Current-carrying component

Abstract

Disclosed is a current-carrying component used in a connection structure capable of suppressing contact of an operator or the like with a terminal part that can be a live electrical part and suppressing deterioration of workability of bolt fastening work of the terminal part and a connection part.　This current-carrying component 10 comprises: a current-carrying member 24 having a connection part 22; a bolt 36; a relay part 38; and a connection part case 40. A bolt shaft 30 and the relay part 38 are exposed from the connection part case 40. The connection part case 40 has: a bolt housing cylindrical part 66 that positions and holds a bolt head 26 in the radial direction of the bolt 36; and a relay part holding part 80 that positions and holds one end side of the relay part 38 in the radial direction. The relay part 38 has a tilt suppression part 48 that protrudes radially inward, and that suppresses tilting of the bolt 36 by the protruding end face abutting the bolt shaft 30. By the bolt 36 being fastened to a nut 130, use is possible in a connection structure 12 with the connection part 22 maintained in a conductive state with a terminal part 20 by the relay part 38.

Description

Electrical component

[0007]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electrical component used in a connection structure for electrically connecting a terminal portion of an in-vehicle device and a connection portion of an electrical component in an energized state.

[0002] Conventionally, a connection structure is known in which a connection portion provided on an electrical component such as a wire harness or a bus bar is bolted to a terminal portion of an in-vehicle device mounted on an automobile to establish an energized connection. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which, in a battery module mounted on an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or the like, terminal portions between opposite electrodes of adjacent single battery groups are electrically connected by bolt-fastening a pair of connection portions provided on a dedicated bus bar.

[0003] By the way, since the terminal portion of the single battery group is a live part, if the bus bar bridging between the terminal portions remains exposed, there is a risk that a tool for bolt fastening or the like may touch the bus bar and the battery module may short-circuit. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, a structure is proposed in which the bus bar is covered by a case having a main body portion that covers the bus bar while exposing the connection portion of the bus bar and a lid portion that covers the upper surface of the connection portion in an openable and closable manner. Thereby, the bus bar can be covered with the case to improve the insulation. Further, when the bus bar is bolted between the terminal portions, the upper surface of the connection portion can be exposed to perform the bolt fastening operation.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-37988

[0005] However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, before the bus bar is bolted, the terminal portions of each single battery group, which are live parts, are in an exposed state. At this time, there may be a case where a countermeasure for suppressing the contact of an operator or the like with the terminal portion is desired. Moreover, it has not been desired that the workability of the bolt fastening operation deteriorates even if a countermeasure is taken.

[0006] Therefore, an electrical component used in a connection structure that can suppress the contact of an operator or the like with a terminal portion that can become a live part and can suppress the deterioration of the workability of the bolt fastening operation between the terminal portion and the connection portion is disclosed.

[0007] The current-carrying component of the present disclosure is a current-carrying component connected to a terminal portion of an in-vehicle device having a terminal block having a terminal portion, a terminal portion cover and a nut, wherein the terminal portion cover is insulating, the terminal portion cover covers one surface of the terminal portion, the terminal portion cover is provided with an opening window, the opening window partially exposes the terminal portion, the other surface of the terminal portion rests on the nut, the current-carrying component comprises a current-carrying member, a bolt, a relay portion and a connection portion case, the current-carrying member is covered in an insulating manner, the current-carrying member has a connection portion provided with a connection portion bolt through hole, the bolt has a bolt head and a bolt shaft, the bolt head is placed on one surface of the connection portion, the bolt shaft is arranged to pass through the connection portion bolt through hole and protrude to the other surface side of the connection portion, and the relay The intermediate part has one end, the other end, and a tilt suppression part, the one end of the intermediate part is connected to the other surface of the connecting part, the other end of the intermediate part is connected to the terminal part through the opening window, the tilt suppression part protrudes radially inward from the bolt, the protruding end face of the tilt suppression part abuts against the bolt shaft, the connecting part case houses the connecting part, the bolt, and the intermediate part, the connecting part case has a bolt housing cylinder that surrounds the bolt head and positions and holds the bolt head in the radial direction, the bolt shaft and the other end of the intermediate part are exposed on the bottom wall side of the connecting part case, and the bolt is fastened to the nut so that the connecting part and the terminal part are held in an energized state by the intermediate part.

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a conductive component used in a connection structure that can suppress contact of workers, etc., with terminals that may be live parts, and can also suppress deterioration of the workability of bolt fastening work between the terminal and the connection part.

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the power-conducting component according to Embodiment 1 connected to the in-vehicle equipment by a connection structure. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the main part of the power-conducting component shown in Figure 1 with the upper part of the housing removed. Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the main part of the power-conducting component shown in Figure 1, corresponding to the III-III cross-section in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along IV-IV in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the power-conducting component shown in Figure 1 before it is connected to the in-vehicle equipment by a connection structure. Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the main part of the power-conducting component shown in Figure 5, corresponding to Figure 3. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of the main part of the in-vehicle equipment shown in Figure 5. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the main part of the in-vehicle equipment shown in Figure 7 in an exploded state. Figure 9 is a perspective view from the planar side showing an enlarged view of the main part of the power-conducting component shown in Figure 5. Figure 10 is a perspective view from the bottom side of the main part of the power-conducting component shown in Figure 9. Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the main components of the powered component shown in Figure 9 in an exploded state. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing a magnified view of the main components of another specific example of an in-vehicle device connected to the powered component. Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the main components of the in-vehicle device shown in Figure 12 in an exploded state. Figure 14 is a perspective view showing a magnified view of the main components of yet another specific example of an in-vehicle device connected to the powered component. Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the main components of the in-vehicle device shown in Figure 14 in an exploded state.

[0010] <Description of Embodiments of the Disclosure> First, embodiments of the Disclosure will be listed and described. The current-carrying component of the Disclosure is (1) a current-carrying component connected to a terminal portion of an in-vehicle device having a terminal block having a terminal portion, a terminal portion cover and a nut, wherein the terminal portion cover is insulating, the terminal portion cover covers one surface of the terminal portion, the terminal portion cover is provided with an opening window, the opening window partially exposes the terminal portion, the other surface of the terminal portion rests on the nut, the current-carrying component comprises a current-carrying member, a bolt, a relay portion and a connection portion case, the current-carrying member is covered in an insulating manner, the current-carrying member has a connection portion provided with a connection portion bolt through hole, the bolt has a bolt head and a bolt shaft, the bolt head is placed on one surface of the connection portion, the bolt shaft is arranged to pass through the connection portion bolt through hole and protrude to the other surface side of the connection portion, and the relay portion is The intermediate part has an end, another end, and a tilt suppression part, one end of the intermediate part is connected to the other surface of the connecting part, the other end of the intermediate part is connected to the terminal part through the opening window, the tilt suppression part protrudes radially inward from the bolt, the protruding end face of the tilt suppression part abuts against the bolt shaft, the connecting part case houses the connecting part, the bolt, and the intermediate part, the connecting part case has a bolt housing cylinder that surrounds the bolt head and positions and holds the bolt head in the radial direction, the bolt shaft and the other end of the intermediate part are exposed on the bottom wall side of the connecting part case, and the bolt is fastened to the nut so that the connecting part and the terminal part are held in an energized state by the intermediate part.

