosure comprises a housing, a substrate fixed inside the housing, an acceleration sensor mounted on the substrate, and a plurality of pairs of parts with different masses, wherein each pair of parts consists of a first-side fixing part fixed to the first side in the height direction of the housing and a second-side fixing part fixed to the second side in the height direction of the housing, and the pair of parts fixed to the housing can be selected from the plurality of pairs of parts, and the mass can be changed by changing the pair of weight parts fixed to the housing.

[0007] Furthermore, the sensor unit according to this disclosure is a sensor unit that is fed into a battery manufacturing facility into which a feeding section is fed, which constitutes at least a part of a battery and includes an outer casing, and comprises a housing, a substrate fixed inside the housing, an acceleration sensor mounted on the substrate, a case identical or substantially identical to the outer casing that houses the housing, a first side fixing part fixed to the first side in the height direction of the housing, and a second side fixing part fixed to the second side in the height direction of the housing, wherein the center of gravity is located within the three-dimensional range of the acceleration sensor.

[0008] According to the sensor unit of this disclosure, it is possible to detect with high accuracy the acceleration of the input portion within the battery manufacturing equipment, which is fed into the battery manufacturing equipment and constitutes at least a part of the battery, and it is also possible to detect the center of gravity acceleration of the input portion within the battery manufacturing equipment.

[0009] This is a perspective view of a sensor unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from diagonally above. This is a perspective view of the sensor body of the above sensor unit, viewed from diagonally above. This is an exploded perspective view of the sensor body shown in exploded Figure 2, viewed from diagonally above. This is an exploded perspective view of the sensor body shown in exploded Figure 2, viewed from a different direction than that shown in Figure 3. This is a perspective view of a sensor unit, viewed from diagonally above, with a different pair of weight components fixed to the housing and a different case compared to the case shown in Figure 1. This is a perspective view of the sensor body in the sensor unit shown in Figure 5, viewed from diagonally above. This is an exploded perspective view of the sensor body shown in exploded Figure 6 a different direction than that shown in Figure 7.

[0010] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the sensor unit according to this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It is intended from the outset that multiple embodiments and modifications described below can be selectively combined. Below, as an example of an embodiment of the sensor unit according to this disclosure, a sensor unit 10 equipped with the same case 11 as the bottomed cylindrical outer casing used for cylindrical batteries will be shown, but the shape of the sensor unit can be appropriately changed to suit the battery manufacturing equipment. For example, the shape of the case of a sensor unit fed into a prismatic battery manufacturing facility can be the same bottomed prismatic shape as the outer casing of a prismatic battery.

[0011] In this embodiment, case 11 is the same as the outer casing of a battery manufactured in a battery manufacturing facility, but case 11 can also be a dedicated part for the sensor unit that is different from the outer casing of the battery. The case of the sensor unit only needs to be substantially the same as the outer casing of the battery, and may differ slightly in shape, etc., as long as it does not impair the purpose of this disclosure.

[0012] In the following description, the axial direction (height direction) refers to the axial direction (height direction) of the bottomed cylindrical case 11, the radial direction refers to the radial direction of the case 11, and the circumferential direction refers to the circumferential direction of the case 11. Also, in the following description, the opening side of the bottomed cylindrical case 11 is referred to as the upper side, and the bottom side of the case 11 is referred to as the lower side. Among the components described below, components that are not described in the independent claim representing the highest-level concept are optional components and are not essential components.

[0013] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sensor unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from diagonally above. The sensor unit 10 shown in Figure 1 is composed of a part of a cylindrical battery and is fed into a battery manufacturing facility (not shown) in the same way as the input section (battery assembly) that is fed into the battery manufacturing facility and subjected to the same processing as the input section. In this embodiment, a grooved section (not shown) is provided in the case 11, similar to the outer casing of the input section of a cylindrical battery. By using the same material as the outer casing of a cylindrical battery for the case 11, it becomes easier to apply the same processing to the case 11 as to the outer casing. In addition, the force that the sensor unit 10 receives from the battery manufacturing facility can be detected more accurately, making it easier to accurately identify the location of any abnormalities in the facility.

