Power supply device

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to improve cooling performance and make a cooling temperature uniform with a simple structure. A power supply device according to the present invention comprises a core pack 3 which includes a plurality of battery cells 1, a cover part 30 which covers the core pack 3, and a blower mechanism 40, wherein: the cover part 30 has an intake port 31 for taking cooling air into the cover part 30 and an exhaust port 32 for exhausting cooling air to the outside of the cover part 30; an intake duct 33 and an exhaust duct 34 are formed between the inner surface of the cover part 30 and a first surface 3a and a second surface 3b of the core pack 3; the core pack 3 has a hollow cooling gap 10 along cell-side surfaces 1c of the battery cells 1; the cooling gap 10 communicates with the intake duct 33 and the exhaust duct 34; the core pack 3 includes a battery holder 5 which holds the battery cells 1; a first holder 5A has an inflow port 11 through which cooling air flows in from the intake duct 33 to the cooling gap 10; a second holder 5B has an outflow port 12 through which cooling air flows out from the cooling gap 10 to the exhaust duct 34; and a plurality of outflow ports 12 are provided for one inflow port 11.

Description

Power Supply Device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power supply device including a plurality of battery cells.

[0002] Battery cells used in power supply devices need to have their output suppressed at high temperatures. With the increasing output of equipment in recent years, batteries are discharged at high rates. When a large current flows, the battery cells generate heat, so restrictions are imposed to prevent the temperature from exceeding the upper limit. Therefore, in order to fully exert the characteristics of battery cells and extend their service life, cooling of battery cells has become an important issue. Conventionally, there are power supply devices that cool battery cells by inserting pipes through gaps between the cells and circulating a cooling liquid through the pipes. However, such power supply devices require a complex structure for circulating the liquid, and waterproofing and liquid leakage countermeasures are indispensable to prevent the battery cells from being immersed in water, which causes problems of increased size and higher cost of the power supply device. There is also a power supply device that cools the inside of a case by blowing cooling air with a fan or the like (Patent Document 1). In this power supply device, the battery cells are housed in a resin-molded battery holder or the like, so that the air blown into the case cannot be applied to the battery cells, making it difficult to cool the battery cells to the required temperature. There is also a power supply device having a structure in which battery cells are partially exposed from a battery holder, and air blows sequentially through gaps between side surfaces of a plurality of battery cells from the upstream side to the downstream side (Patent Document 2). In this power supply device, air that has been heated while cooling the plurality of battery cells on the upstream side is sent to the downstream side, resulting in uneven cooling between the upstream side and the downstream side, which poses a problem that it is difficult to uniformize the cooling temperature.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-077432, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-76841

[0004] The present disclosure has been developed with the aim of further solving the above problems. One object of the present disclosure is to provide a power supply device that can improve cooling performance with a simple structure. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a power supply device capable of uniformizing the cooling temperature of battery cells. It should be noted that the description of these objects and problems of the present disclosure does not preclude the existence of other objects and problems. In addition, one aspect of the present disclosure is not required to solve all of these problems. Furthermore, other problems can be extracted from the description of the specification, drawings, and claims of the present disclosure.

[0005] A power supply device according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a core pack having a plurality of battery cells, a cover portion that covers the core pack at least partially, and a blowing mechanism that blows cooling air into the cover portion. The core pack and / or cover portion has an intake port for drawing cooling air into the cover portion and an exhaust port for discharging cooling air outside the cover portion. The cover portion has an intake duct between the inner surface of the cover portion and the first surface of the core pack, and an exhaust duct between the inner surface of the cover portion and the second surface facing the first surface of the core pack. The core pack has a hollow cooling gap along the cell side of the battery cell, and the cooling gap is in communication with the intake duct and the exhaust duct. The core pack has a battery holder for holding the battery cell, and the battery holder has a first holder that holds one cell end face and a second holder that holds the other cell end face. The first holder has an inlet for drawing cooling air from the intake duct into the cooling gap, and the second holder has an outlet for discharging cooling air from the cooling gap to the exhaust duct. A cooling gap is formed between the first holder and the second holder, and multiple outlets are provided for one inlet.

[0006] The power supply unit described above has the advantage of being able to improve cooling performance with a simple structure. Furthermore, the power supply unit described above has the advantage of being able to equalize the cooling temperature.

[0007] This is an overall perspective view of a power supply device according to one embodiment. This is an exploded perspective view of the power supply device in Figure 1. This is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the power supply device along line III-III in Figure 1. This is a schematic plan view and an enlarged plan view of the main part of the power supply device with the cover (first cover) removed. This is a schematic perspective view of the first holder from above according to one embodiment. This is a schematic perspective view of the inlet and recess seen from above. This is a schematic perspective view of the first holder seen from below (opening side). This is a schematic enlarged perspective view of the inlet and recess seen from below. This is a schematic perspective view of the first holder according to another embodiment seen from above. This is a schematic perspective view of the second holder seen from above (opening side). This is a schematic perspective view of the second holder seen from below. This is a schematic bottom view of the second holder seen from below. This is a schematic bottom view of the second holder with the lead plate arranged.

[0008] The form of this disclosure may be specified by the following configurations and features.

[0009] A power supply device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a core pack having a plurality of battery cells, a cover portion that covers the core pack at least partially, and a blowing mechanism that blows cooling air within the cover portion. The core pack and / or cover portion has an intake port for drawing cooling air into the cover portion and an exhaust port for discharging cooling air outside the cover portion. The cover portion has an intake duct between the inner surface of the cover portion and the first surface of the core pack, and an exhaust duct between the inner surface of the cover portion and the second surface facing the first surface of the core pack. The core pack has a hollow cooling gap along the cell side of the battery cell, and the cooling gap is in communication with the intake duct and the exhaust duct. The core pack has a battery holder for holding the battery cell, and the battery holder has a first holder that holds one cell end face and a second holder that holds the other cell end face. The first holder has an inlet for drawing cooling air from the intake duct into the cooling gap, and the second holder has an outlet for discharging cooling air from the cooling gap to the exhaust duct. A cooling gap is formed between the first holder and the second holder, and multiple outlets are provided for one inlet.

[0010] The above configuration has the advantage of a simple structure that can improve cooling performance. Furthermore, the above configuration has the advantage of being able to equalize the cooling temperature. The power supply unit has a cover that covers the core pack, which makes it easy to form intake and exhaust ducts of a predetermined shape along the core pack, and the core pack has a simple structure in which a hollow cooling gap is located between the first holder and the second holder along the sides of the multiple battery cells, and the cooling gap is connected to the intake and exhaust ducts, and the blowing mechanism can blow and supply cooling air to each battery cell for cooling without being obstructed by the battery holder. The above configuration is because the cooling air is sent from the intake duct through the cooling gap to the exhaust duct, blown in a first direction parallel to the axial direction of the battery cell along the side of the cell, and while cooling each battery cell, it flows in from the inlet on one cell end face and flows out from the outlet on the other cell end face, and the continuously supplied cooling air is blown through the cooling gap in the first direction and exits, thereby cooling each battery cell. The above configuration prevents and suppresses uneven cooling and achieves uniform cooling temperatures because the air is not blown in a second direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the battery cells while passing through multiple battery cells, and the air heated by the cooling of the battery cells upstream is not supplied to other battery cells downstream. The above configuration has the advantage of efficiently cooling the lead plates along with the battery cells. The battery holder allows for the determination of the number, arrangement, and opening area of ​​the inlets and outlets, and the inlets and outlets allow the cooling air to efficiently cool the lead plates locally during inflow and outflow, while the intake duct and exhaust duct can cool the lead plates arranged on the first and second surfaces overall. In addition, the number of inlets and outlets differs, and by providing more outlets than inlets, the cooling air that flows in from the outlets can be diverted and discharged, efficiently cooling the battery cells and lead plates. The above configuration has the advantage of improving cooling efficiency without increasing the size of conventional power supply units and core packs. The battery cell has the advantage of being able to maintain and perform its characteristics, suppressing the occurrence of degraded battery cells with relatively inferior characteristics caused by temperature differences and variations, and extending the lifespan of the core pack. The above configuration has the advantage of simplifying the structure and reducing manufacturing costs. In this disclosure, the first direction is the direction parallel to the axial direction of the battery cell, and the second direction is the direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0011] In addition to the above embodiments, power supply devices according to other embodiments of this disclosure have a core pack having lead plates connecting a plurality of battery cells, and the outlet and / or inlet can be positioned to overlap at least partially with heat-generating parts within the lead plates where heat generation is significant. The above configuration has the advantage of efficiently cooling the lead plates together with the battery cells and improving cooling performance through a simple structure in which the arrangement of the outlet and / or inlet is set and adjusted to a position that efficiently cools the heat-generating parts. When cooling air flows out and into the core pack, the heat-generating parts of the lead plates arranged on the first and / or second surfaces of the core pack can be efficiently cooled, and the characteristics of the battery cells can be fully realized. In this disclosure, the heat-generating part refers to a part of the lead plate that generates relatively more heat than other parts and can become hot.

