Power supply device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/JP2026/012067
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2025-03-28
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-01
Smart Images
Figure JP2026012067_01102026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Power supply device
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power supply device.
[0002] A battery module in which a plurality of rechargeable secondary battery cells such as lithium ion secondary batteries are connected in series or parallel and held by a battery holder is used in various fields as a power supply device for driving a driven device. For example, a plurality of battery blocks formed by connecting a plurality of secondary battery cells in series or parallel are stacked in multiple stages and inserted into a power supply case, and used as a backup power supply device for servers, or as a storage battery for home, business premises and factories. Such a power supply device uses a large number of secondary battery cells, and these secondary battery cells generate heat through charging and discharging, so efficient cooling is required.
[0003] As such a heat dissipation structure, a structure in which an end face of each secondary battery cell is thermally coupled to a heat dissipation plate made of metal or the like having excellent heat dissipation has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1). In such a structure, in order to enhance the thermal coupling between the end face of the secondary battery cell and the heat dissipation plate, it is conceivable to interpose a flexible heat conductive sheet.
[0004] However, on the end face side of the secondary battery cell, there are ribs of the battery holder for holding the end face, resulting in an uneven shape, so it has not been easy to press the heat conductive sheet without any gaps.
[0005] Japanese National Publication No. 2021-512454
[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a power supply device capable of enhancing thermal bonding in a structure in which a heat transfer sheet is interposed between a secondary battery cell and a heat dissipation plate. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a power supply device capable of efficiently dissipating heat from a large number of secondary battery cells. It should be noted that the description of these objects and problems in the present disclosure does not preclude the existence of other objects and problems. In addition, one aspect of the present disclosure does not need to solve all of these problems. Furthermore, other problems can be extracted from the descriptions of the specification, drawings, and claims of the present disclosure.
[0007] A power supply device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a plurality of secondary battery cells, each having a pair of cell end faces; a battery holder that holds the plurality of secondary battery cells in a position where they are arranged on the same plane with at least a portion of each cell end face exposed; a heat dissipation plate positioned on the battery holder with its first plate surface facing the first holder surface of the battery holder with the cell end faces exposed, and which thermally couples with the one cell end face of the plurality of secondary battery cells held by the battery holder; and a thermal conductive sheet interposed between the first plate surface of the heat dissipation plate and the first holder surface of the battery holder, which thermally couples the heat dissipation plate with each cell end face, wherein the battery holder is provided with retaining ribs that hold at least a portion of each exposed cell end face, and the heat dissipation plate has protrusions that project toward each cell end face at positions that do not come into contact with the retaining ribs.
[0008] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, by pressing a flexible thermal conductive sheet against the cell end face side with the convex portion of the heat dissipation plate while avoiding the retaining ribs, it is possible to suppress the formation of gaps between the thermal conductive sheet and the cell end face, thereby increasing the thermal coupling between the heat dissipation plate and the cell end face.
[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a power supply device according to Embodiment 1. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a battery module housed in the outer casing. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the power supply device. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the battery holder. Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the battery holder. Figure 4 is a plan view of the battery holder. Figure 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a power supply device according to a comparative example. Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the battery holder. Figure 8 is a plan view of the battery holder. Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a secondary battery cell held in the battery holder of the power supply device. Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a heat conductive sheet and a heat dissipation plate stacked on top of the power supply device. Figure 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the end of the heat conductive sheet being fixed in the state shown. Figure 14 is a further exploded perspective view of a power supply device according to another comparative example. Figure 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the power supply device. Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the power supply device. Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the power supply device according to Embodiment 1.
[0010] The form of this disclosure may be specified by the following configurations and features.
[0011] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the power supply device is configured such that the retaining ribs are arranged in one or more straight lines on the first surface of the battery holder. This configuration makes it easier to form protrusions while avoiding the one or more linearly arranged retaining ribs.