[0014] The sensor unit 10 comprises a case 11 and a sensor body 15 housed within the case 11. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sensor body 15 from an oblique upward position. As shown in Figure 2, the sensor body 15 has a plurality of case contact parts 50, including a portion located at the outermost radial point. The plurality of case contact parts 50 are arranged at approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction and extend in the height direction. The case contact parts 50 are made of an elastically deformable resin material, such as an acrylic resin, a urethane resin, or a material made by compounding urethane with acrylic resin. The case contact parts 50 are arranged adjacent to each other in the height direction and have a plurality of arc-shaped surfaces 51 that project radially toward the case 11.

[0015] The largest outer diameter portion of the sensor body 15 is composed of a top portion 50a that protrudes most radially outward on the arc-shaped surface 51, and this top portion 50a is elastically pressed against and contacts the inner circumferential surface of the case 11. Due to the contact of the top portion 50a with the inner circumferential surface of the case 11 accompanied by elastic deformation, the sensor body 15 is held stationary relative to the inner circumferential surface of the case 11 by frictional force. As a result, displacement and rotation of the sensor body 15 relative to the case 11 during processing and transport of the sensor unit 10 are effectively suppressed.

[0016] The sensor body 15 includes a housing 20, an upper spacer 25, a lower spacer 30, an upper weight component 35, and a lower weight component 40. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the disassembled sensor body 15 viewed from an oblique angle above, and Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the disassembled sensor body 15 viewed from a different direction than in Figure 3. Note that the illustration of multiple screws is omitted in Figures 3 and 4.

[0017] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the housing 20 includes a first housing component 61 with a U-shaped cross-section that extends in the height direction and has openings on both sides in the height direction and in one direction substantially perpendicular to the height direction, a second housing component 62 positioned to close the opening in one direction, a flat plate-shaped upper block component 63 positioned above the first housing component 61 in the height direction, and a flat plate-shaped lower block component 64 positioned below the first housing component 61 in the height direction. The upper side in the height direction corresponds to the first side in the height direction, and the lower side in the height direction corresponds to the second side in the height direction. Furthermore, the upper block component 63 corresponds to the first side block component, and the lower block component 64 corresponds to the second side block component.

[0018] As shown in Figure 4, the sensor body 15 further includes a sensor assembly 75 which includes a substrate 71 and a plurality of sensors 72, 73 mounted on the substrate 71, in addition to an upper spacer 25 positioned above the upper block component 63, a lower spacer 30 positioned below the lower block component 64, an upper weight component 35 positioned above the upper spacer 25, and a lower weight component 40 positioned below the lower spacer 30. The upper weight component 35 corresponds to the first weight component, and the lower weight component 40 corresponds to the second weight component.

[0019] As shown in Figure 4, the substrate 71 has a flat first substrate portion 71a that extends in the height direction and is fixed to the planar inner surface 61a of the first housing component 61 with screws 74, and a flat second substrate portion 71b that is integrally formed with the first substrate portion 71a. The mounting surface of the second substrate portion 71b is substantially parallel to an orthogonal plane substantially perpendicular to the height direction. In this embodiment, the substrate 71 has a plurality of second substrate portions 71b arranged at intervals in the height direction, but the substrate 71 may have only one second substrate portion 71b.

[0020] Referring to Figure 4, the upper block component 63 is fixed to the upper end face of the first housing component 61 with screws (not shown) using a plurality of screw holes 61b provided on the upper end face of the first housing component 61 and a plurality of screw holes 63a that penetrate the upper block component 63 in the height direction. Furthermore, the lower block component 64 is fixed to the lower end face of the lower block component 64 with screws (not shown) using a plurality of screw holes 61c provided on the lower end of the first housing component 61, which extend substantially parallel to the orthogonal direction perpendicular to the inner surface 61a and extend substantially parallel to the orthogonal direction and extend on the side surface of the lower block component 64 corresponding to the first housing component 61.

[0021] Furthermore, the upper weight component 35 and the upper spacer 25 are fixed to the upper side of the upper block component 63 with screws (not shown) using a screw hole 63b with an opening on the upper surface of the upper block component 63, a screw hole 25a that penetrates the upper spacer 25 in the height direction, and a screw hole 35a that penetrates the upper weight component 35 in the height direction. The lower weight component 40 and the lower spacer 30 are fixed to the lower side of the first housing component 61 with screws (not shown) using a screw hole (not shown) provided on the lower end surface of the first housing component 61, a screw hole 30a that penetrates the lower spacer 30 in the height direction, and a screw hole 40a that penetrates the lower weight component 40 in the height direction.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, a recess 62a of approximately constant depth is provided on the inner surface of the second housing component 62, which faces the inner surface 61a in the direction perpendicular to the above. A flat battery 80 is housed and fixed in this recess 62a. The battery 80 is fixed to the second housing component 62, for example, by adhesive tape or screws. The battery 80 includes, for example, a secondary battery and can be charged by power supplied via a cable.