[0012] In addition to the above embodiments, power supply devices according to other embodiments of this disclosure can use fuse links for the heat-generating section. The above configuration has the advantage of efficiently cooling the lead plates together with the battery cells, and improving cooling performance, by setting and adjusting the arrangement of the outlet and / or inlet to a position that efficiently cools the fuse links of the heat-generating section. When cooling air flows out and into the outlet, the fuse links of the lead plates arranged on the first and / or second surface of the core pack are efficiently cooled, and the characteristics of the battery cells can be fully utilized. The fuse links are formed by narrowing the width or increasing the length to increase electrical resistance, and they melt due to Joule heating when a current exceeding a set value is passed through them.

[0013] In addition to the above embodiments, power supply devices according to other embodiments of the present disclosure have inlet and / or outlets that have recesses that are recessed inward from the outer surface of the battery holder, and the recess of the inlet may have one or more inlet holes, or / or the recess of the outlet may have one or more outlet holes. The above configuration has the advantage of being a simple structure in which the inlet and / or outlet has a recess and the recess has one or more inlet holes and outlet holes, which can efficiently cool the battery cells and lead plates and improve cooling performance. With the above configuration, the amount of cooling air flowing in and out, the direction of flowing in and out, the position of flowing in and out, the flow velocity, etc. can be determined and adjusted by the opening area, shape, arrangement, and number of the recesses, and the opening area, shape, arrangement, and number of the inlet holes and outlet holes. For example, by making the opening area of ​​the recesses (inlet and outlet) larger than the opening area of ​​the inlet and outlet holes, cooling air can be easily drawn in and out. Furthermore, by providing one or more inlet and outlet holes in the recesses, each battery cell can be efficiently cooled. Additionally, by using different opening areas, shapes, arrangements, and numbers of recesses, inlet and outlet holes on the upstream and downstream sides, cooling temperature unevenness can be suppressed, and uniform cooling temperatures can be achieved.

[0014] In addition to the above embodiments, power supply devices according to other embodiments of this disclosure allow the cell sides of the battery cells to be exposed in the cooling gap. This configuration has the advantage that cooling air can cool the cell sides exposed in the cooling gap without being obstructed by the battery holder, and furthermore, it is possible to expose the cell sides in the cooling gap using, for example, uncoated battery cells that are not covered with insulating tubes, thereby improving cooling performance. This is because the outer surface of the battery cell can be directly cooled by cooling air without the need for insulating tubes, and the cooling efficiency can be improved by exposing the metal surface on the surface of the battery cell. In addition, uncoated battery cells do not require insulating tubes, which has the advantage of reducing costs.

[0015] In addition to the above embodiments, power supply devices according to other embodiments of this disclosure may have a battery holder with partitions separating adjacent battery cells. This configuration has the advantage that an insulating battery holder, such as one made of resin, can reliably insulate the battery cells with partitions while holding them, thereby preventing unintended short circuits and improving safety.

[0016] In addition to the above embodiments, power supply devices according to other embodiments of the present disclosure are cylindrical batteries, and the inlet and / or outlet can be located between the cell end faces of adjacent battery cells. This configuration has the advantage of effectively utilizing the dead space that may occur between the cell end faces of adjacent battery cells as an inlet, outlet, and cooling gap, and of being able to blow and discharge the cooling air that flows into the cooling gap along the side of the cell, thereby improving cooling performance without increasing the size of the power supply device. It also has the advantage of contributing to miniaturization of the power supply device and improvement of energy density.

[0017] In addition to the above embodiments, a power supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure has a cover portion comprising a first cover portion and a second cover portion that guide cooling air in the direction of airflow, the first cover portion being connected to a first holder to form an intake duct, the second cover portion being connected to a second holder to form an exhaust duct, and the first cover portion and / or the second cover portion being connected to the first and second holders in an interlocking structure. The above configuration has the advantage of improving cooling efficiency, being easy to assemble and position with a simple structure, being cost-effective, being able to easily form predetermined intake and exhaust ducts, and being able to improve strength and reduce weight with a three-dimensional structure for the intake and exhaust ducts. The above configuration has the advantage of being further connected in an interlocking structure, which enhances airtightness, prevents cooling air from leaking out, and improves cooling efficiency.

[0018] In addition to the above embodiments, power supply devices according to other embodiments of the present disclosure allow the opening area of ​​the inlet to be larger on the upstream side of the intake duct than on the downstream side. Compared to the case where the opening areas of the upstream and downstream inlets are the same, this configuration makes it easier for cooling air to flow from the upstream inlet of the intake duct into the cooling gap, suppressing and reducing uneven cooling and temperature variations between the upstream and downstream battery cells, and achieving uniform cooling temperatures.

[0019] In addition to the above embodiment, a power supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure allows for a wider spacing between adjacent inlets on the upstream side of the intake duct than on the downstream side. Compared to the case where the spacing between the upstream and downstream inlets is the same, this configuration makes it easier for cooling air to flow from the upstream inlet of the intake duct into the cooling gap, suppressing and reducing uneven cooling and temperature variations between the upstream and downstream battery cells, and achieving uniform cooling temperatures.

[0020] In addition to the above embodiments, a power supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure has a guide portion on its first surface that guides cooling air to the inlet, and the height of the guide portion can be made higher on the upstream side of the intake duct than on the downstream side. The above configuration has the advantage that the guide portion makes it easier for cooling air to flow into the inlet, the guide portion can increase the amount of air that flows in per unit time, and the cooling performance can be improved with a simple structure that includes a guide portion. Furthermore, the above configuration has the advantage that, compared to the case where the heights of the guide portions on the upstream and downstream sides are the same, it is easier for cooling air to flow into the cooling gap from the inlet on the upstream side of the intake duct, which can suppress and reduce uneven cooling and temperature variations between the upstream and downstream battery cells, and can achieve uniform cooling temperature.

[0021] In addition to the above embodiments, power supply devices according to other embodiments of the present disclosure can have a larger outlet opening area on the upstream side of the exhaust duct than on the downstream side, and / or a smaller spacing between outlets on the upstream side of the exhaust duct than on the downstream side. Compared to the case where the opening areas and / or spacing of the outlets on the upstream and downstream sides are the same, this configuration makes it easier for cooling air to flow out from the outlet on the upstream side of the exhaust duct, suppressing and reducing uneven cooling and temperature variations between the upstream and downstream battery cells, and achieving uniform cooling temperatures.

