JP6260467B2 - Assembled battery - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an assembled battery (battery module) in which a plurality of single cells (battery cells) are electrically connected to form a module.

  There is known an assembled battery including an assembled battery body obtained by electrically connecting a plurality of single cells (for example, a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery) into a module, and an exterior case that accommodates the assembled battery body. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). Usually, the exterior case includes a case main body and a lid body that is attached to the case main body and closes the opening in order to insert and accommodate the assembled battery main body from the opening.

JP2012-15011A

  In a conventional assembled battery, there is a gap or space between the assembled battery body and the case body in a state where the assembled battery body is inserted from the opening of the case body and the assembled battery body is accommodated in the case body. Due to the gap or space, the assembled battery body may be displaced in the case body (relative displacement of the assembled battery body with respect to the case body). This misalignment causes damage to the components of the assembled battery and damage to the unit cells. In other words, the gap or space between the assembled battery main body and the case main body reduces the vibration resistance and impact resistance of the assembled battery.

  An object of the present invention is to improve the vibration resistance and impact resistance of an assembled battery.

The present invention has a bottom wall, a long side wall extending from the bottom wall, and a short side wall extending from the bottom wall, and is laminated in a predetermined laminating direction so that the long side walls overlap , and electrically An assembled battery main body comprising a plurality of unit cells connected and modularized, a constraining member for constraining the plurality of single cells, an outer case for housing the assembled battery main body, the constraining member, and the outer case And a buffer member that contacts the assembled battery body and the exterior case, the assembled battery body includes a plurality of side portions extending along the stacking direction, and the buffer member is disposed. Provided is an assembled battery in which a control device is arranged on the other side of the assembled battery main body facing the side of the assembled battery main body, or on the side of the assembled battery main body on which the buffer member is arranged. To do.

  The buffer member interposed between the restraining member of the assembled battery body and the exterior case restrains the displacement of the assembled battery body within the exterior case (relative displacement of the assembled battery body with respect to the exterior case). In other words, by providing the buffer member, the positional deviation of the assembled battery body within the exterior case is not substantially allowed.

  In particular, even when vibration or impact is applied to the assembled battery, the displacement of the assembled battery in the exterior case is restrained by the buffer member interposed between the restraining member of the assembled battery body and the exterior case. . As a result, even when vibration or impact is applied to the assembled battery, it is possible to prevent the positional deviation of the assembled battery in the outer case, damage to the constituent parts of the assembled battery, and damage to the single battery. In other words, the vibration resistance and impact resistance of the assembled battery are improved by providing the buffer member.

  According to the assembled battery according to the present invention, since the buffer member is disposed between the restraining member of the assembled battery main body and the outer case, the vibration resistance and impact resistance of the assembled battery can be improved.

1 is a front sectional view of an assembled battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Sectional drawing in the II-II line of FIG. The disassembled perspective view of the assembled battery which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The conceptual perspective view of the assembled battery main body in 1st Embodiment. Sectional drawing similar to FIG. 2 of the assembled battery which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing similar to FIG. 2 of the assembled battery which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing similar to FIG. 2 of the assembled battery which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing similar to FIG. 2 of the assembled battery which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention. Front sectional drawing of the assembled battery which concerns on 6th Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing in the XX line of FIG. The conceptual perspective view of the assembled battery main body in 6th Embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic enlarged view of a portion XII in FIG. 10. Front sectional drawing of the assembled battery which concerns on 7th Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing in the XIV-XIV line | wire of FIG. Front sectional drawing of the assembled battery which concerns on 8th Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing in the XVI-XVI line of FIG. Front sectional drawing of the assembled battery which concerns on 9th Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing in the XVIII-XVIII line of FIG. Front sectional drawing of the assembled battery which concerns on 10th Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing in the XX-XX line of FIG. A front sectional view of an assembled battery concerning an 11th embodiment of the present invention. Sectional drawing in the XXII-XXII line of FIG.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(First embodiment)
1 to 3 show an assembled battery 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The assembled battery 1 includes an assembled battery body 2, a battery monitoring element (control device) 3, and a buffer member 4. The assembled battery 1 includes an assembled battery main body 2, a battery monitoring element 3, and an exterior case 5 that houses the buffer member 4.

  The exterior case 5 includes a case body 7 having a box shape in the present embodiment and having an opening 6 at the top, and a lid body 8 attached to the case body 7 and closing the opening 6.

  In the present embodiment, the case main body 7 and the lid body 8 are made of an insulating resin. The case main body 7 and the lid body 8 are preferably made of a resin having an insulating inner surface facing the assembled battery main body 2. Since the inner surfaces of the case body 7 and the lid body 8 are made of resin having insulation properties, the insulation properties of the assembled battery body 2 can be improved. The case main body 7 and the lid body 8 may be made of an insulating resin on the inner surface side and may be made of metal on the outer surface side to ensure rigidity. In this case, the lid 8 is fixed to the case body 7 by bolts, welding, or the like.

  The case body 7 includes a bottom wall (bottom part) 7e that is substantially rectangular in the present embodiment, and a peripheral side wall (peripheral side part) 7f that has a lower end connected to the peripheral edge of the bottom wall 7e and an upper end that defines the opening 6. . As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the peripheral side wall 7f in the present embodiment includes a pair of side walls 7a and 7b facing each other and another pair of side walls 7c and 7d connecting the end portions of these side walls 7a and 7b. Prepare.