[0023] Referring to Figure 3, the second housing component 62 is fixed to the upper block component 63 with screws (not shown) using a plurality of screw holes 62b that penetrate the upper end of the second housing component 62 in the above-mentioned orthogonal direction, and a plurality of screw holes 63c provided on the side surface of the upper block component 63 that is substantially parallel to the inner surface 61a. Similarly, the second housing component 62 is fixed to the lower block component 64 with screws (not shown) using a plurality of screw holes 62c that penetrate the lower end of the second housing component 62 in the above-mentioned orthogonal direction, and a plurality of screw holes (not shown) provided on the side surface of the lower block component 64 that is substantially parallel to the inner surface 61a.

[0024] Referring to Figure 3, the upper weight component 35 and the upper spacer 25 are fixed to the upper side of the second housing component 62 with screws (not shown) using a screw hole 62d with an opening on the upper surface of the second housing component 62, a screw hole 25b that penetrates the upper spacer 25 in the height direction, and a screw hole 35b that penetrates the upper weight component 35 in the height direction. In addition, the lower weight component 40 and the lower spacer 30 are fixed to the lower side of the second housing component 62 with screws (not shown) using a screw hole (not shown) provided on the lower end surface of the second housing component 62, a screw hole 30b (see Figure 4) that penetrates the lower spacer 30 in the height direction, and a screw hole 40b that penetrates the lower weight component 40 in the height direction.

[0025] Referring to Figure 3, three case contact parts 50 are engaged and fixed to a first planar portion 81 provided on the outer surface of a first housing part 61 which has a substantially U-shaped cross-section, and two second planar portions 82 provided on both sides in the width direction of the first planar portion 81 and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first planar portion 81. In addition, one case contact part 50 is engaged and fixed to a third planar portion 83 (see Figure 4) provided on the outer surface of the first housing part 61 and substantially parallel to the first planar portion 81. Although not shown in the figures, these engagements and fixations can be achieved, for example, by spline engagement using a protruding portion extending in the height direction and a linear groove into which the protruding portion is pressed in.

[0026] An example of an integration method for combining the components that make up the sensor body 15 has been described. However, the integration method for combining the components that make up the sensor body 15 is not limited to the above method. Any method that can integrate the components that make up the sensor body 15 may be adopted as an integration method for combining the components that make up the sensor body 15.

[0027] Referring to Figure 4, an acceleration sensor 72 is mounted on the upper surface (mounting surface) of either of the second substrate portions 71b. In this embodiment, the acceleration sensor 72 is mounted on the upper surface of the upper second substrate portion 71b, and the gyro sensor 73 is mounted on the upper surface of the lower second substrate portion 71b. The acceleration sensor 72 detects acceleration, which is the amount of change in velocity per unit time of the sensor unit 10. The acceleration sensor 72 generates a detection signal corresponding to the magnitude of acceleration in a predetermined 1-axis or 3-axis direction, for example. When the case 11 is subjected to an impact during transport, etc., the acceleration sensor 72 detects this impact as acceleration. If there is an abnormality in the battery manufacturing equipment, an impact different from that in the normal case will be applied to the case 11. Since the abnormality in acceleration can be determined from the detection information of the acceleration sensor 72, the abnormality in the equipment can be accurately identified.

[0028] The gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor) 73 detects the speed at which the sensor unit 10 rotates around a reference axis. The gyro sensor 73 measures, for example, the angular velocity, which is the rotation angle per unit time, and generates a detection signal corresponding to the angular velocity. In battery manufacturing equipment, for example, when processing the case 11, the case 11 is rotated, and at this time, the angular velocity of the sensor unit 10 is measured by the gyro sensor 73. When the gyro sensor 73 detects an angular velocity different from the normal case, the location where that angular velocity was detected can be identified as an abnormal location.