[0022] In addition to the above embodiments, power supply devices according to other embodiments of this disclosure can have an inlet opening area greater than or equal to the outlet opening area. This configuration has the advantage of making it easier for cooling air to flow out from the outlet compared to the case where the inlet and outlet opening areas are the same, thereby improving cooling performance. The inlet and outlet opening areas can be compared using the opening areas of one or all inlets and outlets, can be compared on a battery block (parallel block) basis, and can be compared within the range of cooling the same battery cells.

[0023] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments shown below are illustrative examples for embodying the technical concept of this disclosure, and this disclosure is not limited to the following. Furthermore, this specification does not limit the components shown in the claims to the components of the embodiments. In particular, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure to them unless specifically stated otherwise. In the following description, terms indicating specific directions or positions (e.g., "up," "down," and other terms including these terms) will be used as needed, but the use of these terms is for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the invention with reference to the drawings, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited by the meaning of these terms. The size and positional relationships of the components shown in each drawing may be exaggerated for the sake of clarity in the explanation. Furthermore, in the following description, the same name and reference numerals indicate the same or identical components, and detailed explanations will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, each element constituting this disclosure may be configured such that multiple elements are made from the same material, with one material serving multiple purposes, or conversely, the function of one material may be shared among multiple materials.

[0024] The power supply unit disclosed herein does not specify the application of the load. For example, it can be used as a stationary or portable energy storage device. It can be used as a backup power supply to operate during power outages in servers, offices, factories, homes, etc., or for peak shaving energy storage. Multiple power supply units can be stacked and arranged vertically, horizontally, etc. Furthermore, it can be used as a power source for hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, electric carts, electric scooters, electric assist bicycles, construction machinery, heavy machinery, lifts, ships, etc., and is particularly useful as a power source for electrical equipment and devices with large capacity or weight. [Embodiment 1]

[0025] Figures 1 to 4 show a power supply device 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. In these figures, Figures 1 and 2 show a schematic perspective view and exploded perspective view of the power supply device 100 according to Embodiment 1, Figure 3 shows a schematic vertical cross-sectional view, and Figure 4 shows a plan view of the power supply device 100 and the first holder 5A viewed from above, with a part of the cover portion 30 (first cover portion 35) removed. The power supply device 100 in these figures comprises a core pack 3 having a plurality of battery cells 1, a cover portion 30 covering the core pack 3, and a blowing mechanism 40 for blowing cooling air into the cover portion 30. (Battery cell 1)

[0026] The core pack 3 has multiple battery cells 1. The battery cells 1 are rechargeable secondary batteries, and cylindrical or prismatic battery cells 1 can be used. Figure 2 shows a cylindrical battery cell 1. Lithium-ion secondary batteries can be used for the battery cells 1. Lithium-ion batteries have a large charge / discharge capacity relative to their capacity and weight, allowing for a smaller and lighter power supply unit 100 while maintaining a large charge / discharge capacity. However, battery cells 1 can be other than lithium-ion batteries, such as nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, all-solid-state batteries, etc., and are not limited to non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries. All rechargeable secondary batteries, including known secondary batteries and those to be developed in the future, can be used.

[0027] The battery cell 1 has a cell side surface 1c and a pair of cell end surfaces 1a and 1b that form the end surface of the cell side surface 1c. The battery cell 1 has a pair of cell electrodes, a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The battery cell 1 has the positive and negative electrodes arranged inside a metal outer casing, and the opening of the outer casing is closed with a sealing plate. The battery cell 1 can be composed of a bottomed cylindrical outer casing with one end open and a sealing plate that crimps and seals the peripheral edge of the opening of the outer casing. This battery cell 1 has a sealing plate that insulates and seals the opening of the metal cylindrical outer casing, and has cell electrodes arranged in the outer casing and cell electrodes arranged in the sealing plate. The cell electrodes can be provided on one or both of the cell end surfaces 1a and 1b. This disclosure does not specify the shape, size, arrangement, structure, etc. of the cell electrodes, and the cell electrodes can be provided on the cell end surfaces 1a and 1b as convex or concave portions, or substantially flat portions, and can also be provided on the cell side surface 1c.

[0028] The battery cell 1 can have its outer metal surface exposed on the cell side 1c (outer casing) without being covered with an insulating tube such as a heat shrink tube. The power supply unit 100 can use a battery cell 1 covered with an insulating tube, but Figures 2 and 3 show an uncovered battery cell 1 that is not covered with an insulating tube. Cooling air supplied one after another into the cooling gap 10 is blown along the outer surface of the exposed metal surface of the cell side 1c, allowing for more efficient cooling. In addition, the battery holder 5 in Figure 3 holds the battery cell 1 at both cell end faces 1a and 1b, exposing the cell side 1c to the cooling gap 10 and further increasing the exposed cooling area. The inlet 11 and outlet 13 are spaced apart on the first surface 3a and second surface 3b of the core pack 3, and the cooling gap 10 blows cooling air in a first direction along the cell side 1c of each battery cell 1. Cooling performance can be particularly improved in a structure where the contact area of ​​the cooling air with the cell side 1c is large. Furthermore, the battery holder 5 is provided with a partition wall 7, which will be described later, in the part that requires insulation, thereby ensuring safety.

[0029] The core pack 3 has lead plates 20 that electrically connect multiple battery cells 1. One or more lead plates 20 connect multiple battery cells 1 in series or parallel. The lead plates 20 are arranged on one or both sides of either the cell end faces 1a and 1b, and are connected to the cell end faces 1a and / or 1b of each battery cell 1 held in the battery holder 5, thereby electrically connecting the battery cells 1 to each other. The lead plates 20 are made of metal plates with excellent conductivity, such as aluminum plates, nickel plates, copper plates, or alloys containing any of these. In Figures 2 and 13, the lead plates 20 are fixed to the end face portion 6a (bottom surface) of the battery holder 5 on the second surface 3b side. Each lead plate 20 has a lead opening window at a position facing the cell end face 1b of the battery cell 1, partially exposing the cell end face 1b, and allowing the current collecting tab 22 to protrude from the lead opening window toward the cell electrode side. The current collecting tab 22 is a connecting portion for connecting to the cell electrode on the cell end face 1b of the battery cell 1. Each current-collecting tab 22 is bent in the middle and protrudes diagonally upward, absorbing slight positional misalignment and tolerances of each component and assembly, allowing for adjustment of the fixing position and height with respect to the cell electrode. Furthermore, the lead plate 20 in Figure 13 is connected to the current-collecting tab 22 and has a fuse link 21 with a fuse portion that melts when an overload current is applied. Note that this disclosure does not specify the shape, length, width, thickness, size, number, arrangement, configuration, connection method, etc. of the lead plate 20.