  The lid 8 includes a substantially rectangular top wall 8a corresponding to the opening 6 and a peripheral side wall 8b provided at the peripheral edge of the top wall 8a. After the assembled battery main body 2, the battery monitoring element 3, and the buffer member 4 are inserted into the case main body 7 through the opening 6 of the case main body 7, and these are accommodated in the case main body 7, the lid 8 is the case main body. 7 is attached to the upper end of the peripheral side wall 7f. The lid 8 is fixed to the case body 7 by, for example, a bolt (not shown). The lid 8 may be fixed to the case body 7 by welding.

  As shown most clearly in FIG. 3, the assembled battery body 2 includes a plurality of (four in the present embodiment) unit cells 9 that are modularized.

  Referring also to FIG. 4, the unit cell 9 in this embodiment is a flat rectangular (rectangular) lithium ion battery. The unit cell 9 may be a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery other than a lithium ion battery, or may be a battery not included in the category of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. The container 11 of the unit cell 9 in the present embodiment includes a container body 13 having an opening 12 and a lid body 14 that is fixed to the container body 13 and closes the opening 12. The container body 13 and the lid body 14 are made of metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. An electrode body and an electrolytic solution (both not shown) are accommodated in the container body 13. Near both ends of the lid body 14, positive and negative electrode terminals 15 electrically connected to the electrode body are provided. Further, a safety valve 27 that is opened when the internal pressure of the container 11 is increased is provided near the center of the lid body 14. The container 11 is covered with an insulating sheet (see reference numeral 29 in FIG. 12).

  Referring to FIG. 4, the container body 13 of the unit cell 9 includes an elongated rectangular bottom wall 13a facing the opening 12 and a peripheral side wall 13b extending from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall 13a. A pair of long side walls 13c extending from the long side of the wall 13a and a pair of short side walls 13d extending from the short side of the peripheral side wall 13b are provided. The lid body 14 is fixed to the ends of the long side wall 13c and the short side wall 13d opposite to the bottom wall 13a, for example, by welding.

  Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, a plurality of unit cells 9 are stacked with spacers 17 interposed between adjacent unit cells 9. The spacer 17 in the present embodiment is made of an insulating resin for ensuring insulation between the containers 11 of the unit cells 9. In the present embodiment, the plurality of unit cells 9 are stacked with the long side walls 13c of the two adjacent unit cells 9 facing each other and the electrode terminals 15 aligned with each other. The stacking direction of the plurality of unit cells 9 is indicated by an arrow A in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4.

  End plates (restraining members) 18 are respectively arranged on the outer sides of the two unit cells 9 located on the outermost side in the stacking direction A. These end plates 18 are arranged so as to overlap the long side wall 13c of the outermost cell 9. A plurality of single cells 9 and a plurality of spacers 17 are sandwiched between the pair of end plates 18. By connecting the end plate 18 with a plurality of restraining bands (constraining members) 19, the plurality of single cells 9 and the plurality of spacers 17 are sandwiched by the pair of end plates 18 from both sides in the stacking direction A, that is, the stacking direction. It is fixed in a state of being restrained by A. The end plate 18 and the restraining band 19 are made of metal. The rigidity of the end plate 18 and the restraining band 19 is preferably higher than the rigidity of the container body 11 of the unit cell 9. By making the end plate 18 and the restraining band 19 more rigid than the container body 11 of the unit cell 9, the end plate 18 and the restraining band 19 can effectively suppress the expansion, deformation, displacement, and the like of the container body 11. .

  The electrode terminals 15 of the adjacent unit cells 9 are electrically connected by a bus bar 20 conceptually shown in FIGS. In the present embodiment, four unit cells 9 are connected in series. In addition, one electrode terminal 15 of the two unit cells 9 arranged on the outermost side in the stacking direction A is an external terminal 16 that penetrates the lid 8 and protrudes to the outside of the outer case 5 (concept only in FIG. 1). Are electrically connected via a bus bar (not shown). In addition to the external terminals 16, the cover 8 of the outer case 5 is provided with a connector 26 for external connection (shown conceptually only in FIG. 1).

  Referring to FIG. 4, the assembled battery body 2 having a plurality of unit cells 9 stacked in the above-described manner has a generally rectangular parallelepiped outer shape as a whole. Specifically, the outer shape of the assembled battery body 2 has a pair of end portions 21A and 21B that face each other in the stacking direction A. The end portions 21A and 21B of the assembled battery main body 2 are constituted by the long side walls 13c of the two unit cells 9 positioned on the outermost side in the stacking direction A. Although not shown in FIG. 4, the end plate 18 is further arranged outside the two unit cells 9 located on the outermost side in the stacking direction A as described above. Therefore, it can be said that the end plate 18 constitutes the end portions 21 </ b> A and 21 </ b> B of the assembled battery body 2. Further, the outer shape of the assembled battery main body 2 has four side portions 22A, 22B, 22C, and 22D that surround the imaginary line (center line B) that passes through the centroid of the long side wall 13c of the unit cell 9 and extends in the stacking direction A. Have The side portion 22A is constituted by the bottom walls 13a of the plurality of unit cells 9. The side portion 22 </ b> B is configured by the lid bodies 14 of the plurality of unit cells 9. The side portions 22C and 22D are configured by short side walls 13d of the plurality of unit cells 9. The four side portions 22A, 22B, 22C, and 22D all extend along the stacking direction A. The restraining band 19 is disposed on the side portions 22C and 22D.