[0029] The sensor body 15 may have an environmental sensor (not shown) mounted on a substrate, and the environmental sensor may have at least one of, for example, a thermometer, a hygrometer, and a barometer. Battery manufacturing equipment is expected to generate heat due to, for example, malfunctions. Since the environment inside the battery manufacturing equipment, such as temperature, may affect the quality of the batteries, it is preferable to mount an environmental sensor on the sensor unit 10 so that abnormalities in the environment inside the equipment can be identified. The thermometer, hygrometer, and barometer may be integrated or provided separately. The sensor body 15 may have other sensors capable of detecting abnormalities in the battery manufacturing equipment, such as a vacuum pressure sensor (not shown) or an image sensor (not shown).

[0030] The circuit board 71 is equipped with a microcontroller module (not shown) and a memory (not shown) for storing detection information from sensors 72 and 73. The microcontroller module includes, for example, a processor that performs predetermined calculations, a memory for storing control programs, and input / output ports. The processor is, for example, a CPU that reads and executes the control program installed in the memory. The microcontroller module becomes ready for measurement by sensors 72 and 73 when it receives a startup signal from an external device, for example.

[0031] The microcontroller module may incorporate a wireless communication module, and the wireless communication function of the microcontroller module may enable it to transmit sensor detection information stored in memory to a predetermined external device. The communication method of the wireless communication module is not particularly limited, and the wireless communication module may be provided separately from the microcontroller.

[0032] Non-volatile memory such as flash memory is used for the memory that stores the detection information from sensors 72 and 73. The detection signals generated by sensors 72 and 73 are transmitted to a microcontroller module, for example, where predetermined processing is performed and the information is stored in the memory that stores the detection information. The sensor detection information stored in the memory is transmitted to the outside, for example, via the microcontroller module. Power is supplied from the battery 80 to the microcontroller module, sensors 72 and 73, and the memory that stores the detection information.

[0033] The battery manufacturing equipment receives an input section that includes at least a part of a cylindrical battery and a case 11. The mass of the sensor unit 10 is adjusted to approximately match the mass of the input section that is fed into the battery manufacturing equipment. The adjustment of the mass of the sensor unit 10 can be easily achieved by constructing the first housing component 61 and the second housing component 62 from a metal material such as aluminum, adjusting the mass of the upper spacer 25 and the lower spacer 30, and adjusting the mass of the upper weight component 35 and the lower weight component 40. Furthermore, the center of gravity of the sensor unit 10 is located within the three-dimensional range of the acceleration sensor 72.

[0034] The sensor unit 10 is designed so that its mass can be varied by changing a pair of weight components fixed to the housing 20. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the sensor unit 10 with a different pair of weight components fixed to the housing 20, as seen from diagonally above, compared to the case shown in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the sensor body 115 of the sensor unit 10 shown in Figure 5, as seen from diagonally above. Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the disassembled sensor body 115 as seen from diagonally above, and Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the disassembled sensor body 115 as seen from a different direction than in Figure 7. Note that the illustration of multiple screws is omitted in Figures 7 and 8.

[0035] The sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 5 comprises a case 111 and a sensor body 115 placed inside the case 111. The sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 5 corresponds to a cylindrical battery of a different type than the cylindrical battery that the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 1 corresponds to. The diameter of the cylindrical battery corresponding to the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 5 is approximately the same as the diameter of the cylindrical battery corresponding to the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 1. On the other hand, the mass and height of the cylindrical battery corresponding to the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 5 are smaller than the mass and height of the cylindrical battery corresponding to the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 1.

[0036] The sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 5 and the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 1 share several common parts. Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the common parts are the first housing part 61, the second housing part 62, the upper block part 63, the lower block part 64, the sensor assembly 75, the upper weight part 35, the lower weight part 40, several case contact parts (four case contact parts in this embodiment) 50, and several screws (not shown).

[0037] On the other hand, the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 5 differs from the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 1 in that the case 111, the screws that fix the upper weight component 35 to the upper block component 63, the screws that fix the upper weight component 35 to the second housing component 62, the screws that fix the lower weight component 40 to the first housing component 61, and the screws that fix the lower weight component 40 to the second housing component 62 are different.

[0038] More specifically, the diameter of case 111 is the same as the diameter of case 11, while the mass and height of case 111 are smaller than those of case 11. Furthermore, in the sensor body 115 shown in Figure 5, the screws that fix the upper weight component 35 to the upper block component 63, the screws that fix the upper weight component 35 to the second housing component 62, the screws that fix the lower weight component 40 to the first housing component 61, and the screws that fix the lower weight component 40 to the second housing component 62 are shorter than the corresponding screws in the sensor body 15 shown in Figure 2.