[0030] Figure 2 shows a single-sided current collection configuration where the lead plates 20 are placed on one cell end face 1b (bottom side) of each battery cell 1. However, the lead plates 20 can be placed on both sides of the cell end faces 1a and 1b of each battery cell 1 for double-sided current collection. The lead plates 20 are plate-shaped and extend in a second direction along the arrangement of the cell end faces 1a and 1b of the multiple battery cells 1, allowing for heat dissipation and cooling by the cooling air supplied to the intake duct 33, exhaust duct 34, inlet 11, and outlet 13. The battery holder 5 provides an inlet 11 and an outlet 13 on its end face portion 6a, allowing for effective cooling by supplying cooling air to the cooling position of the lead plates 20 located on the end face portion 6a. For example, the cooling position of the lead plates 20 can be a thin fuse link 21 that heats up easily, and it can be placed in the cooling air flow path for concentrated and effective cooling. (Core pack 3)

[0031] The core pack 3 shown in Figures 2 to 4 has a first top surface 3a, a second bottom surface 3b opposite the first surface 3a, and sides connected on all four sides to the first surface 3a and the second surface 3b. Each side has a pair of longitudinal sides and a pair of transverse ends, and the horizontal cross-sectional shape is a quadrilateral (including the approximate shape), forming an elongated hexahedron (rectangular parallelepiped). The core pack 3 arranges multiple battery cells 1 vertically in an upright, parallel position, with the first surface 3a and the second surface 3b facing the cell end faces 1a and 1b of the battery cells 1. The width in the transverse direction and the length in the longitudinal direction (second direction) of the core pack 3 are determined by the number and arrangement of the multiple battery cells 1, and the height is determined by the height of the battery cells 1. Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a 6-parallel, 5-series configuration for illustrative purposes, but this disclosure does not specify the number or connection of the battery cells 1. (Battery holder 5)

[0032] The core pack 3 has a battery holder 5 that holds and supports a plurality of battery cells 1. The battery holder 5 arranges each battery cell 1 in a predetermined position and orientation. The battery holder 5 can support and hold the battery cells 1 with a divided holder which is divided into two or more parts. The battery holder 5 in Figures 2 and 3 has a first holder 5A that holds one cell end face 1a and a second holder 5B that holds the other cell end face 1b. The battery holder 5 has an end face portion 6a that faces the cell end faces 1a and 1b, and an insertion cylinder 6b into which the battery cell 1 is partially inserted. The first and second holders 5B in Figures 2 and 7 each have an end face portion 6a and an insertion cylinder 6b, and hold a plurality of battery cells 1 in a parallel orientation with the cell end faces 1a and 1b on both sides in the same plane. The battery holder 5 can have a predetermined number, arrangement, opening area, and shape of multiple inlets 11 and outlets 13, and the inlets 11 and outlets 13 can efficiently cool the battery cell 1 and lead plate 20 during inflow and outflow. The battery holder 5 can be provided with through holes, notches, and openings for adhesives, etc.

[0033] The core pack 3 has a hollow cooling gap 10 between multiple battery cells 1, in which the cell sides 1c are exposed. The core pack 3 forms a hollow cooling gap 10 between the first and second holders 5A and 5B that exposes the cell sides 1c of the multiple battery cells 1. The battery holder 5 arranges the multiple battery cells 1 in the hollow cooling gap 10 with spacing between them, so that the cell sides 1c are exposed on all sides and between the first and second holders 5B, and a large cooling area for the cell sides 1c cooled by cooling air can be secured in the vertical and horizontal directions. Furthermore, since the first and second holders 5B hold the cell end faces 1a and 1b on both sides, no spacers are required in the cooling gap 10 to ensure spacing between the battery cells 1, and cooling air can be smoothly blown to cool each cell side 1c.

[0034] The cooling gap 10 is formed between the intake duct 33 and the exhaust duct 34, and both ends are connected to the intake duct 33 and the exhaust duct 34 via the inlet hole 12 and the outlet hole 14, blowing cooling air in the first direction. In Figures 1 to 3, the cooling air is drawn into the outer case 50 (50B) through the outer case intake port 51 on one end face (left end face) of the outer case 50, guided to the intake port 31, and drawn from the intake port 31 into the intake duct 33 inside the cover portion 30 (first cover portion 35). The air is blown horizontally (second direction) in the intake duct 33, flows vertically (first direction) through the cooling gaps 10 between the multiple battery cells 1 from the inlet 11 and passes through, and flows out from the outlet 13 into the exhaust duct 34 inside the cover portion 30 (second cover portion 36). The air is again blown horizontally (second direction) through the exhaust duct 34 and exhausted outside the cover portion 30 (second cover portion 36) from the exhaust port 32, and further exhausted outside the outer case 50 (50B) through the outer case exhaust port 52 on the other end face (right end face) of the outer case 50 (50B). In this configuration, the blowing mechanism 40 supplies cooling air to each battery cell 1 and cools it by directly applying it. Therefore, the cooling air does not flow from upstream to downstream while passing through the cell sides 1c of the multiple battery cells 1, and the air heated by passing through the multiple battery cells 1 does not flow downstream. This disclosure efficiently cools and improves cooling performance, reduces the temperature difference of the battery cells 1, and achieves uniformity of the cooling temperature of the battery cells 1.

[0035] The battery holder 5 has multiple inlets 11 and outlets 13 on the end faces 6a of the first and second holders 5A and 5B, which face the end faces 1a and 1b of each cell. The first holder 5A has an inlet 11 for bringing cooling air from the intake duct 33 into the cooling gap 10, and the second holder 5B has an outlet 13 for releasing cooling air from the cooling gap 10 into the exhaust duct 34. The multiple inlets 11 and outlets 13 are connected at both ends of the cooling gap 10, and serve as the inlet and outlet for the cooling gap 10, allowing cooling air to flow in and out. The inlets 11 and outlets 13 are located on both sides of the battery cell 1 (upper and lower sides in Figures 2 and 3), and the cooling gap 10 is formed with the inlets 11 and outlets 13 at both ends. The cooling gap 10 is connected to the intake duct 33 and the exhaust duct 34 via the inlets 11 and outlets 13.

[0036] Two or more inlets 11 are provided in the first holder 5A, and two or more outlets 13 are provided in the second holder 5B. The two or more inlets 11 and outlets 13 are spaced apart in the width direction and longitudinal direction of the core pack 3. For example, in the first holder 5A shown in Figures 4 to 6, four inlets 11 (11A to 11D) are arranged in the width direction of the core pack 3 for every two rows of parallel blocks 2, starting from the blower mechanism 40 side (left side in Figure 4), and five rows of four inlets 11 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the core pack 3. In the second holder 5B shown in Figures 10 to 13, eight outlets 13 (13A to 13G) are arranged in the width direction of the core pack 3 for every two rows of parallel blocks 2, and five rows of eight outlets 13 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the core pack 3. The inlets 11 consist of four inlets 11A to 11D, which are spaced apart in the width direction of the core pack 3. In each of the two parallel blocks 2, the four inlets 11 are arranged in five rows, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the core pack 3.

[0037] The core pack 3 (battery holder 5) has more outlets 13 than inlets 11, and the parallel block 2 also has more outlets 13 than inlets 11. Furthermore, the first and second holders 5A and 5B are arranged around or near the cell end faces 1a and 1b of the same battery cell 1, and have multiple outlets 13 relative to the inlet 11 that allows cooling air to flow into and out of the same battery cell 1. In the examples in Figures 4 to 6 and 10 to 13, two outlets 13A and 13B are provided relative to one inlet 11A, allowing cooling air to flow into and out of the same battery cells 1A and 1B. Also, four outlets 13A to 13D are provided relative to one inlet 11B, allowing cooling air to flow into and out of the same battery cells 1A to 1D. Similarly, four outlets 13C to 13F are provided for one inlet 11C, allowing cooling air to flow into and out of the same battery cells 1C to 1F. Two outlets 13G and 13H are provided for one inlet 11D, allowing cooling air to flow into and out of the same battery cells 1E and 1F. With the above configuration, the cooling air flowing in from one inlet 11 is divided and flows out through at least two or more outlets 13, the cooling air is divided and dispersed within the cooling gap 10, the airflow range is expanded, the cooling air can be discharged over a wide area, and the exchange and agitation of the cooling air can be promoted. This disclosure is illustrative and does not specify the number, shape, arrangement, structure, etc. of the inlets 11, outlets 13, inlets 12, and outlets 14.