  As shown most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the assembled battery body 2 in the present embodiment, the stacking direction A of the unit cells 9 is the vertical direction (Z direction) in the drawing, that is, the bottom wall 7 e of the case body 7. It is accommodated in the case main body 7 in a posture in which the facing direction of the lid body 8 coincides. Specifically, the assembled battery body 2 has one end 21A in the stacking direction A placed on the bottom wall 7e of the case body 7 and the other end 21B in the stacking direction A is the opening 6 of the case body 7. It is located on the side and faces the lid 8.

  1 and 2, as described above, the end 21A of the assembled battery body 2 (the long side wall 13c of the unit cell 9 in the lowermost stage in the figure) faces the bottom wall 7e of the case body 7, and the assembled battery body Two end portions 21B (the long side wall 13c of the uppermost unit cell 9 in the figure) face the lid 8. Further, the side portion 22A of the assembled battery body 2 (the bottom wall 13a of the unit cell 9) faces the side wall 7a of the case body 7, and the side portion 22B of the assembled battery body 2 (the lid 14 of the unit cell 9) is the case body. 7 side wall 7b. Further, the side portion 22C of the assembled battery body 2 (one short side wall 13d of the unit cell 9) faces the side wall 7c of the case body 7, and the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 (the other short side wall 13d of the unit cell 9). ) Faces the side wall 7d of the case body 7.

  1 and 2, the assembled battery 1 is monitored in a gap or space between the side portion 22C of the assembled battery body 2 (one short side wall 13d of the unit cell 9) and the side wall 7c of the case body 7. A battery monitoring element 3 is arranged. In other words, the battery monitoring element 3 is disposed between the side portion 22 </ b> C extending along the stacking direction A of the assembled battery body 2 and the side wall 7 c of the case body 7. In the present embodiment, the battery monitoring element 3 is fixed to the side portion 22C of the assembled battery body 2. The battery monitoring element 3 includes, for example, a circuit board and a relay unit. The battery monitoring element 3 is electrically connected to one electrode terminal 15 of the outermost cell 9 in the stacking direction A and one of the external terminals 16.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the buffer member 4 is disposed in the gap or space between the side portion 22 </ b> D (the other short side wall 13 d of the unit cell 9) of the assembled battery body 2 and the side wall 7 d of the case body 7. Has been. In other words, the buffer member 4 is disposed between the side portion 22 </ b> D extending along the stacking direction A of the assembled battery body 2 and the side wall 7 d of the case body 7. As described above, the battery monitoring element 3 is disposed on the side portion 22C side of the assembled battery main body 2, while the buffer member 4 is disposed on the side portion 22D side facing the side portion 22C. In the present embodiment, the buffer member 4 is a separate body from the exterior case 5. By making the buffer member 4 separate from the outer case 5, the outer case 5 can be easily manufactured without complicating the structure. In other words, the structure of the exterior case 5 can be improved by providing the exterior case 5 and the buffer member 4 separately from the case where the exterior case 5 is provided with a structure such as a rib for positioning the assembled battery body 2. Without being complicated, it is possible to restrain the positional deviation of the assembled battery main body 2 in the case main body 7 to be described later.

  As shown most clearly in FIG. 3, the buffer member 4 in the present embodiment includes a base portion 4 a disposed on the side portion 22 </ b> D of the assembled battery body 2, and a side wall 7 d of the case body 7 from one surface of the base portion 4 a. A plurality of protrusions (protrusions) 4b extending toward the surface. Each protrusion 4b has a rectangular cross section and extends in the Z direction in the figure, that is, in the direction in which the bottom wall 7e of the case body 7 and the lid 8 face each other (in the present embodiment, coincides with the stacking direction A). Yes. Adjacent ridges 4b are arranged at intervals in a direction (Y direction in the figure) in which the side walls 7a, 7b of the case body 7 are opposed to each other.

  As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the surface opposite to the surface on which the protrusion 4 b of the base portion 4 a of the buffer member 4 is in contact with the side portion 22 </ b> D of the assembled battery body 2. Further, the tips of the individual protrusions 4 b come into contact with the inner surface of the side wall 7 d of the case body 7. In other words, the gap or space between the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 and the side wall 7d of the case body 7 is caused by the buffer member 4 in the direction in which the side portion 22D and the side wall 7d face each other (X direction in the drawing). Buried.

  In the present embodiment, the buffer member 4 is made of a non-porous resin having insulating properties. As a material constituting the buffer member 4, a material having a rigidity capable of restraining displacement of the assembled battery main body 2 in the case main body 7 to be described later but capable of being elastically deformed to some extent is selected. Moreover, it is preferable that the material which comprises the buffer member 4 is a material which has impact absorption. The buffer member 4 may be rubber or porous resin (so-called sponge-like material). By constituting the buffer member 4 with such a material, it is possible to effectively suppress the displacement of the assembled battery body 2 in the case body 7 described later. Furthermore, it is preferable that the material which comprises the buffer member 4 is a flame retardance, and may have heat insulation.

  In addition to preventing the displacement of the assembled battery body 2 in the case body 7 which will be described in detail later, the assembled battery body 2 (including the end plate 18 and the restraining band 19) or the inner surface of the case body 7 (made of resin as described above). In order to more effectively protect the buffer member 4, it is preferable that the rigidity of the buffer member 4 is lower than the rigidity of the inner surfaces of the assembled battery body 2 and the case body 7. On the other hand, in order to prevent the displacement of the assembled battery body 2 more effectively, the rigidity of the buffer member 4 is preferably higher than the rigidity of the inner surface of the case body 7 of the exterior case 5.