[0039] As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the sensor body 115 differs from the sensor body 15 in that it does not have an upper spacer 25 and a lower spacer 30. In other words, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, in the sensor body 115, the upper weight component 35 is fixed to the upper block component 63 and the second housing component 62 without the upper spacer 25, and the lower weight component 40 is fixed to the lower block component 64 and the second housing component 62 without the lower spacer 30.

[0040] The sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 5 is fed into a battery manufacturing facility that forms a groove in the case 111. The battery manufacturing facility is designed to receive a feeding section that includes the case 111 and constitutes at least a part of a cylindrical battery. The mass of the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 5 is adjusted to approximately match the mass of the feeding section that is fed into the battery manufacturing facility that forms the groove in the case 111. The adjustment of the mass of the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 5 can be easily achieved by constructing the first housing component 61 and the second housing component 62 from a metal material such as aluminum, and by adjusting the mass of the upper weight component 35 and the lower weight component 40. In the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 5, as in the sensor unit 10 in the state shown in Figure 1, the position of its center of gravity is located within the three-dimensional range of the acceleration sensor 72.

[0041] In the sensor unit 10 shown in Figure 1, a composite component 91 (see Figure 3) composed of an upper spacer 25 and an upper weight component 35, and a composite component 92 (see Figure 3) composed of a lower spacer 30 and a lower weight component 40, constitute a pair of components 96 (see Figure 3), with composite component 91 constituting the first side fixing component and composite component 92 constituting the second side fixing component. Furthermore, in the sensor unit 10 shown in Figure 5, the upper weight component 35 and the lower weight component 40 constitute a pair of components 97 (see Figure 7), with the upper weight component 35 constituting the first side fixing component and the lower weight component 40 constituting the second side fixing component.

[0042] As described above, the sensor unit 10 comprises a housing 20, a circuit board 71 fixed inside the housing 20, an acceleration sensor 72 mounted on the circuit board 71, and multiple pairs of parts 96, 97 with different masses, where each pair of parts 96, 97 consists of a first-side fixing part 35, 91 fixed to the first side (upper side) in the height direction of the housing 20 and a second-side fixing part 40, 92 fixed to the second side (lower side) in the height direction of the housing 20. Furthermore, the pair of parts 96 or 97 fixed to the housing 20 can be selected from multiple pairs of parts 96, 97. By changing the pair of parts 96, 97 fixed to the housing 20, the mass can be varied.

[0043] With the sensor unit 10 configured as described above, the pair of parts 96 or 97 fixed to the housing 20 can be selected from multiple sets of pairs of parts 96 and 97. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the pair of parts 96 or 97 fixed to the housing 20, the mass of the sensor unit 10 can be made to correspond to the sensor unit 10 and to be close to the mass of the input section that is fed into the battery manufacturing equipment. In addition, the center of gravity of the sensor unit 10 can be made to be close to the position where the acceleration sensor 72 is located in the sensor unit 10. Furthermore, by appropriately selecting the pair of parts 96 or 97 fixed to the housing 20, the mass of the sensor unit 10 may be approximately the same as the mass of the sensor unit 10 and to be close to the mass of the input section that is fed into the battery manufacturing equipment. Moreover, even when the sensor unit 10 is manufactured based on selecting any pair of parts 96 or 97 from multiple sets of pairs of parts 96 and 97 and fixing the selected pair of parts 96 or 97 to the housing 20, the center of gravity of the manufactured sensor unit 10 may be located within the three-dimensional range of the acceleration sensor 72 in the sensor unit 10. Therefore, it is easy to detect with high accuracy the acceleration of the input part, which is fed into the battery manufacturing equipment and constitutes at least a part of the battery, within the battery manufacturing equipment, and it is also easy to detect the center of gravity acceleration of the input part within the battery manufacturing equipment. As a result, it is possible to measure vibrations and shocks that the input part receives within the battery manufacturing equipment with high accuracy.

[0044] The sensor unit 10 is a sensor unit that is inserted into battery manufacturing equipment into which an input unit that forms at least a part of a cylindrical battery and includes an outer can is inserted. The sensor unit 10 also includes a housing 20, a substrate 71 fixed within the housing 20, an acceleration sensor 72 mounted on the substrate 71, cases 11, 111 that are the same as or substantially the same as the outer can that houses the housing 20, first-side fixing components 35, 91 fixed to the upper side (first side) in the height direction of the housing 20, and second-side fixing components 40, 92 fixed to the lower side (second side) in the height direction of the housing 20. Further, the center-of-gravity position of the sensor unit 10 exists within the three-dimensional existence range of the acceleration sensor 72.