[0038] The inlets 11 and outlets 13 in Figures 3 to 8 are positioned between multiple battery cells 1, and each inlet 11 and outlet 13 allows cooling air to flow in and out along the cell sides 1c of the multiple battery cells 1. Furthermore, the dead space between adjacent cylindrical batteries can be effectively utilized. The outlets 13 (inlets 11) are spaced apart from adjacent outlets 13, for example, by a distance greater than or equal to the radius of the battery cell 1, preferably greater than or equal to its diameter. The inlets 11 and outlets 13 can be positioned to partially overlap in the first direction, or they can be positioned to not overlap at all. By positioning multiple outlets 13 at different, non-overlapping positions relative to one inlet 11, cooling air can be discharged from a position and direction different from the inflow direction.

[0039] The outlet 13 and / or inlet 11 can be positioned in accordance with the number, shape, and arrangement of the lead plates 20 and fuse links 21 located in close proximity, and their shape, opening area, etc., can be determined. The supplied cooling air can cool the cooling area of ​​the lead plates 20 together with the battery cell 1, and the lead plates 20 can be efficiently cooled and localized cooling efficiency can be improved by adjusting the arrangement of the inlet 11 and outlet 13, the opening area, the flow rate and velocity of the cooling air, etc. The outlet 13 and / or inlet 11 can be positioned to overlap at least a portion of the fuse links 21, the flow path can be set so that the cooling air blown onto the fuse links 21, and the guide section 9 can guide and draw in the airflow. Furthermore, the outlet 13 (inlet 11) can be provided in a number greater than or equal to the number of fuse links 21, and can also be provided in addition to the fuse links 21 to cool the lead plates 20 together with the battery cell 1 (for example, outlets 13B, 13G, etc.).

[0040] The inlet 11 can be provided with one or more inlet holes 12. The single inlet hole 12 can have the same opening area as the inlet 11, thus increasing its opening area. The arrangement, number, shape, and opening area of ​​the multiple inlet holes 12 can determine the supply position, direction, amount, and flow velocity of the cooling air. The inlet holes 12 can be provided according to the number of adjacent battery cells 1, and cooling air can be supplied to the side surface 1c of each cell. An inlet hole 12 (inlet 11) can be provided for each battery cell 1, and cooling air can be supplied to each battery cell 1. For example, an inlet 11A adjacent to two battery cells 1A and 1B has two inlet holes 12A1 and 12A2, and an inlet 11B adjacent to four battery cells 1A to 1D has four inlet holes 12B1 to 12B4, and cooling air can be supplied to each battery cell 1. The inlet holes 12 can have an opening shape that extends along the outer edge of the cell end face 1a and along the cell side surface 1c.

[0041] The inlet 13 and / or outlet 11 may have a recess 15 that is recessed inward from the outer surface of the battery holder 5 on the first surface 3a and second surface 3b of the core pack 3. The recess 15 of the inlet 13 in Figures 5 to 8 has a bottom 15a and a recessed side surface 15b connected to the bottom 15a, and is provided with a plurality of inlet holes 12. In the figures, the inlet holes 12 are air vents that open and penetrate continuously through the bottom 15a and the recessed side surface 15b, but the inlet holes 12 can also be provided on the bottom 15a or the recessed side surface 15b. By providing the inlet holes 12 in the recess 15, the opening area of ​​the inlet holes 12 can be made larger than when they are provided planarly on the first surface 3a, and the opening area of ​​the recess 15 can be made larger than the opening area of ​​the inlet holes 12. Furthermore, the recess 15 in the figure is positioned between multiple battery cells 1, and inlet holes 12 are provided along the outer edges of each cell end face 1a, 1b and along the cell side surface 1c, allowing cooling air to be supplied to each battery cell 1. The inlet holes 12 can determine the direction, amount, and velocity of the cooling air inflow within a certain range. For example, the bottom portion 15a can divide, disperse, diffuse, and supply the cooling air to each inlet hole 12. The bottom portion 15a can also prevent parts from falling in. The bottom portion 15a can be, for example, flat, curved, or tapered, and together with the concave side surface 15b, it can form a three-dimensional shape such as a roughly trapezoidal pyramid. The recess 15 can also be constructed using only the concave side surface 15b without providing a bottom portion 15a, for example, a roughly inverted triangular pyramid. The inlet 11 can also be a through hole without providing a recess.

[0042] The outlet 13, like the inlet 11, can be provided with a recess 15 and one or more outlet holes 14. The recess 15 allows for a larger opening area of ​​the outlet holes 14, enabling the outlet holes 14 to be positioned at a predetermined location, facilitating the outflow of cooling air, and efficiently cooling each battery cell 1 and lead plate 20. When the lead plate 20 is positioned on the second surface 3b side, the recess 15 of the outlet 13 allows the cooling air flowing out from the multiple outlet holes 14 to be supplied to the cooling position of the lead plate 20. The recess 15 and outlet holes 14 are positioned along the fuse link 21, with their opening area, shape, arrangement, and number determined accordingly, so that they overlap with a portion of the fuse link 21 and open to efficiently cool the fuse link 21. In this disclosure, the description of one of the inlet 11 and outlet 13 applies to the other unless there are special circumstances. Duplication is omitted from the description.

[0043] In the power supply unit 100 shown in Figure 3, cooling air is drawn in from the intake port 31 and blown through the intake duct 33 from upstream to downstream (second direction, left to right), flowing into the cooling gap 10 from each inlet 11 (inlet hole 12). Within the cooling gap 10, the air is blown in a first direction along the side surface 1c of each cell to cool each battery cell 1. The air then flows out from each outlet 13 (outlet hole 14) into the exhaust duct 34, where it merges and is exhausted outside the cover portion 30 towards the exhaust port 32. By equalizing the amount of cooling air flowing into and out of the cooling gap 10 on the upstream and downstream sides of the intake duct 33 and exhaust duct 34, uneven cooling and temperature differences in the battery cells 1 can be reduced. However, there is a problem in that the amount of cooling air flowing through the cooling gap 10 tends to be less on the upstream side of the intake duct 33 than on the downstream side, and the difference in the amount of cooling air flowing tends to increase as the length of the intake duct 33 increases. Therefore, the core pack 3 facilitates the flow of cooling air into the cooling gap 10 upstream of the intake duct 33, thereby reducing the difference in the amount of cooling air flowing through each cooling gap 10. The inlets 11 and / or outlets 13 (hereinafter, inlets 12 and / or outlets 14 may also be included) can be the same or different in number, arrangement, opening area, shape, spacing, etc. By making one or more of the inlets 11 and / or outlets 13 different on the upstream and downstream sides of the intake duct 33 and exhaust duct 34, the amount of air supplied to the cooling gaps 10 can be made uniform, and the difference in cooling temperature can be reduced.