[0011] According to the electrically conductive component of this disclosure, the terminal portion of the electrically conductive component, which may be a live part to be bolted to a terminal block of an in-vehicle device, is covered with an insulating terminal portion cover, and the terminal portion is exposed through an opening window provided in the terminal portion cover. Therefore, by covering the terminal portion with a terminal portion cover, when the terminal portion may be a live part and electric shock countermeasures are required, contact with the terminal portion by workers, etc., can be suppressed. Furthermore, on the electrically conductive component side to be fastened to the terminal portion covered by the terminal portion cover, a relay portion is provided, one end of which is connected to the connection portion of the electrically conductive member and the other end which passes through the opening window of the terminal portion cover and is connected to the terminal portion. Therefore, even if the terminal portion is covered with a terminal portion cover, when the terminal portion and the connection portion are bolted together, the relay portion can be used to achieve electrical connection between the terminal portion and the connection portion.

[0012] Furthermore, in the electrically conductive component, the connection case housing the connection portion of the electrically conductive member is provided with a bolt housing cylinder that surrounds the bolt head, positioning and holding the bolt head in the radial direction of the bolt. As a result, bolt displacement is suppressed in the electrically conductive component, allowing the bolt on the electrically conductive component side to be smoothly attached to the nut on the terminal block side when fastening the connection portion of the electrically conductive component to the terminal block, thus enabling efficient bolt fastening work. Moreover, the bolt head is surrounded by the bolt housing cylinder. Therefore, the contact between the bolt head and the bolt housing cylinder suppresses the tilt of the bolt relative to the connection portion, allowing the bolt shaft to penetrate the inner hole of the nut more smoothly.

[0013] This provides a connection structure that can suppress contact by workers, etc., with terminals that may become live parts, and can also suppress deterioration of the workability of bolt fastening work between terminals and connection parts. Therefore, it is possible to provide a conductive component used in a connection structure that can suppress contact by workers, etc., with terminals that may become live parts, and can also suppress deterioration of the workability of bolt fastening work between terminals and connection parts.

[0014] Preferably, the opening window of the terminal cover is sized such that a test finger cannot pass through it, as specified in standards of the German Electronics Technology Association (VDE), such as VDE0470, and European standards, such as IEC / EN61032.

[0015] Furthermore, any structure can be used to cover the conductive member in an insulating state. For example, if the conductive member is a wire harness, the core wires constituting the conductive member may be insulated, and the connection part fixed to the end of the core wire may be covered by a separate connection part case. If the conductive member is a busbar, the part excluding the connection part may be covered with an insulating coating, and the connection part may be covered by a separate connection part case, or the part excluding the connection part may also be covered by a resin case that is integrated with or separate from the connection part case.

[0016] More preferably, in this embodiment, the terminal block may further include an annular projection that protrudes from the periphery of the inner hole of the nut, penetrates the terminal bolt through hole of the terminal portion, and is exposed from the terminal portion cover, and an insulating projection cover that covers the protruding end of the annular projection. As a result, the other side of the terminal portion is provided with an annular projection that protrudes from the periphery of the inner hole of the nut on which it is mounted, penetrates the terminal bolt through hole, and is exposed from the terminal portion cover. The annular projection extends the screw-fastening portion of the nut toward the bolt, thereby reducing the length dimension of the bolt shaft, which is the length of the bolt's neck, and thus reducing the amount of bolt displacement during fastening. This makes it possible to reduce the height dimension of the conductive component that protrudes from the terminal block, and thus suppresses the enlargement of the connection structure. Moreover, since the protruding end of the annular projection is covered with an insulating projection cover, the risk of a worker coming into contact with the annular projection that may come into contact with the connection portion is also suppressed.

[0017] (2) In the above (1), it is preferable that the terminal portion has a terminal portion bolt through hole to which the bolt shaft is connected, the opening window is provided to expose the terminal portion bolt through hole and the surrounding area of ​​the terminal portion bolt through hole, the intermediate portion has a cylindrical wall with a tip, the cylindrical wall surrounds the bolt shaft, the tip of the cylindrical wall constitutes the other end of the intermediate portion, the tip of the cylindrical portion is in contact with the surrounding area of ​​the terminal portion bolt through hole exposed from the opening window, and the inclination suppression portion has an annular shape that protrudes radially inward from the cylindrical wall. By bringing the tip of the cylindrical wall of the intermediate portion into contact with the surrounding area of ​​the terminal portion bolt through hole exposed from the opening window of the terminal portion cover, the connection between the intermediate portion and the terminal portion can be stably realized over a wide area continuous in the circumferential direction, and the conductivity stability of the connection structure can be ensured. Furthermore, since the inclination suppression portion of the intermediate portion has an annular shape that protrudes radially inward from the cylindrical wall of the intermediate portion, it can contact the bolt around the entire circumference of the bolt shaft and reliably suppress the inclination of the bolt.

[0018] (3) In (1) or (2) above, it is preferable that the connection case has a connection housing that accommodates the connection so as to be displaceable in the radial direction, the bolt and the intermediate part are held in the connection case, and the bolt, the intermediate part and the connection case are integrally displaceable in the radial direction with respect to the connection. Since the connection case, the bolt and the intermediate part held in the connection case are integrally displaceable in the radial direction with respect to the connection housed in the connection housing of the connection case, the tolerance between the connection and the terminal can be absorbed and the connection between them can be made possible while the bolt and the intermediate part are positioned. This further improves the workability of bolt fastening work between the terminal and the connection.

[0019] (4) In any one of (1) to (3) above, it is preferable that the bolt head, which is insulated, is exposed on the upper wall side of the connection case. Since the bolt head, which is insulated, is exposed on the upper wall side of the connection case, access to the bolt head becomes easier compared to when the bolt head is covered by an openable and closable cover member, while ensuring the insulation of the electrically conductive components, thereby further improving the workability of bolt fastening work.

[0020] (5) In any one of (1) to (4) above, it is preferable that the connection case has a relay part holding part, and the relay part holding part positions and holds the one end of the relay part in the radial direction. As a result, the relative displacement between the bolt and the relay part is suppressed in the conductive component, so that when fastening the connection part of the conductive component to the terminal part with bolts, the bolt and relay part on the conductive component side and the nut and terminal part on the terminal block side can be smoothly attached, and the bolt fastening work can be performed efficiently. Moreover, in addition to the fact that the area around the bolt head is surrounded by the bolt housing cylinder, the relay part has a tilt suppression part that protrudes radially inward and whose protruding end face abuts against the bolt shaft to suppress the tilt of the bolt.Therefore, the tilt of the bolt relative to the connection part is also suppressed by the contact between the bolt head and the bolt housing cylinder and the contact between the bolt shaft and the tilt suppression part of the relay part, so that the bolt shaft can penetrate the inner hole of the nut more smoothly.