  The buffer member 4 in this embodiment has the base part 4a and the some protrusion part 4b as mentioned above. However, the shape of the buffer member 4 is not particularly limited as long as the displacement of the assembled battery body 2 in the case body 7 described later can be restrained. For example, the buffer member 4 may be a simple plate. Moreover, the buffer member 4 may be comprised from the separate several components assembled | attached mutually at the time of use. Further, a plurality of separate buffer members may be arranged in a gap or a space between the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 and the side wall 7d of the case body 7.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the gap or space between the side portion 21 </ b> B (the long side wall 13 a of the unit cell 9) of the assembled battery body 2 and the top wall 8 a of the lid 8 has a thickness in this embodiment. A buffer member 24 having a fixed plate shape is disposed. The lower surface of the buffer member 24 is in contact with the end portion 21B of the assembled battery body 2 in the drawing, and the upper surface is in contact with the inner surface of the top wall 8a of the lid 8 in the drawing. In other words, the gap or space between the end portion 21B of the assembled battery body 2 and the top wall 8a of the lid 8 is a cushioning member in the direction in which the side portion 22B and the top wall 8a face each other (Z direction in the figure). It is filled with 24. In the present embodiment, the size and shape of the buffer member 24 when viewed from the stacking direction A are set to be approximately the same as the end plate 8. The material constituting the buffer member 24 may be the same as that of the buffer member 4.

  The assembly in the case body 7 is performed by the buffer member 4 that fills a gap or space between the assembled battery body 2 (side portion 22D in the present embodiment) and the peripheral side wall 7f (side wall 7d in the present embodiment) of the case body 7. The positional deviation of the battery body 2 (particularly, the positional deviation in the X direction in the figure) is constrained. In other words, by providing the buffer member 4, the positional deviation of the assembled battery body 2 within the case body 7 is not substantially allowed. In other words, by providing the buffer member 4, the assembled battery body 2 and the case body 7 are substantially integrated with each other. As a result, the rigidity of the assembled battery 1 as a whole is improved.

  In some cases, the assembled battery 1 may be subjected to vibration (for example, traveling vibration during vehicle mounting) or impact (for example, impact due to a collision of another member with the case main body 7). Even in these cases, the position of the assembled battery body 2 within the case body 7 (particularly, the buffer member 4 fills a gap or space between the assembled battery body 2 and the peripheral side wall 7f of the case body 7). In the figure, the displacement in the X direction) is constrained. As a result, even when vibration or impact is applied to the assembled battery 1, the positional deviation of the assembled battery body 2 in the case body 7, resulting in damage to the components of the assembled battery 1 or damage to the single battery. Can be prevented. That is, providing the buffer member 4 improves the vibration resistance and impact resistance of the battery pack 1.

  When another member collides with the outside of the peripheral side wall 7 f of the case body 7, the shock due to this collision is absorbed to some extent by the buffer member 4. Also in this respect, the shock resistance of the assembled battery 1 is improved by providing the buffer member 4.

  Since the displacement of the assembled battery body 2 in the case body 7 (particularly, the displacement in the X direction in the figure) is restrained by the buffer member 4, a special structure for connecting the assembled battery body 2 to the case body 7 There is no need to provide a member on the assembled battery main body 2 or the case main body 7. That is, the structure of the assembled battery body 2 and the case body 7 is not complicated, and the simplicity of the structure of the assembled battery 1 is maintained.

  As described above, according to the assembled battery 1 of the present embodiment, the buffer member 4 is disposed between the assembled battery main body 2 and the peripheral side wall 7f of the case main body 7. In addition to the overall rigidity of the battery 1, the vibration resistance and impact resistance of the assembled battery 1 can be improved.

  In the present embodiment, the buffer member 4 faces the side portion 22D (the other short side wall 13d of the unit cell 9) of the assembled battery body 2, that is, the side portion 22C of the assembled battery body 2 on which the battery monitoring element 3 is disposed. Located on the side. Therefore, it is possible to effectively suppress or prevent the influence on the battery monitoring element 3 when vibration or impact is applied to the assembled battery 1.

  Since the buffer member 4 is disposed on the side portion 22D facing the side portion 22C where the battery monitoring element 3 is disposed, a conductive element having one end connected to the circuit board or the relay unit of the battery monitoring element 3 (for example, The arrangement of the bus bars and the electric wires is not hindered by the buffer member 4. In particular, the wiring between the battery monitoring element 4 and the connector 26 is not obstructed by the buffer member 4. That is, by disposing the buffer member 4 on the side portion 22D facing the side portion 22C where the battery monitoring element 3 is disposed, it is easy to route the conductive element to the circuit board or the relay unit of the battery monitoring element 3. .

  In the present embodiment, the buffer member 24 disposed in the gap or space between the assembled battery main body 2 and the top wall 8a of the lid body 8 is also displaced in the position of the assembled battery main body 2 in the case main body 7 (particularly, In the figure, the displacement in the Z direction) is constrained. Therefore, by providing the buffer member 24 in addition to the buffer member 4, the overall rigidity of the assembled battery 1 and the vibration resistance and impact resistance of the assembled battery 1 can be improved more effectively. In the present embodiment, the size and shape of the buffer member 24 when viewed from the stacking direction A are set so as to slightly protrude from the end plate 8, and the position shift in the Z direction in the drawing of the assembled battery body 2 is performed by the buffer member 24. It can be restrained reliably. The size and shape of the buffer member 24 when viewed from the stacking direction A may be set sufficiently larger than the end plate 8. In this case, it is preferable that a hole or a notch for wiring is provided in the buffer member 24 as necessary so as not to disturb the wiring between the control device 4 and the connector 26.