[0044] The opening area of the inflow ports 11 is larger on the upstream side of the intake duct 33 than on the downstream side, which makes it easier for cooling air to flow into the inflow ports 11 on the upstream side. When the opening area of the inflow port 11 on the upstream side is defined as 100%, the opening area of the inflow port 11 can be set to 100% to several percent as it progresses toward the downstream side. The opening area of the inflow port 11 can be increased gradually at a constant ratio or by a constant area from the downstream side to the upstream side of the intake duct 33, and can also be increased stepwise. For example, it can be increased gradually at a ratio of 1% or more and 30% or less, 2% or more and 20% or less, or 3% or more and 15% or less. The opening area of the most upstream inflow port 11 can be maximized, and the opening area of the most downstream inflow port 11 can be minimized. Furthermore, the arrangement interval of the inflow ports 11 is smaller on the upstream side of the intake duct 33 than on the downstream side, which makes it easier for cooling air to flow into the inflow ports 11 on the upstream side. The arrangement interval of the inflow ports 11 can be decreased gradually at a constant ratio or by a constant interval from the downstream side to the upstream side of the intake duct 33, and can also be reduced stepwise. For example, the interval can be narrowed at a ratio within a range of 1 mm or more and 2 cm or less, or 1 mm or more and 1 cm or less. The arrangement interval between inflow ports 11 adjacent to the most upstream side can be minimized, and the arrangement interval between inflow ports 11 adjacent to the most downstream side can be maximized. In addition, one or more of the shape, width, length and arrangement of the inflow ports 11 on the upstream side and the downstream side, and the opening area, width, length, shape and arrangement of the inflow holes 12 can be set differently, so as to make it easier for cooling air to flow into the inflow ports 11 on the upstream side. Two or more of these can also be combined. For example, the inflow ports 11 on the upstream side can have a larger opening area than those on the downstream side, and can have a narrower arrangement interval. Furthermore, more inflow ports 11 on the downstream side can be arranged with a smaller opening area than those on the upstream side. The inflow holes 12 on the upstream side and the downstream side, together with the inflow ports 11 (recesses 15), can have different opening areas, widths, lengths, shapes, arrangements, and the like. Furthermore, while the inflow ports 11 (recesses 15) have the same configuration, the inflow holes 12 can have different opening areas, widths, lengths, shapes, arrangements, and the like.

[0045] The battery holder 5 may have a guide section 9 that guides cooling air to the inlet 11. The guide section 9 can be provided in the intake duct 33 along the inlet 11 for each of the one or more inlets 11. The guide section 9 can use any shape or structure that contacts and guides the blown cooling air to the inlet 11, and can be configured with, for example, protrusions, convex parts, ribs, recesses, indentations, tapered surfaces, flat surfaces, curved surfaces, etc. The guide section 9 can make it easier for cooling air to flow into the inlet 11 and can increase the amount of air that flows in. Figure 9 shows an example in which the first holder 5A1 has a guide section 9. In Figure 9, the guide section 9 is L-shaped or V-shaped depending on the shape of the inlet 11 and recess 15, and four guide sections 9A1 to 9A4 are arranged in the width direction (short side direction) from the back side in the order of L-shape, V-shape, V-shape, L-shape. The L-shaped guide sections 9A1 and 9A4 on both sides are connected to the rising portion 8b of the side wall, forming a U-shape that guides cooling air to the inlets 11A and 11D. The V-shaped guide sections 9A2 and 9A3 in the center guide the cooling air upstream of the V-shape to the inlets 11B and 11C, respectively. Figure 9 shows the guide sections 9 arranged in the longitudinal direction (airflow direction) from the first row to the fourth row from the upstream side. The guide sections 9 in Figure 9 protrude vertically in a plate-like shape from the outer surface of the first holder 5A1, but can also protrude in a forward-tilting position on the upstream side. The guide sections 9 may also be provided on the inner surface of the first cover section 35 on the top and side sides of the intake duct 33. Furthermore, the guide sections 9 can have the same or different heights, shapes, widths, arrangements, structures, etc., on the upstream and downstream sides.

[0046] Figure 9 shows that the height of the guide section 9 is higher on the upstream side of the intake duct 33 than on the downstream side, making it easier for cooling air to flow into the upstream inlet 11. In Figure 9, the height of each of the four guide sections 9 (9A1 to 9A4, etc.) in the width direction (short side) is the same, and the height of the guide sections 9A to 9D arranged in four rows from the first to the fourth row in the longitudinal direction (airflow direction) decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side. The heights of the guide sections 9A to 9D are set to 9A > 9B > 9C > 9D. The upstream guide section 9 is made higher than the downstream side to increase the guide and contact area of ​​the blown cooling air. In Figure 9, the outlet 11 of the furthest downstream row (fifth row) does not have a guide section 9, promoting the flow of cooling air in the downstream region into the inlet 11 without specifying a direction. However, a low-height outlet 11 may also be provided. The guide sections 9 can also be combined with the opening area and spacing of the inlet 11 as described above.

[0047] Similarly to the inflow port 11, the outflow ports 13 can also be configured such that, through adjusting the opening area, arrangement spacing and shape of the outflow ports 13, and the opening area, shape, arrangement and spacing of the inflow holes 12, cooling air can easily flow out from the outflow ports 13 on the upstream side of the exhaust duct 34, the blowing, movement and replacement of cooling air in the cooling gaps 10 is promoted, and the difference between the cooling air flowing through the cooling gaps 10 on the upstream side and that on the downstream side can be reduced. For example, the opening area of the outflow ports 13 on the upstream side of the exhaust duct 34 can be made larger than that on the downstream side, and / or the arrangement spacing of the outflow ports 13 on the upstream side of the exhaust duct 34 can be made smaller than that on the downstream side.

[0048] The battery holder 5 can be provided with partition walls 7 for insulation. The partition walls 7 have insulating properties, are connected to the end face portion 6a, and extend in a first direction between the battery cells 1 held at a predetermined position and in a predetermined posture by the battery holder 5. The partition walls 7 can be made of resin or the like, and can be formed integrally with the battery holder 5. The battery holder 5 can partition insulated regions by means of its peripheral wall and the partition walls 7. The first and second holders 5B are connected by the partition walls 7 to form a three-dimensional structure that can position a plurality of battery cells 1, and the peripheral wall and the partition walls 7 can improve the connection strength, seismic strength and impact resistance strength. The partition walls 7 partition a plurality of adjacent battery cells 1 from one another. The partition walls 7 shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 10 are partition walls that face the side faces 1c of the cells and separate adjacent parallel blocks 2, and partition the cooling gaps 10 for each parallel block 2. The partition walls 7 extend in the blowing direction of the cooling air, cover adjacent parallel blocks 2 and provide insulation, so they do not obstruct the blowing of the cooling air. The partition walls 7 are arranged according to the outer shape and arrangement of the battery cells 1, and can have shapes such as a flat surface, a curved surface, a zigzag shape, a sine wave shape, irregularities, and steps, for example.

[0049] The battery holders 5 (first and second holders 5A and 5B) in Figures 2 and 3 hold each battery cell 1 with an end face portion 6a and an insertion cylinder 6b, and have first and second duct forming portions 8B that are connected to the cover portion 30 to form an intake duct 33 and an exhaust duct 34. The first duct forming portion 8A in Figures 3 and 5 has an end face portion 6a that faces and is continuous with the cell end faces 1a of the plurality of battery cells 1, a peripheral portion 8a that is connected to the end face portion 6a and is provided outward from its periphery, and a rising portion 8b that rises upward from the outer edge of the peripheral portion 8a and becomes a side wall. The end face portion 6a and the peripheral portion 8a become the bottom surface of the intake duct 33, and one or both of the rising portion 8b and the side portion 35b of the first cover portion 35 become the side surface of the intake duct 33. The peripheral portion 8a in Figure 5 extends above the blower mechanism 40 and has an opening 8c that supplies cooling air from the blower mechanism 40 to the intake duct 33, which is called the intake port 31. Similarly, the second duct forming portion 8B has an end face portion 6a, a peripheral portion 8a, and a rising portion 8b, with the end face portion 6a and the peripheral portion 8a becoming the top surface of the exhaust duct 34, and one or both of the side portions 36b of the second cover portion 36 becoming the side surface of the exhaust duct 34. The exhaust duct 34 in Figure 3 opens at its downstream end as an exhaust port 32.