[0045] In the above configuration, by adjusting the mass of the first-side fixing components 35, 91 fixed to the upper side in the height direction of the housing 20 and the mass of the second-side fixing components 40, 92 fixed to the lower side in the height direction of the housing 20, the mass of the sensor unit 10 is made to substantially match the mass of the input unit inserted into the battery manufacturing equipment.

[0046] According to this configuration, the mass of the sensor unit 10 can be made to substantially match the mass of the input unit inserted into the battery manufacturing equipment, and the center-of-gravity position of the sensor unit 10 exists within the three-dimensional existence range of the acceleration sensor 72. Therefore, it is easy to accurately detect the acceleration within the battery manufacturing equipment of the input unit that is inserted into the battery manufacturing equipment and forms at least a part of the battery, and it is also easy to accurately detect the center-of-gravity acceleration within the battery manufacturing equipment of the input unit. Thus, it is possible to accurately measure the vibration and impact received by the input unit within the battery manufacturing equipment.

[0047] Further, the cases 11, 111 included in the sensor unit 10 are the same as or substantially the same as the outer cans of cylindrical batteries selected from a plurality of different applicable outer cans (attachable outer cans), and the sensor unit 10 includes a plurality of pairs of parts 96, 97 with different masses from each other, and each pair of parts 96, 97 is composed of a first-side fixing part 35, 91 fixed to the upper side in the height direction of the housing 20 and a second-side fixing part 40, 92 fixed to the lower side in the height direction of the housing 20. Also, when a pair of parts 96 or 97 selected from the plurality of pairs of parts 96, 97 and corresponding to the selected outer can is fixed to the housing 20, the center-of-gravity position of the sensor unit 10 may be within the three-dimensional existence range of the acceleration sensor 72 regardless of which pair of parts 96 or 97 is selected from the plurality of pairs of parts 96, 97.

[0048] According to this configuration, using the sensor unit 10, it is possible to accurately measure the vibrations and impacts received by different input parts of a plurality of different types of cylindrical batteries in the battery manufacturing equipment, and the versatility of the sensor unit 10 can be improved.

[0049] Further, the mounting surface of the acceleration sensor 72 on the substrate 71 may be substantially parallel to an orthogonal plane that is substantially orthogonal to the height direction.

[0050] According to this configuration, it is easy to adjust the center-of-gravity position of the sensor unit 10 to be included in the existence region of the acceleration sensor 72.

[0051] Further, the housing 20 may include a first housing part 61 having a U-shaped cross-section that extends in the height direction and has openings on both sides in the height direction and in one direction that is substantially orthogonal to the height direction, a second housing part 62 arranged to close the opening in one direction, an upper block part 63 fixed to the upper side in the height direction of the first housing part 61, and a lower block part 64 fixed to the lower side in the height direction of the first housing part 61. And the first-side fixing parts 35, 91 may be arranged on the upper side in the height direction of the upper block part 63, and the second-side fixing parts 40, 92 may be arranged on the lower side in the height direction of the lower block part 64. According to this configuration, the housing 20 can be formed simply and at low cost.

[0052] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and their variations, and various improvements and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents.

[0053] For example, only upper and lower spacers may be fixed to the housing. Alternatively, multiple spacers stacked on top of each other may be used as the upper and lower spacers fixed to the housing. Furthermore, the height and mass of the upper and lower weight components and the height and mass of the upper and lower spacers may be adjusted as appropriate to fit the corresponding cylindrical battery.