  As described above, the exterior case 5 (the case body 7 and the lid body 8) in the present embodiment is made of resin. Therefore, the exterior battery case 5 is comparatively caused by interference of the assembled battery body 2 due to vibration or impact. Easy to damage. By providing the buffer members 4 and 24, it is possible to effectively protect the outer case 5 that is relatively easily damaged from interference with the assembled battery body 2.

  As described above, the shock-absorbing member 4 in the present embodiment includes a plurality of ridges 4b arranged at intervals. By providing these protrusions 4b, the surface area of the portion facing the peripheral side wall 7f (side wall 7d in the present embodiment) of the buffer member 4 is sufficient as compared with the case where the buffer member 4 has a simple plate shape. large. Therefore, for example, the heat generated in the unit cell 9 of the assembled battery body 2 during charging and discharging is effectively radiated through the buffer member 4. That is, the buffer member 4 in the present embodiment has a function of improving the heat dissipation of the unit cell 9 in addition to the function of restraining the positional deviation of the assembled battery body 2 described above.

  The buffer member 4 is disposed between the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 (the other short side wall 13d of the unit cell 9) and the side wall 7d of the case body 7. A restraining band 19 is also disposed on the side portion 22D. By disposing the buffer member on the side portion 22D where the restraint band 19 is placed in this way, it is possible to effectively prevent the restraint band 19 and the side wall 7d of the case body 7 from colliding or interfering when a vibration or impact is applied. Can be prevented.

In any case, when the end plate 18 that is a restraining member for restraining the unit cell 9 constituting the assembled battery body 2 and the restraining band 19 are compared, the restraining band 19 is narrower and narrower than the end plate 18. Therefore, if the restraint band 19 collides with or interferes with the inner surface of the case body 7, the inner surface of the case body 7 is more easily damaged than the end plate 18. In the present embodiment, the buffer member 4 is interposed between the restraining band 19 and the side wall 7d of the case main body 7 to reliably prevent the side wall 7d of the case main body 7 from being damaged due to collision or buffering of the restraining band 19. Yes.

  Even when the assembled battery main body 2 is inserted from the opening 6 of the case main body 7 of the exterior case, the buffer member 4 is interposed between the case main body 7 and the constraining band 19 so that the constraining band for the side wall 7d of the case main body 7 is obtained. It is possible to prevent 19 interference and damage to the side wall 7d resulting therefrom.

  The buffer member 4 is disposed between the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 (the other short side wall 13d of the unit cell 9) and the side wall 7d of the case body 7. The buffer member 24 is disposed between the side portion 21 </ b> B (the long side wall 13 a of the unit cell 9) of the assembled battery body 2 and the lid 8. That is, in this embodiment, none of the buffer members 4, 24 is arranged between the side portion 22 </ b> B (the lid body 14 of the unit cell 9) of the assembled battery body 2 and the outer case 5. The lid 14 of the unit cell 9 is provided with an electrode terminal 15 and a safety valve 27. Since the buffer members 4 and 24 are not disposed on the side portion 22B of the assembled battery body 2 where the electrode terminals 15 are provided, the buffer members 4 and 24 do not hinder wiring to the electrode terminals 15. Further, since the monitoring members 4 and 24 are not disposed on the side portion 22B of the assembled battery main body 2 where the safety valve 27 is provided, the buffer members 4 and 24 are separated from the container 11 of the cell 9 when the safety valve 27 is opened. Does not interfere with gas discharge.

  Hereinafter, second to eleventh embodiments of the present invention will be described. In the drawings relating to these embodiments, the same or similar elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. In addition, regarding these embodiments, configurations and functions not particularly mentioned are the same as those in the first embodiment.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 5 shows an assembled battery 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, the battery monitoring element 3 is disposed on the side portion 22D where the buffer member 4 of the assembled battery body 2 is disposed. Specifically, a recess 4a is provided on the surface of the buffer member 4 facing the side wall 7d of the case body 7, and the battery monitoring element 3 is disposed in the recess 4a. The recess 4e has a bottom on the battery body 2 side, but the side wall 7d side of the case body 7 is open. Except for this opening, the battery monitoring element 3 is surrounded by a buffer member 4. Therefore, the battery monitoring element 3 can be effectively protected from vibration and impact applied to the assembled battery 1 from the outside. In particular, since the buffer member 4 is interposed between the side portion 22D of the assembled battery main body 2 and the battery monitoring element 3, the battery monitoring element 3 is attached to the assembled battery main body 2 even when vibration or impact is applied. Interference with the side portion 22D can be reliably prevented.

  Since the recess 4 e of the buffer member 4 is open on the side wall 7 d side of the case body 7, the arrangement of the conductive element having one end connected to the circuit board or the relay unit of the battery monitoring element 3 is not hindered by the buffer member 4. In particular, the wiring between the battery monitoring element 4 and the connector 26 is not obstructed by the buffer member 4. That is, the opening of the recess 4 e functions as a communication portion for routing the conductive element connected to the battery monitoring element 4.