[0021] <Details of Embodiments of the Disclosure> Specific examples of the electrically conductive components of the Disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the Disclosure is not limited to these examples and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the Claims as indicated by the Claims.

[0022] <Embodiment 1> Hereinafter, the electrically conductive component 10 of Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 11. This electrically conductive component 10 is used, for example, in electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, and is connected to an in-vehicle device, such as a battery module 14 or an electrical junction box 16, by a connection structure 12 according to the present disclosure. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the electrically conductive component 10 is placed between a pair of battery modules 14, 14, or between a battery module 14 and an electrical junction box 16, and the battery module 14 and the electrically conductive component 10 are connected by a connection structure 12 according to the present disclosure. In addition, the orientation of the electrically conductive component 10 in a vehicle is not limited, but in the following, upward will be described as the upward direction in Figure 3, downward as the downward direction in Figure 3, left as the left in Figure 3, right as the right in Figure 3, forward as the right in Figure 4, and rear as the left in Figure 4.

[0023] <Electrified component 10> The energized component 10 has a connection portion 22 that is bolted to a terminal portion 20 located on the terminal block 18 of the in-vehicle equipment (battery module 14). As will be described later, the terminal block 18 of the in-vehicle equipment (battery module 14) includes a terminal holding portion 122 that holds the terminal portion 20, an insulating terminal portion cover 126 that covers the upper surface 124 which is one side of the terminal portion 20, a nut 130 on which the lower surface 128 which is the other side of the terminal portion 20 is placed, and an opening window 114 provided in the terminal portion cover 126 that partially exposes the terminal portion 20.

[0024] The current-carrying component 10 includes a busbar 24 as a current-carrying member having a connection portion 22 and covered in an insulated state, and a bolt 36 whose bolt head 26 is placed on the upper surface 28 which is one surface of the connection portion 22, and whose bolt shaft 30 is positioned to protrude toward the lower surface 34 which is the other surface of the connection portion 22, passing through a connection portion bolt through hole 32 provided in the connection portion 22. The current-carrying component 10 also includes a relay portion 38 whose one end is connected to the other surface (lower surface 34) of the connection portion 22 and whose other end passes through the opening window 114 of the terminal portion cover 126 and is connected to the terminal portion 20, and a connection portion case 40 that houses the connection portion 22, the bolt 36 and the relay portion 38.

[0025] Furthermore, the bolt head 26 of the bolt 36 is covered with an insulating cap 42, which prevents electric shock when fastening the bolt 36 with a tool (not shown). The insulating cap 42 is formed integrally with the bolt 36, for example. The insulating cap 42 also has a flange-like portion 44 that protrudes outward and widens in an annular shape at its lower end.

[0026] <Conductive Member (Busbar 24)> The shape of the busbar 24 can be changed to suit the position of the in-vehicle equipment to be connected (battery module 14, electrical junction box 16, etc.), but at least one end is a connection part 22. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the front conductive component 10 extends in the left-right direction to connect the battery module 14 and the electrical junction box 16, and the right end of the busbar 24 on the battery module 14 side is a connection part 22. Also, the rear conductive component 10 in Figure 1 connects two battery modules 14, and both ends of the busbar 24 are connection parts 22. The left end of the front conductive component 10 is fixed and connected to a busbar (not shown) inside the electrical junction box 16, for example, by a bolt-nut structure. The middle portion of each of these busbars 24 in the longitudinal direction is covered with an insulating coating 46, so that the middle portion in the longitudinal direction is covered in an insulating state. In other words, the ends of each busbar 24 are not covered by the insulating coating 46, and the parts that connect to the busbars in the connection portion 22 and the electrical connection box 16 are exposed. In each connection portion 22, a connection portion bolt through hole 32 is formed that penetrates in the thickness direction (vertical direction) through which a bolt 36 passes. In Embodiment 1, the inner diameter of the connection portion bolt through hole 32 is larger than the outer diameter of the bolt shaft 30, so that the bolt 36 can be displaced radially (in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction) inside the connection portion bolt through hole 32.

[0027] <Intermediate Section 38> As shown in Figure 11 and other figures, the intermediate section 38 is generally cylindrical in shape and is made of a metal with excellent conductivity. This intermediate section 38 is formed to have a larger diameter than the bolt shaft 30 of the bolt 36, and in the assembled state of the conductive component 10, the intermediate section 38 is positioned on the outer circumference side of the bolt shaft 30. The intermediate section 38 is provided with a tilt suppression section 48 that protrudes radially inward, and the protruding end face (inner circumferential surface) abuts against the bolt shaft 30 to suppress the tilt of the bolt 36.

[0028] Specifically, the intermediate section 38 extends vertically and includes a cylindrical wall 50 that surrounds the bolt shaft 30. The inclination suppression section 48 is provided at one end (upper end) of this cylindrical wall 50, and in Embodiment 1, the inclination suppression section 48 is formed in an annular shape that protrudes radially inward from the cylindrical wall 50. That is, an intermediate section bolt through hole 52 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the inclination suppression section 48 through which the bolt 36 passes. Furthermore, an outward projection section 54 that protrudes radially outward is provided at the upper end of the cylindrical wall 50, and as will be described later, this outward projection section 54 is supported by the connection case 40 so that the intermediate section 38 can be assembled to the connection case 40. The inclination suppression section 48 and the outward projection section 54 are formed to form a single disc shape that is continuous in the radial direction, and the upper end surface of the intermediate section 38 (inclination suppression section 48, cylindrical wall 50, and outward projection section 54) is configured as a flat annular surface with virtually no steps. Furthermore, the tip of the cylindrical wall 50 constitutes the other end (lower end) of the relay section 38 and, as will be described later, is configured to contact the area surrounding the terminal bolt through hole 154 in the terminal section 20 that is exposed through the opening window 114.

[0029] <Connection Case 40> The connection case 40 is a hollow box shape overall and is made of an insulating synthetic resin. In Embodiment 1, as shown in Figures 9 to 11, the connection case 40 is composed of an upper case 56 and a lower case 58 that can be assembled and detached in the vertical direction. The method of fixing the upper case 56 and the lower case 58 is not limited, but in Embodiment 1, they are fixed by a locking mechanism 60 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the upper case 56 and the lower case 58, respectively. This connection case 40 is provided so as to cover the connection portion 22 at the end of the bus bar 24, in other words, the connection case 40 is provided on the portion of the bus bar 24 that is not covered by the insulating coating 46. With these insulating coatings 46 and the connection case 40, the bus bar 24 is covered in an insulating state over substantially its entire length.