[0012] Furthermore, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, the power supply device, in any of the above embodiments, has the retaining ribs positioned between adjacent secondary battery cells of the plurality of secondary battery cells, formed in a flat plate shape that overlaps with a portion of the end face of each adjacent cell, and the flat plate-shaped retaining ribs are superimposed on the corners of each cell end face. With this configuration, the retaining ribs superimposed on the corners of the cell end faces allow the first surface of the holder, which has an uneven surface due to the different heights of the cell end faces and the retaining ribs, to be filled without gaps with a flexible thermal conductive sheet, thereby increasing the thermal coupling with the heat dissipation plate.
[0013] Furthermore, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, the retaining ribs are formed in a circular shape. With this configuration, the cell end faces of each secondary battery cell can be held by the circular retaining ribs.
[0014] Furthermore, in any of the above embodiments, the power supply device has a thermal conductive sheet that is flexible when assembled.
[0015] Furthermore, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, the power supply device is such that, in any of the above embodiments, the heat dissipation plate is made of metal, the protrusions are formed by bending the metal heat dissipation plate, and recesses are formed on the second surface of the plate opposite to the first surface of the plate, facing the protrusions. With this configuration, the protrusions can be easily formed by bending the metal heat dissipation plate. In addition, the recesses formed on the surface of the heat dissipation plate can be used as cooling paths for flowing cooling air to cool the heat dissipation plate.
[0016] Furthermore, in any of the above embodiments, the power supply device is such that the recess provided in the heat dissipation plate is a path for a cooling medium.
[0017] Furthermore, in any of the above embodiments, a power supply device further comprises a lead plate for electrically connecting the plurality of secondary battery cells, wherein the plurality of secondary battery cells have positive and negative cell electrodes exposed on the other end face of each cell, and the other end face of each cell is partially exposed on the second surface of the battery holder facing the first surface of the holder, and electrically connected to the lead plate. With this configuration, by completing the positive and negative electrical connection on one end face of the secondary battery cell, the other end face of the cell can be used for heat dissipation, and the advantage of simplifying the configuration is obtained.
[0018] Furthermore, other embodiments of the power supply device according to this disclosure further include an insulating sheet interposed between the thermal conductive sheet and the heat dissipation plate in any of the above embodiments. With this configuration, even if the thermal conductive sheet is damaged, insulation can be ensured, and the safety of the power supply device can be improved.
[0019] Furthermore, in any of the above embodiments, the power supply device is a TIM sheet in which the thermal conductive sheet is a TIM sheet.
[0020] Furthermore, in any of the above embodiments, the power supply device has a plurality of secondary battery cells, each with a cylindrical outer casing.
[0021] Furthermore, in any of the above embodiments, the power supply device according to other embodiments of the present disclosure holds the plurality of secondary battery cells in a staggered manner with adjacent cell end faces offset from each other.
[0022] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments shown below are examples for concretizing the technical concept of this disclosure, and this disclosure is not limited to the following. Furthermore, this specification does not limit the members shown in the claims to the members of the embodiments. In particular, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure to those, unless specifically stated otherwise, but are merely illustrative examples. Note that the size and positional relationships of the members shown in each drawing may be exaggerated for clarity of explanation. Furthermore, in the following description, the same name and reference numerals indicate the same or similar members, and detailed explanations are omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, each element constituting this disclosure may be configured such that multiple elements are made of the same member, with one member serving multiple elements, or conversely, the function of one member may be shared among multiple members.