[0050] The cover portion 30 (the first cover portion 35 and the second cover portion 36) can close the upper and lower openings of the first and second duct forming portions 8A and 8B as an upper and lower cover, respectively, and the closed hollow space can be made into an intake duct 33 and an exhaust duct 34. The upper opening of the first duct forming portion 8A can be closed with the cover portion 30 to form an intake duct 33. The rising portion 8b in Figures 2 and 5 is provided on the outer edge of the first duct forming portion 8A and can be connected to the side portion 35b of the first cover portion 35 by a fitting structure. The rising portion 8b and the side portion 35b of the first cover portion 35 can be connected by an interlocking structure in which one is a concave part and the other is a convex part to improve the degree of airtightness, reduce and suppress air leakage, loss and pressure loss, and efficiently blow and supply cooling air to the cooling gap 10 to achieve efficient and uniform cooling. Similarly, the lower opening of the second duct forming section 8B can be closed with the cover section 30 to form the exhaust duct 34. The rising section 8b in Figures 2 and 11 is provided on the outer periphery of the second duct forming section 8B, except for one side or a part thereof on the downstream side, in order to blow cooling air from the exhaust duct 34 to the exhaust port 32. It can be connected to the side section 36b of the second cover section 36 by a fitting structure, and the rising section 8b and the side section 36b can be connected by an interlocking structure. (Outer case 50)

[0051] The outer case 50 houses the core pack 3. The outer case 50 can be composed of two or more divided cases. The outer case 50 illustrated in Figure 2 has two divided outer cases 50A and 50B, which can be connected and fixed by screw fastening, a fitting structure, etc., to close the opening. The power supply unit 100 has an outer case 50 in addition to the cover part 30, but the cover part 30 can be used in combination with the outer case 50. Alternatively, the power supply unit 100 may be housed in electrical equipment, devices, etc., without having an outer case 50.

[0052] The outer casing 50 has an outer casing intake port 51 for drawing cooling air into the outer casing 50 and an outer casing exhaust port 52 for discharging cooling air outside the outer casing 50. In the outer casing 50 shown in Figures 2 and 3, the outer casing intake port 51 is provided on one end face (left end face), and the outer casing exhaust port 52 is provided on the other end face (right end face). By arranging the outer casing intake port 51 and the outer casing exhaust port 52 at a distance from both end faces, the extension distance of the intake duct 33 and the exhaust duct 34 is ensured, and the inside of the outer casing 50 has a simple structure, thereby achieving efficient cooling. Cooling air such as outside air is drawn into the outer casing 50 from the outer casing exhaust port 52, flows into the cooling gap 10 from the intake duct 33 within the outer casing 50, flows out into the exhaust duct 34, and is exhausted outside the outer casing 50 from the outer casing exhaust port 52. (Cover portion 30)

[0053] The cover portion 30 partially or entirely covers the outer surface of the core pack 3 (battery holder 5) and forms an intake duct 33 and / or exhaust duct 34 between the inner surface of the cover portion 30 and the outer surface of the core pack 3. One or more cover portions 30 can be provided. The cover portion 30 in Figures 2 and 3 has a first cover portion 35 connected to the core pack 3 (battery holder 5) to form an intake duct 33, and a second cover portion 36 connected to the core pack 3 (battery holder 5) to form an exhaust duct 34. The first and second cover portions 35 and 36 are connected to the first surface 3a and the second surface 3b of the core pack 2 at a distanced position, but may also be connected to the outer case 50. Multiple cover portions 30 can also be connected to each other.

[0054] In Figures 2 and 3, the intake duct 33 is formed between the inner surface of the first cover portion 35 and the first surface 3a of the core pack 3 (the upper surface of the first holder 5A), and the exhaust duct 34 is formed between the inner surface of the second cover portion 36 and the second surface 3b of the core pack 3 (the lower surface of the second holder 5B) which is opposite the first surface 3a. The intake duct 33 and the exhaust duct 34 are arranged on opposing longitudinal surfaces of the core pack 3 and extend outwards. In Figure 3, the intake duct 33 is positioned on the upper side of the core pack 3 and the exhaust duct 34 is positioned on the lower side. The intake duct 33 and the exhaust duct 34 blow cooling air in a second longitudinal direction (from left to right in Figure 3), and are connected to the cooling gap 10 at their inlet 11 and outlet 13, respectively, and the cooling gap 10 blows cooling air in a first direction (from top to bottom in Figure 3). The above configuration allows for efficient cooling by supplying cooling air from the upper side of the core pack 3, where the temperature rises more easily than the lower side. It also allows for the supply of denser cooling air from the top to the bottom while continuously supplying and agitating the cooling air. The exhaust duct 34 and intake duct 33 can be arranged upside down, with the intake duct 33 on the bottom and the exhaust duct 34 on the top. This configuration allows cooling air to be blown from bottom to top through the cooling gap 10, and the rising of the cooled air, which has been heated while being cooled along the cell side 1c, can be used to discharge it from the upper outlet 13, thereby promoting the exchange of cooling air. The intake duct 33 and exhaust duct 34 can also be arranged on one longitudinal side and the opposite side of the core pack 3 on both the left and right sides.

[0055] The exhaust duct 34 and intake duct 33 in Figure 3 extend along the first surface 3a and second surface 3b of the core pack 3, respectively, in the longitudinal direction of the core pack 3, and blow cooling air from the outer case intake port 51 side (intake port 31 side) to the outer case exhaust port 52 side (exhaust port 32 side) in the same longitudinal direction of the case 30. Both the intake duct 33 and exhaust duct 34 in Figure 3 blow air from left to right, with the intake port 31 side (left side) being the upstream side and the exhaust port 32 side (right side) being the downstream side. The intake duct 33 and exhaust duct 34 communicate with the cooling gap 10 via multiple inlets 11 and outlets 13, and communicate at both ends of the cooling gap 10. The intake duct 33 blows cooling air in a second direction from upstream to downstream (left to right), while simultaneously splitting the air in a vertical direction (first direction) and flowing into the cooling gap 10 from each inlet 11. The exhaust duct 34 blows the cooling air in a second direction, from upstream to downstream (left to right), while converging the cooling air that has flowed out from the cooling gap 10 to each outlet 13. The intake duct 33 and exhaust duct 34 are air-blowing spaces and regions having width, length, and height, and by having a length that extends in the longitudinal direction of the case 30, a number of inlets 11 and outlets 13 can be arranged according to the battery cell 1, and the cooling gap 10 can be enlarged and extended. The intake duct 33 and exhaust duct 34 can have the same or different vertical cross-sectional areas, and the top and bottom surfaces (first surface 3a and second surface 3b) of the core pack 3 can be arranged parallel or non-parallel. For example, the height of the intake duct 33 can be lowered to facilitate the guidance of the guide section 9. The flow velocity can be increased by reducing the vertical cross-sectional area in the air-blowing direction, and the flow velocity can be decreased by increasing the vertical cross-sectional area. The intake duct 33 is sloped upward from the upstream side to the downstream side, making it easier for the blown cooling air to hit the back of the inlet 11. The exhaust duct 34 can also be depressurized by providing one or more exhaust valves, an outer casing exhaust port 52, etc., to facilitate the outflow from the outlet 13 into the exhaust duct 34.