[0030] <Upper Case 56> The upper case 56 is generally box-shaped with an opening downwards, and comprises a roughly rectangular plate-shaped upper bottom wall 62 and an upper peripheral wall 64 that protrudes downwards from the outer peripheral edge of the upper bottom wall 62. That is, the upper bottom wall 62 of the upper case 56 constitutes the upper wall of the connection case 40. Here, the upper case 56 that constitutes the connection case 40 has a bolt housing cylinder portion 66 formed around the bolt head 26 (and the insulating cap 42 fixed to the bolt head 26) that positions and holds the bolt head 26 in the radial direction of the bolt 36 (in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction). The bolt housing cylinder portion 66 is formed as a roughly cylindrical shape that extends in the vertical direction, and is located in the internal space of the upper case 56, protruding downwards from the lower surface of the upper bottom wall 62. The inner diameter of the bolt housing cylinder 66 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the flange-like portion 44 of the insulating cap 42. As will be described later, when the bolt 36 is housed in the bolt housing cylinder 66, the bolt 36 is displaceable vertically within the bolt housing cylinder 66 before it is fastened to the nut 130. When the bolt 36 is housed in the bolt housing cylinder 66, the outer circumferential surface of the flange-like portion 44 and the inner circumferential surface of the bolt housing cylinder 66 come into contact, thereby suppressing the tilting of the bolt 36.

[0031] Furthermore, a circular through-hole 68 is formed in the upper bottom wall 62 of the upper case 56, approximately in the center, penetrating the upper bottom wall 62 in the thickness direction (vertical direction). The inner diameter of this through-hole 68 is smaller than the outer diameter of the flange-like portion 44 of the insulating cap 42, thereby preventing the bolt 36 (and insulating cap 42) from falling out through the through-hole 68. The through-hole 68 has an inner diameter larger than the upper portion of the insulating cap 42 (the portion other than the flange-like portion 44), and the upper portion of the insulating cap 42 is exposed to the outside through the through-hole 68. In other words, the insulated bolt head 26 is exposed on the upper wall (upper bottom wall 62) side of the connection case 40. This allows tools to be inserted into the connection case 40 through the through-hole 68 to perform the fastening work of the bolt 36.

[0032] <Lower Case 58> The lower case 58 is generally box-shaped with an upward opening, and comprises a roughly rectangular plate-shaped bottom wall 70 and a lower peripheral wall 72 that protrudes upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall 70. Here, a circular through-hole 74 is formed in the approximate center of the bottom wall 70, through which the cylindrical wall 50 of the intermediate section 38 passes, penetrating the bottom wall 70 in the thickness direction (vertical direction). In addition, an annular projection 76 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the through-hole 74 in the bottom wall 70, protruding upward. As a result, an annular stepped surface 78 that extends horizontally (in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction) is formed between the through-hole 74 and the annular projection 76. The inner diameter of the through-hole 74 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical wall 50, and the inner diameter of the annular projection 76 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the outward projection 54 that protrudes outward from the upper end of the cylindrical wall 50. As a result, when the intermediate section 38 is housed in the connecting section case 40, the cylindrical wall 50 passes through the through hole 74, the outward projection 54 is placed on the stepped surface 78, and the outward projection 54 is fitted into the annular projection 76. Therefore, the intermediate section holding section 80 is formed by including the through hole 74, the annular projection 76, and the stepped surface 78, which radially position and hold one end (upper end) of the intermediate section 38.

[0033] Furthermore, a notch-shaped recess 82 is formed in the left portion of the lower peripheral wall 72 of the lower case 58, opening upward and penetrating the lower peripheral wall 72 in the thickness direction (left-right direction). As a result, when the upper case 56 and the lower case 58 are assembled to form the connection case 40, the upper opening of the recess 82 is covered by the left portion of the upper peripheral wall 64 of the upper case 56, forming a busbar extension 84. That is, the busbar 24, in which the connection portion 22 is housed in the connection case 40, protrudes outward from the connection case 40 through this busbar extension 84. The bottom surface of the recess 82 (busbar extension 84) and the upper surface of the annular projection 76 are at the same vertical position, and when the intermediate portion 38 is assembled to the lower case 58, the upper surface of the intermediate portion 38 is also located on the same plane. Including these surfaces, a mounting surface 86 is formed within the connection case 40 on which the connection portion 22 is placed. In short, within the connection case 40, the space above the mounting surface 86 is the connection housing 88 in which the connection 22 is housed.

[0034] In Embodiment 1, the busbar 24's connection portion 22 is housed in the connection portion housing portion 88 of the connection portion case 40. In particular, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, when the central axes of the connection portion bolt through hole 32 of the connection portion 22 and the intermediate portion bolt through hole 52 of the intermediate portion 38 are aligned, the connection portion 22 and the lower peripheral wall 72 of the lower case 58 constituting the connection portion housing portion 88 have a gap of a predetermined size in the left-right and front-back directions. This allows the connection portion 22 to be displaceable within the connection portion housing portion 88 in the radial direction of the bolt 36 (i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, in the left-right and / or front-back directions). Furthermore, since the bolt shaft 30 of the bolt 36 passes through the connection portion bolt through hole 32 of the connection portion 22, the connection portion 22 can be displaced within the connection portion housing portion 88 until, for example, the inner peripheral surface of the connection portion bolt through hole 32 and the outer peripheral surface of the bolt shaft 30 come into contact.

[0035] As shown in Figure 11, the connector case 40, which has this shape, is constructed by overlapping the bolt 36 and the intermediate section 38 with the connector 22 from both the upper and lower sides, and then overlapping the upper case 56 and the lower case 58 with the bolt 36 and the intermediate section 38 from both the upper and lower sides, and fixing them together with the respective locking mechanisms 60. When the connector case 40 is assembled to the connector 22, the upper end surface of one end (upper end) of the intermediate section 38 overlaps with the lower surface 34 of the connector 22 and connects them. In addition, the bolt shaft 30 and the other end (lower end) of the intermediate section 38 are exposed on the bottom wall 70 side of the connector case 40, and in particular, the lower end of the intermediate section 38 protrudes downward from the bottom wall 70 of the connector case 40. Here, the intermediate section 38 is substantially immobile in the radial direction of the bolt 36 (direction perpendicular to the vertical direction) relative to the lower case 58, and the bolt 36 is substantially immobile in the radial direction relative to the upper case 56. Then, by fixing the upper case 56 and the lower case 58 together to form the connecting case 40, the bolt 36, the intermediate part 38, and the connecting case 40 are made integrally displaceable radially relative to the connecting part 22.

[0036] <In-vehicle equipment (battery module 14 and electrical junction box 16)> In Embodiment 1, a known electrical junction box 16 is used, and the electrical junction box 16 and the energized component 10 are connected by a known structure. Therefore, a detailed explanation of the specific structure of the electrical junction box 16 and the specific connection structure between the electrical junction box 16 and the energized component 10 will be omitted.