  The battery monitoring element 3 is disposed on the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 where the buffer member 4 is disposed. That is, the battery monitoring element 3 and the buffer member 4 are disposed on the same side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2. Therefore, the unit consisting of the assembled battery body 2, the buffer member 4, and the battery monitoring element 3 can be downsized, and the space in the outer case 5 can be effectively used.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 6 shows an assembled battery 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, the battery monitoring element 3 is accommodated in the buffer member 4. Specifically, the buffer member 4 is generally plate-shaped or rectangular, and a space 4c is formed inside. The battery monitoring element 3 is accommodated in the space 4c. The buffer member 4 surrounds almost the entire periphery of the battery monitoring element 3. Therefore, the battery monitoring element 3 can be protected from an impact applied to the assembled battery 1 from the outside, and the insulation of the circuit board and the relay unit included in the battery monitoring element 3 can be improved. In particular, since the buffer member 4 is interposed between the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 and the battery monitoring element 3, the battery monitoring element 3 is also attached to the assembled battery body even when vibration or impact is applied. Interference with the second side portion 22D can be reliably prevented.

  The buffer member 4 is provided with a communication portion 4 d that communicates from the space portion 4 c to the outer surface of the buffer member 4. The communication part 4d may be a groove or a through hole. A conductive element (for example, a bus bar or an electric wire) having one end connected to a circuit board or a relay unit of the battery monitoring element 3 housed in the space 4c of the buffer member 4 passes through the communication portion 4d, so that the outside of the buffer member 4 Can be pulled out easily. In particular, the wiring between the battery monitoring element 4 and the connector 26 is not obstructed by the buffer member 4. That is, by providing the communication part 4d, it is easy to route the conductive element to the circuit board or the relay unit of the battery monitoring element 3 accommodated in the space part 4c.

  The battery monitoring element 3 is disposed on the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 where the buffer member 4 is disposed. That is, the battery monitoring element 3 and the buffer member 4 are disposed on the same side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2. Therefore, the unit consisting of the assembled battery body 2, the buffer member 4, and the battery monitoring element 3 can be downsized, and the space in the outer case 5 can be effectively used.

(Fourth embodiment)
FIG. 7 shows an assembled battery 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  The buffer member 4 has the same structure as that of the first embodiment, and is disposed in a gap or a space between the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 and the side wall 7d of the case body 7. Further, another buffer member 25 is disposed in the gap or space between the side portion 22C of the assembled battery body 2 and the side wall 7c of the case body 7.

  The buffer member 25 is formed with a recess 25c similar to that of the second embodiment, and the battery monitoring element 3 is disposed in the recess 25c. The recess 25e has a bottom on the battery body 2 side, but the side wall 7c side of the case body 7 is open.

  Displacement of the assembled battery body 2 within the case body 7 (particularly displacement in the X direction in the figure) by disposing the buffer members 4 and 25 on both side portions 22C and 22D of the assembled battery body 2 facing each other. Can be restrained more reliably.

  The battery monitoring element 3 is surrounded by a buffer member 25 except for the opening on the side wall 7 c side of the case body 7. In particular, the buffer member 25 is interposed between the side portion 22 </ b> C of the assembled battery body 2 and the battery monitoring element 3. Therefore, the battery monitoring element 3 can be effectively protected from vibration and impact applied to the assembled battery 1 from the outside.

  Since the recess 25c of the buffer member 25 is opened on the side wall 7c side of the case body 7, the arrangement of the conductive element having one end connected to the circuit board or the relay unit of the battery monitoring element 3 is not hindered by the buffer member 25.

(Fifth embodiment)
FIG. 8 shows an assembled battery 1 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

  The buffer member 4 has the same structure as that of the first embodiment, and is disposed in a gap or a space between the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 and the side wall 7d of the case body 7. Further, another buffer member 25 is disposed in the gap or space between the side portion 22C of the assembled battery body 2 and the side wall 7c of the case body 7. The buffer member 25 is provided with a space portion 25a in which the battery monitoring element 3 is accommodated, and a communication portion 25b that connects the space portion 25a and the outer surface of the third buffer member.

  Displacement of the assembled battery body 2 within the case body 7 (particularly displacement in the X direction in the figure) by disposing the buffer members 4 and 25 on both side portions 22C and 22D of the assembled battery body 2 facing each other. Can be restrained more reliably.

  A buffer member 25 surrounds substantially the entire periphery of the battery monitoring element 3. Therefore, the battery monitoring element 3 can be protected from an impact applied to the assembled battery 1 from the outside, and the insulation of the circuit board and the relay unit included in the battery monitoring element 3 can be improved. In particular, since the buffer member 25 is interposed between the side portion 22C of the assembled battery main body 2 and the battery monitoring element 3, the battery monitoring element 3 is also connected to the assembled battery main body even when vibration or impact is applied. Interference with the second side portion 22C can be reliably prevented.

  Since the buffer member 25 is provided with the communication portion 25b, the arrangement of the conductive element having one end connected to the circuit board or the relay unit of the battery monitoring element 3 is not hindered by the buffer member 25.

(Sixth embodiment)
9 to 12 show an assembled battery 1 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

  Two heat dissipating members 35 are disposed on the buffer member 4 disposed between the side portion 22D of the assembled battery body 2 (the other short side wall 13d of the unit cell 9) and the side wall 7d of the case body 7. Specifically, the heat radiating members 35 are respectively disposed in two regions sandwiched between the protrusions 4 b on the surface of the base 4 a of the buffer member 4 that faces the side wall 7 d of the case body 7. The heat radiating member 35 is made of a material having good thermal conductivity such as aluminum.

  The heat dissipating member 35 includes a rectangular plate-like base portion 35 a extending along the base portion 4 a of the buffer member 4. A plurality of protrusions 35b are provided on the surface of the base portion 35a facing the side wall 7d of the case body 7. Each protrusion 35b has a rectangular cross section and extends in the Z direction in the drawing. Adjacent ridges 35b are arranged at an interval in the Y direction in the figure.