[0056] The cover portion 30 can have a shape and structure such as a curved surface, flat surface, or inclined surface that guides and directs the cooling air in the duct in the direction of airflow and promotes smooth airflow. The first cover portion 35 in Figures 2 and 3 has a top surface 35a and side portions 35b connected to the outer periphery and each side of the top surface 35a, and is a box shape that opens downwards. It is connected to the first surface 3a of the core pack 3 (the upper surface of the first holder 5A) to form the intake duct 33. As shown in Figure 3, the top surface 35a can be provided with a recess 35c having a depression or curved surface. The recess 35c can smoothly change the direction of airflow of the cooling air, guide and send it to the intake duct 33, and prevent stagnation, accumulation, and buildup of cooling air at corners, dead ends, etc. The second cover portion 36 has a bottom surface 36a and side portions connected to the outer periphery of the bottom surface and each side, and is box-shaped with an upward opening. It is connected to the second surface 3b of the core pack 3 (the lower surface of the second holder 5B) to form the exhaust duct 34. The first cover portion 35 and the second cover portion 36 are connected to the battery holder 5, integrating the intake duct 33, exhaust duct 34, and core pack 3 to improve strength. Furthermore, the intake duct 33 and exhaust duct 34 can be easily formed in predetermined shapes, simplifying positioning and assembly. (Blower 40)

[0057] The power supply unit 100 includes one or more air blowing mechanisms 40 for air-cooling the battery cells 1 in the core pack 3. The air blowing mechanism 40 can be, for example, a fan or blower, and any structure capable of forcibly blowing cooling air to cool the battery cells 1 when placed inside the outer case 50 can be used. Air blowing includes blowing and sucking. The air blowing mechanism 40 in Figure 3 is placed on the outer case intake port 51 side (upstream side) and blows cooling air into the outer case 50. The air blowing mechanism 40 can also be placed on the outer case exhaust port 52 side (downstream side) to suck in the cooling air inside the outer case 50. It can also be placed on both the outer case intake port 51 side and the outer case exhaust port 52 side.

[0058] The power supply unit 100 described above was confirmed through simulation analysis to improve cooling performance compared to natural convection and achieve uniform cooling temperature. For example, in the power supply unit 100 shown in Figures 1 to 3, which has 30 cylindrical batteries and battery cells 1 not covered with insulating tubes, the airflow rate on the exhaust port 32 side was changed to 10, 20, 30 CFM, etc., and the degree to which cooling performance and uniform cooling temperature were achieved was verified from the maximum temperature, minimum temperature, average temperature, temperature difference between maximum and minimum, cooling temperature, time, flow velocity, flow velocity difference, pressure difference, etc. of the battery cells 1 in the core pack 3. It was confirmed that under various conditions, the cooling performance could be improved by approximately 5% to 40% compared to natural convection, the cooling temperature difference could be reduced, and uniform cooling temperature could be achieved. For example, it was confirmed that the maximum temperature of the battery cell 1 inside the core pack 3 can be reduced by 10°C at an airflow rate of 30 CFM compared to natural convection, and furthermore, the temperature difference between the highest and lowest temperatures of the battery cell 1 inside the core pack 3 can be reduced by 30% compared to natural convection. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the degree to which efficient cooling can be achieved differs depending on the configuration, for example, by increasing the opening area of ​​the inlet 11 by 3% to 15% from the downstream side to the upstream side of the intake duct 33, and similarly changing the opening area of ​​the outlet 13 of the exhaust duct 34, or by changing the opening areas of both the inlet 11 and the outlet 13, thereby making the inlet 11 and / or outlet 13 have different opening areas on the upstream and downstream sides; by narrowing the intake duct 33 by 5% to 15% from the downstream side to the upstream side, and changing the outlet 13, thereby making the inlet 11 and / or outlet 13 have different spacings on the upstream and downstream sides; by making the inlet holes 12 and / or outlet holes 14 have different opening areas, numbers, and arrangements; and by providing a guide section 9, and setting the guide section 9 at different heights. Compared to cases without these configurations, it is possible to reduce the cooling temperature difference by approximately 5% to 60% and achieve uniform cooling temperatures.

[0059] The power supply unit described above can be suitably used as a power supply unit that improves cooling performance and equalizes cooling temperature with a simple structure.

[0060] 100...Power supply unit 1, 1A to 1F...Battery cell; 1a, 1b...Cell end face, 1c...Cell side 2, 2A...Parallel block 3...Core pack; 3a...First face, 3b...Second face 5...Battery holder; 5A, 5A1...First holder, 5B...Second holder 6a...End face portion, 6b...Insertion tube 7...Partition wall 8...Duct forming portion; 8A...First duct forming portion, 8B...Second duct forming portion; 8a...Peripheral portion, 8b...Rising portion, 8c...Opening 9, 9A1 to 9A4, 9B, 9C, 9D...Guide portion 10...Cooling gap 11, 11A to 11D...Inlet 12, 12A1 to 12A2, 12B1 to 12B4, 12C1 to 12C4, 12D1 to 12D2...Inlet hole 13, 13A-13H... Outlet 14, 14A1-14A2, 14B1, 14C1-14C4, 14D1, 14E1-14E4, 14F1, 14G1-14G2, 14H1... Outlet 15... Recess; 15a... Bottom, 15b... Recessed side 20... Lead plate; 21... Fuse link, 22... Current collector tab 30... Cover part 31... Intake port, 32... Exhaust port 33... Intake duct, 34... Exhaust duct 35... First cover part; 35a... Top surface, 35b... Side surface, 35c... Recess 36... Second cover part; 36a... Bottom surface, 36b... Side surface 40... Blower mechanism 50, 50A, 50B... Outer case 51... Outer case intake port 52... Outer case exhaust port 60... Circuit components

Claims

1. A core pack having a plurality of battery cells, a cover portion that covers the core pack at least partially, and a blowing mechanism for blowing cooling air into the cover portion, wherein the core pack and / or the cover portion has an intake port for drawing cooling air into the cover portion and an exhaust port for discharging cooling air outside the cover portion, the cover portion has an intake duct between the inner surface of the cover portion and the first surface of the core pack, and an exhaust duct between the inner surface of the cover portion and the second surface of the core pack facing the first surface, the core pack has a hollow cooling gap along the cell side surface of the battery cells, the cooling gap is in communication with the intake duct and the exhaust duct, the core pack has a battery holder for holding the battery cells, the battery holder has a first holder that holds one cell end face and a second holder that holds the other cell end face, the first holder has an inlet for flowing cooling air from the intake duct into the cooling gap. The power supply device comprises a second holder having an outlet for discharging cooling air from the cooling gap to the exhaust duct, a cooling gap formed between the first holder and the second holder, and a plurality of outlets provided for the inlet 1.

2. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the core pack has lead plates for connecting a plurality of battery cells, and the outlet and / or the inlet is positioned to overlap at least a portion of a heat-generating part within the lead plates where heat generation is significant.

3. A power supply device according to claim 2, wherein the heat-generating part is a fuse link.

4. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the inlet and / or the outlet has a recess that is recessed inward from the outer surface of the battery holder, the recess of the inlet is provided with one or more inlet holes, and / or the recess of the outlet is provided with one or more outlet holes.

5. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the cell side surface of the battery cell is exposed in the cooling gap.

6. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the battery holder has partitions separating adjacent battery cells.

7. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the battery cells are cylindrical batteries, and the inlet and / or outlet are arranged between the cell end faces of adjacent battery cells.

8. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion has a first cover portion and a second cover portion that guide cooling air in the direction of airflow, the first cover portion is connected to the first holder to form the intake duct, the second cover portion is connected to the second holder to form the exhaust duct, and the first cover portion and / or the second cover portion are connected to the first and second holders in an interlocking structure.

9. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the opening area of ​​the inlet is larger on the upstream side of the intake duct than on the downstream side.

10. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the distance between adjacent inlets is wider on the upstream side of the intake duct than on the downstream side.

11. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the first surface has a guide portion for guiding cooling air to the inlet, and the height of the guide portion is higher on the upstream side of the intake duct than on the downstream side.

12. A power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the opening area of ​​the outlet is larger on the upstream side of the exhaust duct than on the downstream side, and / or the spacing between the outlets is smaller on the upstream side of the exhaust duct than on the downstream side.

13. A power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the opening area of ​​the inlet is equal to or greater than the opening area of ​​the outlet.

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