[0037] The basic structure of the battery module 14 as an in-vehicle device is the same as in the conventional model. As shown in Figure 2, a plurality of battery cells 90 are arranged in parallel, and each of these battery cells 90 is held in a substantially embedded state by a holder 92 made of synthetic resin. Each terminal 94 of each battery cell 90 is exposed to the outside from the holder 92, and each of these terminals 94 is connected by a bus bar 96. The battery module body 98 is made up of these battery cells 90, the holder 92 and each bus bar 96, and the battery module 14 is made up of the battery module body 98 housed in a synthetic resin housing 100. Of these plurality of bus bars 96, the terminal portion 20 described above is provided on the bus bar 96a at the ends (front end and / or rear end), and a terminal block 18 on which the terminal portion 20 is arranged is made at the ends (front end and / or rear end) of the holder 92 and the housing 100.

[0038] In Embodiment 1, the housing 100 of the battery module 14 is composed of an upper housing 102 and a lower housing 104 that can be assembled and detached in the vertical direction. The upper housing 102 is a substantially box shape that opens downwards as a whole, and includes a substantially rectangular flat upper bottom wall portion 106 and an upper peripheral wall portion 108 that protrudes downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper bottom wall portion 106. In the upper housing 102, at the position where the terminal block 18 is formed, the upper bottom wall portion 106 is located lower than other parts, and a housing recess 110 is formed therein for housing the connection part case 40 of the power-carrying component 10. In particular, in Embodiment 1, the terminal block 18 and terminal portion 20 are provided at the left end of both the front and rear ends of the battery module 14, and the housing recess 110 is formed at the left end of both the front and rear ends of the upper housing 102. Each of these receiving recesses 110 is substantially rectangular in plan view, and the internal space of each receiving recess 110 is connected to the outside through an opening 112 provided on the left side.

[0039] In other words, a portion of the upper bottom wall portion 106 forms the bottom wall of the receiving recess 110, and this bottom wall is located lower than the other portion of the upper bottom wall portion 106. The terminal cover 126, which will be described later, is formed by this bottom wall of the receiving recess 110. An opening window 114 is formed in the approximate center of the bottom wall (terminal cover 126) of the receiving recess 110, penetrating the bottom wall in the thickness direction (vertical direction). In Embodiment 1, the opening window 114 is approximately circular in plan view. Furthermore, a roughly cylindrical second annular cover 116 is formed on the periphery of the opening window 114, projecting vertically in the direction of the central axis (or projection direction) of the annular projection 134, which will be described later, and the second annular cover 116 projects downward from the periphery of the opening window 114. The inner diameters of the opening window 114 and the second annular cover 116 are larger than the terminal bolt through-hole 154 in the terminal portion 20, which will be described later. In the assembled state of the battery module 14, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the lower end of the second annular cover 116, which protrudes downward from the periphery of the opening window 114, abuts against the terminal portion 20 at a point on the outer circumference side of the terminal bolt through-hole 154. In other words, the terminal bolt through-hole 154 and its surrounding area of ​​the terminal portion 20 are exposed to the outside through the opening window 114.

[0040] Furthermore, the lower housing 104 has a generally box-like shape that opens upwards, and includes a bottom wall portion 118 which is roughly rectangular and flat, and a lower peripheral wall portion 120 which protrudes upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 118. These upper housing 102 and lower housing 104 can be fixed together by known fixing means (not shown), such as locking by protrusions and recesses, press-fitting, or a locking mechanism.

[0041] <Terminal Block 18> The terminal block 18 includes a terminal holding portion 122 for holding the terminal portion 20, an insulating terminal portion cover 126 that covers the upper surface 124 which is one side of the terminal portion 20, a nut 130 on which the lower surface 128 which is the other side of the terminal portion 20 is placed, and an opening window 114 provided in the terminal portion cover 126 that partially exposes the terminal portion 20. The terminal block 18 also includes an annular projection 134 that protrudes from the periphery of the inner hole 132 of the nut 130, passes through the terminal portion bolt through hole 154 in the terminal portion 20 (bus bar 96a) described later, and is exposed from the terminal portion cover 126, and an insulating projection cover 136 that covers the protruding end (upper end) of the annular projection 134. In Embodiment 1, as described above, a housing recess 110 is formed in the housing 100 at the position where the terminal block 18 (terminal portion 20) is provided. Therefore, the terminal portion cover 126 that covers the upper surface 124 of the terminal portion 20 is formed by the bottom wall of the housing recess 110, and a circular opening window 114 is formed in this terminal portion cover 126. In particular, in Embodiment 1, this opening window 114 is formed to a size that exposes the terminal portion bolt through hole 154 of the terminal portion 20 and its surrounding area, as described above. Since the annular projection 134 of the nut 130 passes through this terminal portion bolt through hole 154, the annular projection 134 is exposed from the terminal portion cover 126 through the opening window 114.

[0042] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8 and other figures, a substantially frame-shaped terminal holding portion 122 (only the front terminal holding portion 122 is shown in the figure) is provided at the left end of both the front and rear ends of the holder 92, and the terminal portion 20 provided on the bus bar 96a is fitted into this terminal holding portion 122 to hold the terminal portion 20. In addition, a substantially rectangular concave nut housing portion 138 is formed on the inner circumference side of the terminal holding portion 122 with an upward opening, and a nut 130 is fixed to the nut housing portion 138. The holder 92 may be formed as an integrally molded product comprising each battery cell 90 and each nut 130.

[0043] <Nut 130> The nut 130 has a substantially cylindrical shape with an inner hole 132, and is positioned so that the inner hole 132 extends in the vertical direction. A female thread is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the inner hole 132, which engages with the male thread of the bolt 36. As described above, an annular projection 134 that protrudes upward is provided on the periphery of the inner hole 132 of the nut 130. As a result, the inner hole 132 of the nut 130 is formed continuously with the inner hole of the annular projection 134, and a female thread is also formed on the inner surface of the annular projection 134. When the nut 130 and the terminal portion 20 (bus bar 96a) are superimposed, the annular projection 134 has a projection dimension that allows it to protrude above the terminal portion 20 through the terminal portion bolt through hole 154 provided in the terminal portion 20. In Embodiment 1, an annular circumferential groove 140 is formed on the outer surface of the annular projection 134 in the upper and lower intermediate portion, opening outwards and extending continuously around the entire circumference. In short, the outer diameter of the annular projection 134 is reduced at the location where the circumferential groove 140 is formed. When the nut 130 and the terminal portion 20 (bus bar 96a) are superimposed, this circumferential groove 140 is located above the terminal portion 20.