[0023] The power supply devices disclosed herein can be used as stationary power supply devices, such as backup power supplies for data centers, energy storage devices for homes, offices, and factories that store electricity obtained from solar power generation, or power supplies for peak shaving during the day. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the disclosure will be described, specifically a power supply device used as a backup power supply for a data center. [Embodiment 1]
[0024] Figures 1 to 7 show a power supply device 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. In these figures, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the power supply device 100 according to Embodiment 1, Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the battery module 2 housed in the outer casing 10 of Figure 1, Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the power supply device 100 of Figure 1, Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the battery holder of Figure 3, Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the battery holder of Figure 3, Figure 6 is a plan view of the battery holder of Figure 4, and Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along line VII-VII of Figure 1. The power supply device 100 shown in these figures comprises an outer casing 10 and a battery module 2. (Outer casing 10)
[0025] The outer casing 10 is a component that defines an internal space for housing the battery module 2. In the example shown in Figure 1, the end faces are rectangular, and it is a rectangular box shape that is elongated in one direction, but it is not limited to this shape, and for example, the end faces may be polygonal, such as octagonal. The outer casing 10 is preferably made of a metal such as stainless steel or plated steel sheet, which has excellent heat dissipation and high rigidity. (Battery module 2)
[0026] Inside the outer casing 10 is housed a battery module 2, as shown in Figure 2. This battery module 2, as shown in the exploded perspective view of Figure 3, comprises a battery holder 20, a heat dissipation plate 30, a thermal conductive sheet 40, and an insulating sheet 50. (Secondary battery cell 1)
[0027] As shown in Figure 4, the battery holder 20 holds a plurality of secondary battery cells 1. Each secondary battery cell 1 has a pair of cell end faces 1c. Such secondary battery cells 1 can be made with cylindrical or rectangular outer casings. In the example shown in Figure 4, cylindrical secondary battery cells 1 are used arranged vertically. By arranging the secondary battery cells 1 vertically, one cell end face 1c of each secondary battery cell 1 can be easily thermally coupled with the heat conductive sheet 40 or heat dissipation plate 30, making it possible to provide a uniform cooling capacity to the plurality of secondary battery cells 1.
[0028] Each secondary battery cell 1 has positive and negative electrodes. Preferably, the positive and negative electrodes are provided on one cell end face 1c of the secondary battery cell 1. In the example shown in Figure 4, the cell discharge section 1a is used as the positive electrode, and the shoulder of the lower cell end face 1c where the cell discharge section 1a is located is used as the negative electrode. The positive and negative electrodes are connected to the lead plate 5. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a lead plate 5 on the upper cell end face 1c, and the upper cell end face 1c is used for heat dissipation. That is, each secondary battery cell 1 has one cell end face 1c (the upper surface in the figure) thermally coupled to the heat dissipation plate 30, and the other cell end face 1c (the lower surface in the figure) has both a positive and a negative electrode, which are electrically connected to the lead plate 5. By concentrating the electrical connections on one cell end face 1c in this way, the other cell end face 1c can be used for thermal coupling. (Cell discharge section 1a)
[0029] Furthermore, each secondary battery cell 1 is provided with a cell discharge section 1a on its outer casing. The cell discharge section 1a is a component that opens in response to an increase in the internal pressure of the outer casing to discharge ejected material. For example, when the internal pressure of the outer casing rises, it releases gas and electrode fragments from inside the outer casing to the outside. The cell discharge section 1a is provided on one of the cell end faces 1c of the secondary battery cell 1. In the example shown in Figure 4, the cell discharge section 1a is provided on the positive electrode side cell end face 1c of the secondary battery cell 1. Such a cell discharge section 1a can be a returnable component, such as a gas discharge valve that opens in response to an increase in the internal pressure of the outer casing and closes when the pressure falls below a specified level, or a non-returnable component that ruptures and opens due to internal pressure, as appropriate. Although the gas outlet is generally provided on the positive electrode side, this disclosure does not specify that the gas outlet should be provided on the positive electrode side, but may be provided at other locations, such as the negative electrode side.
[0030] As shown in Figure 4, etc., by connecting the cell end face 1c (lower side in the figure), which is provided with the cell discharge section 1a, to the lead plate 5 with the cell discharge section 1a as the positive electrode and the shoulder of the cell end face 1c as the negative electrode, the other cell end face 1c (upper side in the figure) does not need to have any electrically connected components, and there is no need to provide a gas discharge path. By using this cell end face 1c as a surface for heat dissipation, it becomes possible to efficiently arrange structures for electrical connection, gas discharge, and heat dissipation, which can contribute to simplifying the configuration and miniaturizing it.