  As shown most clearly in FIG. 12, four short column portions 35 c are provided on the surface of the base portion 35 a facing the side portion 22 </ b> D of the assembled battery body 2 so as to correspond to the four unit cells 9. . Each short column portion 35c is inserted into the through hole 4f in which the buffer member 4 is formed, and extends toward the unit cell 9 (in this embodiment, the short side wall 13d of the container body 13). In the through hole 4f, a heat conducting member 36 is disposed in a gap between the insulating sheet 29 covering each single cell 9 and the tip of the short column portion 35c. It is more preferable that the heat conducting member 36 has an insulating property.

  The heat dissipating member 35 has a sufficiently large surface area by providing a plurality of protrusions 35b arranged at intervals. Therefore, the heat transferred from the unit cell 9 to the short column portion 35 c via the heat conducting member 36 is effectively radiated by the heat radiating member 35. In particular, since the heat dissipating member 35 is thermally coupled to the individual cells 9 via the short column portion 35c, it is possible to dissipate heat with high efficiency.

  Providing the heat conductive insulating material 30 is preferable for improving the insulation between the unit cell 9 and the heat radiating member 35, but if the necessary insulation can be ensured, the heat conductive member 36 is not provided. The tip of the short column portion 35 c may be brought into direct contact with the insulating sheet 29 that covers the unit cell 9. Moreover, as long as effective heat dissipation is realizable, the material of the heat radiating member 35, a shape, a dimension, and the position arrange | positioned in the buffer member 4 are not limited to the example of illustration.

(Seventh embodiment)
13 and 14 show an assembled battery 1 according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring also to FIG. 4, the assembled battery body 2 in the present embodiment has the same posture as in the first embodiment, that is, the posture in which the stacking direction A of the cells 9 is the vertical direction in the drawing, that is, the case body 7. The case body 7 is accommodated in a posture that matches the facing direction of the bottom wall 7 e and the lid 8.

  The battery monitoring element 3 is disposed in a gap or space between the side portion 22A of the assembled battery main body 2 (the bottom wall 13a of the unit cell 9) and the side wall 7c of the case main body 7. In addition, a buffer member 4 similar to that of the first embodiment is disposed in a gap or a space between the side portion 22B of the battery pack body 2 (the lid 14 of the unit cell 9) and the side wall 7d of the case body 7. .

  By restraining the positional deviation (particularly, the positional deviation in the X direction in the figure) of the assembled battery main body 2 within the case main body 7 by the buffer member 4, the overall rigidity of the assembled battery 1 can be improved while having a simple configuration. In addition, the vibration resistance and impact resistance of the assembled battery 1 can be improved.

(Eighth embodiment)
15 and 16 show an assembled battery 1 according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring also to FIG. 4, the assembled battery body 2 has a side portion 22A (the bottom wall 13a of the cell 9) facing the bottom wall 7e of the case body 7 and a side portion 22B (the lid 14 of the cell 9). Is accommodated in the case body 7 in a posture facing the lid body 8 and the opening 6. In other words, the assembled battery main body 2 has a posture in which the direction C in which the pair of electrode terminals 15 of the unit cell 9 faces each other extends along the bottom wall 7e of the case main body 7, specifically in the posture extending in the X direction in the drawing. The case body 7 is accommodated.

  The battery monitoring element 3 is disposed in a gap or space between the side portion 22C of the assembled battery body 2 (one short side wall 13d of the unit cell 9) and the side wall 7c of the case body 7. Further, a buffer member 4 similar to that of the first embodiment is disposed in a gap or a space between the side portion 22D of the battery pack body 2 (the other short side wall 13d of the unit cell 9) and the side wall 7d of the case body 7. ing.

  By restraining the positional deviation (particularly, the positional deviation in the X direction in the figure) of the assembled battery main body 2 within the case main body 7 by the buffer member 4, the overall rigidity of the assembled battery 1 can be improved while having a simple configuration. In addition, the vibration resistance and impact resistance of the assembled battery 1 can be improved.

(Ninth embodiment)
17 and 18 show an assembled battery 1 according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring also to FIG. 4, as in the eighth embodiment, the assembled battery main body 2 is configured such that the direction C in which the pair of electrode terminals 15 of the unit cell 9 face each other extends along the bottom wall 7 e of the case main body 7. Thus, it is accommodated in the case body 7.

  The battery monitoring element 3 is arranged in a gap or a space between the end portion 21A of the assembled battery body 2 (the long side wall 13c of the unit cell 9 on one end side in the stacking direction A) and the side wall 7c of the case body 7. Further, in the gap or space between the end portion 21B of the assembled battery body 2 (the long side wall 13c of the unit cell 9 on the other end side in the stacking direction A) and the side wall 7d of the case body 7, the same as in the first embodiment. The buffer member 4 is arranged.

(10th Embodiment)
19 and 20 show an assembled battery 1 according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring also to FIG. 4, the assembled battery body 2 has a side portion 22C (one short side wall 13d of the cell 9) facing the bottom wall 7e of the case body 7 and a side portion 22D (the other side of the cell 9). The short side wall 13 d) is accommodated in the case body 7 in a posture facing the lid body 8 and the opening 6. In other words, in the assembled battery body 2, the direction C in which the pair of electrode terminals 15 of the unit cell 9 faces is the direction in which the bottom wall 7 e of the case body 7 faces the lid 8 and the opening 6, specifically, FIG. In the case body 7 in a posture that coincides with the Z direction.