[0054] Furthermore, the sensor unit of this disclosure may have the following configuration: Configuration 1: A sensor unit comprising a housing, a substrate fixed inside the housing, an acceleration sensor mounted on the substrate, and a plurality of pairs of components with different masses, wherein each pair of components consists of a first-side fixing component fixed to a first side in the height direction of the housing and a second-side fixing component fixed to a second side in the height direction of the housing, and the pair of components fixed to the housing can be selected from the plurality of pairs of components, and the mass changes by changing the pair of components fixed to the housing. Configuration 2: A sensor unit to be fed into a battery manufacturing facility into which a feeding section containing at least a part of a battery and including an outer casing is fed, comprising: a housing; a substrate fixed inside the housing; an acceleration sensor mounted on the substrate; a case identical or substantially identical to the outer casing that houses the housing; a first side fixing component fixed to the first side in the height direction of the housing; and a second side fixing component fixed to the second side in the height direction of the housing, wherein the center of gravity is located within the three-dimensional range of the acceleration sensor. Configuration 3: The sensor unit according to Configuration 2, wherein the outer casing is selected from a plurality of different applicable outer casings, and comprises a plurality of pairs of parts with different masses, each pair of parts comprising a first-side fixing part fixed to the first side in the height direction of the housing and a second-side fixing part fixed to the second side in the height direction of the housing, and when a pair of parts corresponding to the selected outer casing is fixed to the housing, the center of gravity position is within the three-dimensional range of the acceleration sensor, regardless of which pair of parts is selected from the plurality of pairs of parts. Configuration 4: The sensor unit according to any one of Configurations 1 to 3, wherein the mounting surface of the acceleration sensor on the substrate is substantially parallel to an orthogonal plane substantially perpendicular to the height direction.Configuration 5: The sensor unit according to any one of Configurations 1 to 4, wherein the housing includes a first housing component having a U-shaped cross-section that extends in the height direction and has openings on both sides in the height direction and in one direction substantially perpendicular to the height direction, a second housing component arranged to close the opening in the one direction, a first side block component fixed to the first side of the first housing component in the height direction, and a second side block component fixed to the second side of the first housing component in the height direction, wherein the first side fixing component is arranged on the first side of the first side block component in the height direction, and the second side fixing component is arranged on the second side of the second side block component in the height direction.

[0055] 10 Sensor unit, 11,111 Case, 15,115 Sensor body, 20 Housing, 25 Upper spacer, 30 Lower spacer, 35 Upper weight component, 40 Lower weight component, 50 Case contact component, 61 First housing component, 62 Second housing component, 63 Upper block component, 64 Lower block component, 71 Circuit board, 71a First circuit board section, 71b Second circuit board section, 72 Acceleration sensor, 73 Gyro sensor, 75 Sensor assembly, 80 Battery, 91,92 Composite component, 96,97 Pair of components.

Claims

1. A sensor unit comprising: a housing; a circuit board fixed inside the housing; an acceleration sensor mounted on the circuit board; and a plurality of pairs of components with different masses, each of which consists of a first fixed component fixed to a first side in the height direction of the housing and a second fixed component fixed to a second side in the height direction of the housing, wherein the pair of components fixed to the housing can be selected from the plurality of pairs of components, and the mass changes by changing the pair of components fixed to the housing.

2. A sensor unit to be fed into a battery manufacturing facility into which a feeding section containing at least a part of a battery and including an outer casing is fed, comprising: a housing; a substrate fixed inside the housing; an acceleration sensor mounted on the substrate; a case identical or substantially identical to the outer casing that houses the housing; a first side fixing component fixed to the first side of the housing in the height direction; and a second side fixing component fixed to the second side of the housing in the height direction, wherein the center of gravity is located within the three-dimensional range of the acceleration sensor.

3. The sensor unit according to claim 2, wherein the outer casing is selected from a plurality of different applicable outer casings, and comprises a plurality of pairs of parts with different masses, each pair of parts comprising a first-side fixing part fixed to the first side in the height direction of the housing and a second-side fixing part fixed to the second side in the height direction of the housing, and when a pair of parts corresponding to the selected outer casing is fixed to the housing, the center of gravity position is within the three-dimensional range of the acceleration sensor regardless of which pair of parts is selected from the plurality of pairs of parts.

4. The sensor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mounting surface of the acceleration sensor on the substrate is substantially parallel to an orthogonal plane substantially perpendicular to the height direction.

5. The sensor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the housing includes a first housing component having a U-shaped cross-section that extends in the height direction and has openings on both sides in the height direction and in one direction substantially perpendicular to the height direction, a second housing component arranged to close the opening in the one direction, a first side block component fixed to the first side of the first housing component in the height direction, and a second side block component fixed to the second side of the first housing component in the height direction, wherein the first side fixing component is arranged on the first side of the first side block component in the height direction, and the second side fixing component is arranged on the second side of the second side block component in the height direction.

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