[0031] A lithium-ion secondary battery is preferably used for the secondary battery cell 1. A battery module 2 using a lithium-ion secondary battery for the secondary battery cell 1 can achieve high output relative to volume and weight. However, this disclosure does not limit the secondary battery cell 1 to a lithium-ion battery; known secondary batteries such as lithium polymer batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and nickel-cadmium batteries can also be used. (Battery holder 20)
[0032] The battery holder 20 is a component for holding multiple secondary battery cells 1. The battery holder 20 holds the cells in a position where each cell end face 1c is aligned on the same plane, with at least a portion of one cell end face 1c exposed. The surface of the battery holder 20 with the cell end face 1c exposed is called the first holder surface 21. The surface of the battery holder 20 opposite the first holder surface 21 is called the second holder surface 22. In the examples shown in Figures 3 and 4, the upper surface of the battery holder 20 is the first holder surface 21, and the lower surface is the second holder surface 22. On the second holder surface 22 side, the lower cell end face 1c of each secondary battery cell 1 is partially exposed and electrically connected to the lead plate 5. This configuration allows for the completion of positive and negative electrical connections on one end face of the secondary battery cell 1, while the other cell end face 1c can be used for heat dissipation, thus simplifying the configuration.
[0033] The battery holder 20 is divided into two sub-holders 20a and 20b to hold the secondary battery cells 1. The number of divisions of the battery holder 20 is not limited to two, but may be three or more. In the example in Figure 4, the battery holder 20 houses and holds a number of cylindrical secondary battery cells 1 in a vertical position. Multiple secondary battery cells 1 are connected in series or parallel via lead plates 5, etc. The number of series connections and parallel connections can be arbitrarily set according to the required specifications. In other words, the number and arrangement of secondary battery cells 1 are not limited to this example, and any number and arrangement can be adopted as appropriate. The battery module 2 may also be composed of multiple sub-blocks, with multiple secondary battery cells housed in each sub-block. Furthermore, the battery holder 20 may be equipped with a mechanism for holding or positioning the lead plates 5. Such a battery holder 20 is preferably made of thermoplastic plastic with excellent strength and heat resistance, and can be made of, for example, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polybutylene terephthalate, modified polyphenylene ether, ABS, PPS, etc.
[0034] The battery holder 20 is also provided with opening windows 23 that expose the cell end faces 1c at both ends of the secondary battery cell 1. In the examples shown in Figures 5 and 6, the battery holder 20 holds multiple secondary battery cells 1 in a staggered arrangement with adjacent cell end faces 1c offset from each other. However, this disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and for example, multiple secondary battery cells may be arranged in a matrix. (Holding rib 24)
[0035] The battery holder 20 also includes retaining ribs 24 that hold at least a portion of each exposed cell end face 1c. The retaining ribs 24 are preferably arranged in one or more straight lines on the first holder surface 21 of the battery holder 20, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The retaining ribs 24 are also positioned between adjacent secondary battery cells 1. In the example shown in Figure 5, the retaining ribs 24 are positioned to straddle adjacent opening windows 23 on the first holder surface 21 of the battery holder 20. These retaining ribs 24 are formed in a flat plate shape that overlaps with a portion of each adjacent cell end face 1c. The flat retaining ribs 24 overlap the corners of each cell end face 1c. In the example shown in Figure 5, the retaining ribs 24 are formed in a circular shape. However, the retaining ribs 24 are not limited to a circular shape and may be rectangular or other shapes.