[0044] <Protrusion Cover 136> The protrusion cover 136 is generally cylindrical in shape as a whole. When the protrusion cover 136 is attached to the annular protrusion 134, it includes a first annular cover 142 that covers the outer peripheral surface of the protruding end portion of the annular protrusion 134 (for example, the portion above the circumferential groove 140). Further, the protrusion cover 136 includes a substantially annular upper cover portion 144 that protrudes inward from the upper end portion of the first annular cover 142. When the protrusion cover 136 is attached to the annular protrusion 134, it covers the protruding end portion of the annular protrusion 134 from above. Furthermore, on the lower surface of the upper cover portion 144, pressing protrusions 146 that protrude downward are provided at a plurality of locations on the circumference. When the protrusion cover 136 is attached to the annular protrusion 134, each pressing protrusion 146 abuts against the upper end surface of the annular protrusion 134. Thereby, rattling of the protrusion cover 136 with respect to the annular protrusion 134 and the like are suppressed. And, locking claws 148 that are elastically deformable in the radial direction are provided at the lower end portion of the protrusion cover 136. In Embodiment 1, locking claws 148 are provided at both sides in the front-rear direction at the lower end portion of the protrusion cover 136, respectively. In the assembled state of the terminal block 18 (battery module 14) described later, the first annular cover 142 and the second annular cover 116 are arranged to face each other in the radial direction, and an annular gap is formed between the first annular cover 142 and the second annular cover 116. And, the terminal portion 20 is annularly exposed through this annular gap.

[0045] <Terminal Portion 20> As described above, the terminal portion 20 is provided on the bus bar 96a at the end portion. As shown in FIG. 8, the bus bar 96a at the end portion includes a bent portion 150 that bends in the vertical direction in the middle portion in the front-rear direction. In Embodiment 1, bus bars 96a having substantially the same shape are provided on both the front and rear sides of the battery module 14, but the description of the rear bus bar 96a is omitted. In the portion of the front bus bar 96a behind the bent portion 150, a terminal through hole 152 through which the terminal 94 of the battery cell 90 penetrates is formed. Also, the terminal portion 20 described above is constituted by the portion of this bus bar 96a in front of the bent portion 150, and a terminal portion bolt through hole 154 through which the bolt 36 penetrates is formed in the terminal portion 20.

[0046] <Assembly of the powered component 10> The method of assembling the powered component 10 is not limited, but as shown in Figure 11, in the busbar 24, whose longitudinal middle portion is covered with insulating coating 46, a bolt 36 is placed on top of the connection portion 22, which is the end that connects to the battery module 14, and a relay portion 38 is placed on top of it from below, and the bolt shaft 30 is passed through the connection portion bolt through hole 32 and the relay portion bolt through hole 52 of the connection portion 22 and relay portion 38, respectively. Then, the upper case 56 and the lower case 58 are placed on top of these bolts 36 and the relay portion 38 from both the upper and lower sides, and these upper case 56 and lower case 58 are fixed to each other. Note that in the powered component 10, a known structure is used for the end that connects to the electrical connection box 16, so the explanation is omitted. This completes the powered component 10.

[0047] <Assembly of the in-vehicle equipment (battery module 14)> The method of assembling the battery module 14 is not limited, but as shown in Figure 8, each bus bar 96 is attached to each terminal 94 of each battery cell 90 held in the holder 92. For the end bus bar 96a, the end bus bar 96a is attached by straddling the end terminal 94 and the annular projection 134 of the nut 130 fixed to the nut housing 138. In short, the terminal 94 is passed through the terminal through hole 152 of the bus bar 96a, and the annular projection 134 is passed through the terminal bolt through hole 154, and the projection cover 136 is superimposed from above the annular projection 134. The projection cover 136 is attached to the annular projection 134 by engaging each locking claw 148 of the projection cover 136 with the circumferential groove 140 of the annular projection 134. This completes the battery module body 98. Then, the upper housing 102 and the lower housing 104 are placed on top of the battery module body 98 from both the top and bottom sides, and the upper housing 102 and the lower housing 104 are fixed to each other, thereby completing the battery module 14.

[0048] <Connection Structure 12 Connecting Power-Through Component 10 and Vehicle-Mounted Device (Battery Module 14)> When connecting the power-through component 10 and the battery module 14 which is a vehicle-mounted device, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the connection case 40 fixed to the connection part 22 of the power-through component 10 is brought close from above to the accommodation recess 110 provided at the upper end part of the battery module 14. Here, on the battery module 14 side, the terminal part 20 (bus bar 96a) is annularly exposed through the opening window 114 and the protrusion cover 136. On the other hand, on the power-through component 10 side, the cylindrical wall 50 of the relay part 38 protrudes downward from the connection case 40. Then, the cylindrical wall 50 of the relay part 38 is inserted into the annular space between the opening window 114 (second annular cover 116) and the protrusion cover 136 (first annular cover 142) in the radial direction, and the connection case 40 is accommodated in the accommodation recess 110. When the lower end of the bolt 36 abuts against the upper end part of the inner hole 132 of the nut 130, the bolt 36 is displaced upward in the bolt accommodation cylindrical part 66 and is displaced to a position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 6, for example. Thereafter, the bolt 36 is fastened to the nut 130 by a tool not shown through the through hole 68. Thereby, the relay part 38 is sandwiched between the terminal part 20 and the connection part 22 by the axial force of the bolt 36.

[0049] In other words, the terminal part 20 and the connection part 22 are connected by the relay part 38, and the power-through component 10 and the vehicle-mounted device (battery module 14) are electrically connected. More specifically, by fastening the bolt 36 to the annular protrusion 134 of the nut 130 through the connection part bolt through hole 32 provided in the connection part 22, the connection part 22 is held in an energized state to the terminal part 20 by the relay part 38. Here, since the connection case 40 in which the bolt 36 is accommodated with respect to the bus bar 24 is displaceable in the radial direction of the bolt 36, even when the positions of the bolt 36 and the nut 130 are displaced due to tolerance, the tolerance can be absorbed by the displacement of the connection case 40, and the bolt 36 can be stably fastened to the nut 130.

[0050] In the energized component 10 of Embodiment 1, which has the structure described above, the bolt 36 (and insulating cap 42) placed inside the connection case 40 is housed inside the bolt housing cylinder 66, and the inclination of the bolt 36 is suppressed by the contact between the outer circumferential surface of the flange-shaped portion 44 of the insulating cap 42 and the inner circumferential surface of the bolt housing cylinder 66. Furthermore, the bolt shaft 30 passes through the intermediate portion 38, and in particular the intermediate portion 38 is equipped with an inclination suppression portion 48 that protrudes to the inner circumferential side, and the bolt shaft 30 passes through the intermediate portion bolt through hole 52 formed by this inclination suppression portion 48. That is, the inclination of the bolt 36 on the bolt head 26 side is suppressed by the bolt housing cylinder 66, and the inclination of the bolt shaft 30 side is suppressed by the inclination suppression portion 48 in the intermediate portion 38. As a result, even when the connection case 40 is displaced relative to the bus bar 24 when fastening the bolt 36 to the nut 130, the inclination of the bolt 36 relative to the bus bar 24 is suppressed, and the fastening of the bolt 36 to the nut 130 can be made more secure.