  The battery monitoring element 3 is disposed in a gap or space between the side portion 22A of the assembled battery main body 2 (the bottom wall 13a of the unit cell 9) and the side wall 7c of the case main body 7. In addition, a buffer member 4 similar to that of the first embodiment is disposed in a gap or a space between the side portion 22B of the battery pack body 2 (the lid 14 of the unit cell 9) and the side wall 7d of the case body 7. .

  By restraining the positional deviation (particularly, the positional deviation in the X direction in the figure) of the assembled battery main body 2 within the case main body 7 by the buffer member 4, the overall rigidity of the assembled battery 1 can be improved while having a simple configuration. In addition, the vibration resistance and impact resistance of the assembled battery 1 can be improved.

(Eleventh embodiment)
21 and 22 show an assembled battery 1 according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring also to FIG. 4, the assembled battery body 2 is similar to the tenth embodiment in that the direction C in which the pair of electrode terminals 15 of the unit cell 9 face each other is the bottom wall 7e of the case body 7 and the lid body 8. It is accommodated in the case body 7 in a posture that matches the direction in which the opening 6 faces.

  The battery monitoring element 3 is arranged in a gap or a space between the end portion 21A of the assembled battery body 2 (the long side wall 13c of the unit cell 9 on one end side in the stacking direction A) and the side wall 7c of the case body 7. Further, in the gap or space between the end portion 21B of the assembled battery body 2 (the long side wall 13c of the unit cell 9 on the other end side in the stacking direction A) and the side wall 7d of the case body 7, the same as in the first embodiment. The buffer member 4 is arranged.

  Other modifications or alternatives of the present invention include the following.

  The buffer member 4 may be formed by curing the adhesive filled in the gap between the assembled battery body 2 and the peripheral side wall 7 f of the case body 7. As the adhesive, for example, an elastomer-based adhesive, a silicone-based adhesive, an epoxy-based adhesive, or the like is used.

  The buffer member 4 may be made of a material having a property of expanding as the temperature rises. The buffer member 4 may be a bag body filled with gas or liquid. In this case, after the assembled battery body 2 and the bag body (unfilled with gas or liquid) are accommodated in the case body 7 of the exterior case 5, the bag body is filled with gas or liquid, and the bag body is required as the buffer member 4. Rigidity can be given. Furthermore, you may comprise the buffer member 4 with a foamable material. In this case, after accommodating the assembled battery main body 2 in the case main body 7 of the outer case 5, a foamable material can be injected into the gap between the case main bodies 7 of the outer case 5 to form the buffer member 4.

  The buffer member 4 may be a spring such as a coil spring or a leaf spring.

  The shape of the container of the unit cell 9 is not limited to the square shape as in the embodiment, and may be, for example, a cylindrical shape. The unit cell 9 may be a laminate type cell.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 assembled battery 2 assembled battery main body 3 battery monitoring element 4 buffer member 4a base part 4b protruding part 4c space part 4d communication part 4e depression 4f through-hole 5 exterior case 6 opening 7 case body 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d side wall 7e bottom wall 7f Peripheral side wall 8 Lid 8a Top wall 8b Peripheral side wall 9 Cell 11 Container 12 Open 13 Container body 13a Bottom wall 13b Peripheral side wall 13c Long side wall 13d Short side wall 14 Lid 15 Electrode terminal 16 External terminal 17 Spacer 18 End plate 19 Constraint Band 20 Busbar 21A, 21B End 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D Side 24 Buffer member 25 Buffer member 25a Space 25b Communication portion 25c Depression 26 Connector 27 Safety valve 29 Insulation sheet 35 Heat dissipation member 35a Base 35b Projection 35c Short column Part 36 Heat conduction member A Lamination direction B Center line C Electrode Terminal facing direction

Claims (8)

A module having a bottom wall, a long side wall extending from the bottom wall, and a short side wall extending from the bottom wall , stacked in a predetermined stacking direction so that the long side walls overlap and electrically connected to each other An assembled battery body comprising a plurality of unit cells and a restraining member that restrains the plurality of unit cells;
An outer case for housing the assembled battery body;
A buffer member disposed between the restraining member and the outer case, and abutting against the assembled battery body and the outer case ;
The assembled battery body includes a plurality of side portions extending along the stacking direction,
A control device is disposed on the other side of the assembled battery main body facing the side of the assembled battery main body on which the buffer member is disposed, or on the side of the assembled battery main body on which the buffer member is disposed. The assembled battery. The assembled battery body includes a plurality of side portions extending along the stacking direction,
The assembled battery according to claim 1, wherein the buffer member is disposed between one of the plurality of side portions of the battery body and the exterior case.   The assembled battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least an inner surface side of the exterior case is made of resin.   The assembled battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a rigidity of the buffer member is lower than a rigidity of the exterior case. The assembled battery according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is accommodated in the buffer member. The outer case includes a connector,
The assembled battery according to claim 5 , wherein the buffer member is provided with a space portion in which the control device is accommodated, and a communication portion that communicates the space portion with the connector. The assembled battery according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , further comprising a heat dissipating member disposed on the buffer member. The outer case is
A bottom portion, a peripheral wall portion having one end connected to the bottom portion and the other end defining an opening, and a case body that accommodates the assembled battery body inserted from the opening,
The buffer member, the battery pack body and being disposed between the peripheral wall of the case body, the battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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