[0036] The battery module 2 is connected to the circuit board via lead plates 5. The circuit board implements a charge / discharge circuit for charging and discharging the secondary battery cell 1, and a protection circuit that monitors the voltage and temperature of the secondary battery cell 1 and cuts off the current in case of abnormalities. The circuit board is made of a glass epoxy substrate or the like. A substrate holder for holding such a circuit board may also be provided. (Heat dissipation plate 30)
[0037] The heat dissipation plate 30 is positioned on the first holder surface 21 of the battery holder 20, where the cell end faces 1c are exposed. The heat dissipation plate 30 has a first plate surface 31 facing the first holder surface 21 and a second plate surface 32 on the opposite side. In the example shown in Figure 3, the lower surface of the heat dissipation plate 30 is the first plate surface 31, and the upper surface is the second plate surface 32. This heat dissipation plate 30 is thermally coupled to one of the cell end faces 1c of the multiple secondary battery cells 1 held by the battery holder 20 via a heat conductive sheet 40. It is preferable that this heat dissipation plate 30 be made of metal with excellent thermal conductivity and high rigidity. (Protrusion 34)
[0038] Furthermore, the heat dissipation plate 30 has protrusions 34 that project outwards from each cell end face 1c. It is preferable to form the protrusions 34 by bending a metal heat dissipation plate 30. Also, a recess 35 is formed on the second surface 32 of the plate, opposite the first surface 31, facing the protrusions 34. This configuration allows for easy formation of the protrusions 34 by bending the metal heat dissipation plate 30. Additionally, the recess 35 formed on the surface of the heat dissipation plate 30 can be used as a cooling path for circulating cooling air to cool the heat dissipation plate 30. (Thermal conductive sheet 40)
[0039] The thermal conductive sheet 40 is interposed between the first plate surface 31 of the heat dissipation plate 30 and the first holder surface 21 of the battery holder 20. The thermal conductive sheet 40 maintains a certain degree of thermal conductivity while possessing electrical insulation properties. The thermal conductive sheet 40 is also flexible during assembly. The heat dissipation plate 30 and each cell end face 1c are thermally bonded via this thermal conductive sheet 40. After filling the gap between the heat dissipation plate 30 and each cell end face 1c and thermally bonding, the thermal conductive sheet 40 may harden and lose its flexibility. The thermal conductive sheet has higher thermal conductivity than air, preferably 0.2 W / m, and more preferably 1.0 W / m. A TIM (Thermal Interface Material) sheet can be suitably used as the thermal conductive sheet 40. A TIM sheet is typically composed of an elastomer such as silicone or acrylic and a material with high thermal conductivity such as carbon fiber, carbon, boron nitride, or aluminum oxide. Furthermore, the thermal conductive sheet 40 may be placed as a single sheet or divided into multiple sheets. In the example shown in Figure 3, the thermal conductive sheet 40 is divided into three sheets and placed. The number of divisions of the thermal conductive sheet 40 is not limited to this; it may be two or four or more sheets. Also, the thermal conductive sheet 40 may be placed in a liquid state and, after a curing reaction, take on a sheet-like shape as in the example shown in Figure 3. (Insulating sheet 50)
[0040] The insulating sheet 50 is interposed between the thermal conductive sheet 40 and the heat dissipation plate 30 to insulate them. The insulating sheet 50 insulates the metal heat dissipation plate 30 from electrical contact with the cell end face 1c of the secondary battery cell 1. By interposing the insulating sheet 50, even if the thermal conductive sheet 40 is damaged, the insulation distance can be increased to ensure insulation, thereby improving the safety of the power supply device 100. Such insulating sheets 50 can be made of acrylic, urethane, epoxy, or silicone resin plates, insulating paper, mica sheets, etc. (Protrusion 34)
[0041] Furthermore, the heat dissipation plate 30 has protrusions 34 that project toward each cell end face 1c, positioned so as not to come into contact with the retaining ribs 24. With this configuration, as shown in Figure 7, the flexible heat conductive sheet 40 is pressed toward the cell end face 1c by the protrusions 34 of the heat dissipation plate 30 while avoiding the retaining ribs 24, thereby suppressing the formation of gaps between the heat conductive sheet 40 and the heat dissipation plate 30 and improving the thermal coupling between the heat dissipation plate 30 and the cell end face 1c. [Comparative Example]
[0042] It is known that secondary battery cells generate heat in power supply devices. In particular, as the number of secondary battery cells used increases to increase power output and capacity, the amount of heat generated increases proportionally, so a structure is required to efficiently dissipate this heat to the outside. As such a heat dissipation structure, it is conceivable to prepare a heat dissipation plate 830 made of metal or other material with excellent heat dissipation properties, as shown in the exploded perspective view of the power supply device 800 of the comparative example in Figure 8, and thermally couple it with one of the cell end faces 801c of each secondary battery cell 801. In this case, it is conceivable to enhance the thermal coupling by interposing a thermal conductive sheet 840, which has insulating and thermal conductive properties as well as flexibility, such as a TIM (Thermal Interface Material) sheet, between the cell end face 801c of the secondary battery cell 801 and the heat dissipation plate 830.