[0051] In particular, since the inclination suppression portion 48 in the intermediate portion 38 has a continuous ring shape over the entire circumference, the inclination of the bolt shaft 30 side of the bolt 36 is suppressed over the entire circumference, making it possible to fasten the bolt 36 and the nut 130 even more securely.

[0052] The connection case 40 houses a bolt 36 and an intermediate section 38, and the connection case 40, including the bolt 36 and intermediate section 38, is integrally displaceable relative to the connection section 22. As a result, by fastening the bolt 36 to the nut 130, the annular or cylindrical intermediate section 38 can be stably brought into contact with the annularly exposed terminal section 20, thereby stably establishing electrical conductivity between the connection section 22 and the terminal section 20. In particular, in Embodiment 1, the connection case 40 is composed of an upper case 56 and a lower case 58, and the bolt 36 is passed through the connection section 22 and intermediate section 38 which are stacked vertically, and these are further sandwiched and supported from both the vertical sides by the upper case 56 and the lower case 58 to complete the structure on the connection section 22 side, thus allowing the structure on the connection section 22 side to be constructed with a simple structure.

[0053] The bolt head 26, which is insulated, is exposed on the upper wall (upper bottom wall 62) side of the connection case 40. This allows the bolt 36 to be fastened through the through hole 68 provided in the upper bottom wall 62 of the connection case 40. In particular, since the bolt head 26 is insulated, it is possible to prevent electric shock to the worker through the tool.

[0054] <Embodiment 2> Hereinafter, as another specific example of an in-vehicle device that can be connected to the energized component 10 of this disclosure, the battery module 160 of Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 13. Since the basic structure of the battery module 160 of Embodiment 2 is the same as that of the battery module 14 of Embodiment 1, the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 1 are used in the figures to indicate that substantially the same members and parts as in Embodiment 1, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0055] In Embodiment 1, the nut 130 and the projection cover 136 were formed separately and then assembled, but in Embodiment 2, the nut 130 and the projection cover 162 are formed integrally. That is, in Embodiment 2, when molding the projection cover 162, the bus bar 96a and the nut 130 are set in the molding cavity of the projection cover 162 and the molding is performed, so that the projection cover 162 is formed as an integrally molded product that integrally includes the bus bar 96a and the nut 130, as shown in Figure 13. In Embodiment 2, the projection cover 162 is composed of a terminal portion covering portion 164 that covers the terminal portion 20 of the bus bar 96a and an annular projection covering portion 166 that covers the annular projection 134 of the nut 130. The nut 130 has the same shape as in Embodiment 1, and the annular projection 134 of the nut 130 that protrudes upward passes through the terminal portion bolt through hole 154 of the terminal portion 20 and protrudes above the terminal portion 20. It can also be understood that the projection cover 162 is composed solely of the annular projection covering portion 166 that covers the annular projection 134 of the nut 130.

[0056] The terminal covering portion 164 covers substantially the entire area around the terminal portion 20 and nut 130, which are overlapped vertically, and a circular through hole 168 is formed in the approximate center of the portion covering the upper surface 124 of the terminal portion 20, exposing the terminal portion 20. In Embodiment 2, it can also be understood that the terminal cover that covers the upper surface 124 of the terminal portion 20 is made up of the terminal covering portion 164 instead of or in addition to the terminal cover 126. It can also be understood that the opening window that partially exposes the terminal portion 20 is made up of the through hole 168 instead of or in addition to the opening window 114. A substantially cylindrical second annular cover 170 that protrudes upward is formed on the outer peripheral edge of this through hole 168. The annular projection covering portion 166 is substantially cylindrical as a whole and comprises a first annular cover 172 that covers the outer peripheral surface of the annular projection 134 and an upper cover portion 174 that covers the protruding end of the annular projection 134 from above. Furthermore, in Embodiment 2, a substantially cylindrical upper cylindrical portion 176 is provided that protrudes upward from the inner peripheral edge of the upper cover portion 174. The upper cylindrical portion 176 is provided with reinforcing ribs 178 that protrude outward, and in Embodiment 2, a plurality of reinforcing ribs 178 are provided spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. As mentioned above, the annular projection 134 has a circumferential groove 140 that extends over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction on its outer surface, and by providing a portion of the first annular cover 172 that fits into the circumferential groove 140, the annular projection covering portion 166 is prevented from falling off the annular projection 134. In Embodiment 2, there is no second annular cover 116 that protrudes downward from the peripheral edge of the opening window 114 in the terminal portion cover 126, and the protruding tip of the second annular cover 170 that protrudes upward from the terminal portion covering portion 164 is located near the opening window 114.

[0057] In the battery module 160 having the structure described above, the only difference from Embodiment 1 is the shape of the projection cover 162 that covers the protruding end of the annular projection 134, so the same effects as in Embodiment 1 can be achieved. In particular, in Embodiment 2, the projection cover 162 is formed as an integrally molded product that integrally includes the bus bar 96a and the nut 130, which improves the handling of parts and the workability in assembly work.

[0058] <Embodiment 3> Hereinafter, as yet another specific example of an in-vehicle device that can be connected to the energized component 10 of this disclosure, the battery module 180 of Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. In the battery module 180 of Embodiment 3, the only difference from Embodiments 1 and 2 is the shape of the projection cover 182 that covers the annular projection 134 of the nut 130, and the explanation of the structure on the energized component 10 side will be omitted.

[0059] In Embodiment 1, the projection cover 136 was provided with a first annular cover 142 that covered the outer circumferential surface of the annular projection 134. However, the projection cover 182 of Embodiment 3 does not have a first annular cover 142, and is shaped to have an annular upper cover portion 184 that covers the protruding end of the annular projection 134 from above, and locking claws 186 that protrude downward at multiple locations on the circumference of this upper cover portion 184. The annular projection 134 of Embodiment 3 is also provided with a circumferential groove 140 in the middle portion in the vertical direction, and the projection cover 182 is fixed to the annular projection 134 by locking each locking claw 186 into the circumferential groove 140. In Embodiment 3, however, the portion of the annular projection 134 above the circumferential groove 140 has a smaller outer diameter than the portion below the circumferential groove 140. As a result, when the protruding cover 182 is fixed to the annular projection 134, the outer circumferential surface of the protruding cover 182 and the outer circumferential surface of the annular projection 134 below the circumferential groove 140 are continuous in the vertical direction with virtually no step difference.

[0060] In the battery module 180 with the structure described above, the only difference from embodiments 1 and 2 is the shape of the projection cover 182 that covers the protruding end of the annular projection 134, so the same effects as embodiments 1 and 2 can be achieved. In particular, in embodiment 3, since the projection cover 182 does not have a portion that covers the outer circumferential surface of the annular projection 134, the outer diameter of the projection cover 182 can be reduced, and the area of ​​the portion exposed upward through the opening window 114 in the terminal portion 20 can be increased compared to embodiments 1 and 2. As a result, for example, the radial width dimension of the cylindrical wall 50 in the relay portion 38 can be increased, and the conductivity performance between the connection portion 22 and the terminal portion 20 can be improved.