[0043] However, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, on the cell end face 801c side of the secondary battery cell 801, the holding rib 824 of the battery holder 820 for holding the end face is provided. Therefore, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 11, the first holder surface 821 of the battery holder 820, where the cell end face 801c is exposed, is not a flat surface, and the cell end face 801c of the secondary battery cell 801 is exposed in a recessed state. Even if the heat conductive sheet 840 and the heat dissipation plate 830 are stacked in this state, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 12, the holding rib 824 is interposed between the cell end face 801c and the heat conductive sheet 840. Therefore, the cell end face 801c and the heat conductive sheet 840 cannot be in close contact with each other, an air layer GP is formed, which becomes a heat insulating layer and impedes heat conduction. To prevent this, it is conceivable to apply a large pressure to the entire heat conductive sheet 840 with the heat dissipation plate 830. However, when pressure is applied by screwing both ends of the heat dissipation plate 830 as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 13, the heat dissipation plate 830 is deformed by the repulsive force of the heat conductive sheet 840. As a result, lifting occurs in the middle of the heat dissipation plate 830, which may cause a situation where the heat conductive sheet 840 does not come into close contact with the cell end face 801c. To prevent this, it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the heat dissipation plate 830 by thickening the heat dissipation plate 830 or selecting a high-strength material so that the heat dissipation plate 830 does not deform, which causes the problems of increasing the size and cost of the power supply device.
[0044] On the other hand, as in a power supply device 900 according to another comparative example shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, it is conceivable to pre-cut out a region of the heat conductive sheet 940 that comes into contact with the holding rib 924 to form an opening 943. With this configuration, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 16, the heat conductive sheet 940 can be brought into close contact with the cell end face 901c of the secondary battery cell 901 exposed from the battery holder 920 while avoiding the region against which the holding rib 924 abuts, and can be thermally coupled to the heat dissipation plate 930. However, when the number of holding ribs 924 increases, it becomes necessary to provide a large number of openings 943, which increases the number of portions to be cut and requires extra processing labor. In addition, cutting the heat conductive sheet 940 reduces its volume, which also causes the problem of decreasing heat dissipation performance.
[0045] In contrast, in the power supply device 100 according to the present embodiment, the convex portion 34 is formed on the heat dissipation plate 30 side. By providing this convex portion 34 at a position that does not interfere with the holding rib 24, it becomes possible to press the heat conductive sheet 40 against the cell end surface 1c side while avoiding the holding rib 24 as shown in FIG. 17. This suppresses the formation of a gap between the heat dissipation plate 30 and the heat conductive sheet 40 without increasing the thickness of the heat dissipation plate 30, and enhances the thermal coupling between the heat dissipation plate 30 and the cell end surface 1c.
[0046] In addition, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the holding ribs 24 are arranged in a straight line on the first holder surface 21 of the battery holder 20 in advance. This makes it easy to form the convex portion 34 on the heat dissipation plate 30 while avoiding the holding ribs 24. Each holding rib 24 is formed in a flat plate shape, and holds a part of each cell end surface 1c by overlapping the corner of each adjacent cell end surface 1c. Due to the holding ribs 24 overlapping the corners of the cell end surfaces 1c as described above, the first holder surface 21, whose surface becomes uneven due to the difference in height between the cell end surfaces 1c and the holding ribs 24, is filled without gaps by the flexible heat conductive sheet 40, whereby the thermal coupling with the heat dissipation plate 30 can be enhanced.