[0061] <Modifications> Although Embodiments 1 to 3 have been described in detail above as specific examples of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is not limited by these specific descriptions. Modifications, improvements, etc., to the extent that they can achieve the objectives of the present disclosure are included in the present disclosure. For example, the following modifications of embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0062] (1) In the above embodiment, a battery module 14 was described as an in-vehicle device connected to the power-conducting component 10 by the connection structure 12 according to the Disclosure. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the in-vehicle device connected to the power-conducting component by the connection structure according to the Disclosure may be, for example, an electrical junction box.

[0063] (2) When multiple terminals are provided in an in-vehicle device, they do not need to have the same structure, and for example, at least two of the embodiments from Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 3 may be combined and adopted. In any of the embodiments from Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 3, connection to the terminals is possible using electrically conductive components (especially the structure on the connection side) that have the same shape.

[0064] (3) The structure of the terminal portion 20 side in this disclosure is such that the terminal block 18 comprises a terminal holding portion 122 for holding the terminal portion 20, a terminal portion cover 126 for covering the upper surface 124 of the terminal portion 20, and a nut 130 on which the lower surface 128 of the terminal portion 20 is placed, and the terminal portion cover 126 is provided with an opening window 114 for partially exposing the terminal portion 20, and the annular projection 134 that penetrates the terminal portion bolt through hole 154 of the terminal portion 20 is not essential. Instead of the annular projection and protruding cover of the nut, for example, an insulating cylindrical portion that protrudes upward from the periphery of the inner hole of the nut through the terminal portion bolt through hole can be provided, and an annular space can be formed by this cylindrical portion and the opening window of the terminal portion cover, thereby preventing an operator from unintentionally coming into contact with the terminal portion which may be a live part.

[0065] 10 Conductive component 12 Connection structure 14 Battery module (in-vehicle equipment) 16 Electrical junction box (in-vehicle equipment) 18 Terminal block 20 Terminal section 22 Connection section 24 Busbar (conductive component) 26 Bolt head 28 Top surface (one side of the connection section) 30 Bolt shaft 32 Bolt through hole in connection section 34 Bottom surface (the other side of the connection section) 36 Bolt 38 Intermediate section 40 Connection section case 42 Insulating cap 44 Flange-like section 46 Insulating coating 48 Inclination suppression section 50 Cylinder wall 52 Bolt through hole in intermediate section 54 Outward projection 56 Upper case 58 Lower case 60 Locking mechanism 62 Upper bottom wall (top wall) 64 Upper peripheral wall 66 Bolt housing cylinder section 68 Through hole 70 Bottom wall 72 Lower peripheral wall 74 Through hole 76 Annular projection 78 Stepped surface 80 Intermediate section holding section 82 Recess 84 Busbar extension 86 Mounting surface 88 Connection section housing section 90 Battery cell 92 Holder 94 Terminal 96 Busbar 96a End busbar 98 Battery module body 100 Housing 102 Upper housing 104 Lower housing 106 Upper bottom wall section 108 Upper peripheral wall section 110 Housing recess 112 Opening 114 Opening window 116 Second annular cover 118 Bottom wall section 120 Lower peripheral wall section 122 Terminal holding section 124 Top surface (one side of the terminal section) 126 Terminal section cover 128 Bottom surface (the other side of the terminal section) 130 Nut 132 Inner hole 134 Annular projection 136 Projection cover 138 Nut housing portion 140 Circumferential groove 142 First annular cover 144 Upper cover portion 146 Retaining projection 148 Locking claw 150 Bent portion 152 Terminal through hole 154 Terminal bolt through hole 160 Battery module (in-vehicle equipment, embodiment 2) 162 Projection cover 164 Terminal covering portion (terminal cover) 166 Annular projection covering portion 168 Through hole (through window) 170 Second annular cover 172 First annular cover 174 Upper cover portion 176 Upper cylindrical portion 178 Reinforcement rib 180 Battery module (in-vehicle equipment, embodiment 3) 182 Projection cover 184 Upper cover portion 186 Locking claw

Claims

1. A power-carrying component connected to the terminal portion of an in-vehicle device equipped with a terminal block having a terminal portion, a terminal portion cover, and a nut, wherein the terminal portion cover is insulating, the terminal portion cover covers one surface of the terminal portion, the terminal portion cover is provided with an opening window, the opening window partially exposes the terminal portion, the other surface of the terminal portion rests on the nut, the power-carrying component comprises a power-carrying member, a bolt, a relay portion, and a connection portion case, the power-carrying member is covered in an insulating manner, the power-carrying member has a connection portion provided with a connection portion bolt through hole, the bolt has a bolt head and a bolt shaft, the bolt head is placed on one surface of the connection portion, the bolt shaft is arranged to protrude through the connection portion bolt through hole and onto the other surface of the connection portion, the relay portion has one end, another end, and a tilt suppression portion, the one end of the relay portion is connected to the other surface of the connection portion, the other end of the relay portion is connected through the opening window to the terminal portion, The tilt suppressing portion protrudes radially inward from the bolt, the protruding end face of the tilt suppressing portion abuts against the bolt shaft, the connection case houses the connection portion, the bolt, and the intermediate portion, the connection case has a bolt housing cylinder that surrounds the bolt head and positions and holds the bolt head in the radial direction, the bolt shaft and the other end of the intermediate portion are exposed on the bottom wall side of the connection case, and the connection portion and the terminal portion are held in an energized state by the intermediate portion when the bolt is fastened to the nut, the energized component used in a connection structure.

2. The current-carrying component according to claim 1, wherein the terminal portion has a terminal portion bolt through hole to which the bolt shaft is connected, the opening window is provided to expose the terminal portion bolt through hole and the area surrounding the terminal portion bolt through hole, the relay portion has a cylindrical wall having a tip, the cylindrical wall surrounds the bolt shaft, the tip of the cylindrical wall constitutes the other end of the relay portion, the tip of the cylindrical portion is in contact with the area surrounding the terminal portion bolt through hole exposed from the opening window, and the inclination suppression portion has a ring shape that protrudes radially inward from the cylindrical wall.

3. The electrical component according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the connecting part case has a connecting part housing portion that houses the connecting part so as to be displaceable in the radial direction, the bolt and the relay portion are held in the connecting part case, and the bolt, the relay portion and the connecting part case are integrally displaceable in the radial direction relative to the connecting part.

4. The electrically conductive component according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bolt head, which is insulated, is exposed on the upper wall side of the connection case.

5. The electrical component according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the connecting part case has a relay part holding part, and the relay part holding part positions and holds the one end side of the relay part in the radial direction.

Images