[0047] Furthermore, forming the convex portion 34 also provides the effect of increasing the rigidity of the heat dissipation plate 30. In addition, by forming the convex portion 34 linearly along the longitudinal direction on the first plate surface 31 side of the heat dissipation plate 30, a recess 35 is formed on the second plate surface 32 side, and cooling air can flow through this recess, which also provides the effect of enhancing the heat dissipation effect.
[0048] The power supply device according to the present disclosure can be suitably used for applications such as stationary power storage devices, for example, backup power supplies for data centers, and power supply devices for business offices, factories, and homes.
[0049] 100...Power supply unit 1...Secondary battery cell; 1a...Cell ejection section; 1c...Cell end face 2...Battery module 5...Lead plate 10...Outer case 20...Battery holder 20a, 20b...Sub-holder 21...First surface of holder 22...Second surface of holder 23...Opening window 24...Retaining rib 30...Heat dissipation plate 31...First surface of plate 32...Second surface of plate 34...Convex part 35...Concave part 40...Thermal conductive sheet 50...Insulating sheet 800...Power supply unit 801...Secondary battery cell; 801c...Cell end face 820...Battery holder 821...First surface of holder 824...Retaining rib 830...Heat dissipation plate 840...Heat conductive sheet 900...Power supply unit 901...Secondary battery cell; 901c...Cell end face 920...Battery holder 924...Retaining rib 930...Heat dissipation plate 940... Thermal conductive sheet 943... Opening GP... Air layer
Claims
1. A power supply device comprising: a plurality of secondary battery cells, each having a pair of cell end faces; a battery holder that holds the plurality of secondary battery cells in a position where they are arranged on the same plane with at least a portion of each cell end face exposed; a heat dissipation plate positioned on the battery holder with its first plate surface facing the first holder surface of the battery holder with the cell end faces exposed, and which thermally couples with the one cell end face of the plurality of secondary battery cells held by the battery holder; and a thermal conductive sheet interposed between the first plate surface of the heat dissipation plate and the first holder surface of the battery holder, which thermally couples the heat dissipation plate with each cell end face, wherein the battery holder is provided with retaining ribs that hold at least a portion of each exposed cell end face, and the heat dissipation plate has protrusions that project toward each cell end face at positions that do not come into contact with the retaining ribs.
2. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining ribs are arranged in one or more straight lines on the first surface of the battery holder.
3. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining ribs are arranged between adjacent secondary battery cells of the plurality of secondary battery cells and are formed in a flat plate shape that overlaps with a part of the end face of each adjacent cell, and the flat plate-shaped retaining ribs are superimposed on the corners of each cell end face.
4. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining rib is formed in a circular shape.
5. A power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the thermal conductive sheet is flexible when assembled.
6. A power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heat dissipation plate is made of metal, the protrusion is formed by bending the metal heat dissipation plate, and a recess is formed on the second surface of the plate opposite to the first surface of the plate, facing the protrusion.
7. A power supply device according to claim 6, wherein the recess provided in the heat dissipation plate is a path for a cooling medium.
8. A power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a lead plate for electrically connecting the plurality of secondary battery cells, wherein the plurality of secondary battery cells have positive and negative cell electrodes exposed on the other end face of each cell, and the other end face of each cell is partially exposed on the second surface of the battery holder facing the first surface of the holder, and electrically connected to the lead plate.
9. A power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an insulating sheet interposed between the heat conductive sheet and the heat dissipation plate.
10. A power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the thermal conductive sheet is a TIM sheet.
11. A power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the plurality of secondary battery cells has a cylindrical outer casing.
12. A power supply device according to claim 11, wherein the battery holder holds the plurality of secondary battery cells in a staggered manner with adjacent cell end faces offset from each other.