U.S. patent application number 15/854166 was filed with the patent office on 2018-05-03 for battery module.
This patent application is currently assigned to HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.. Invention is credited to Hidekazu FUJIMURA, Michihiro KIMURA, Naoki KOJIMA, Osamu KUBOTA, Takashi SUZUKI, Naoya TOKOO.
Application Number | 20180123105 15/854166 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52104436 |
Filed Date | 2018-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180123105 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TOKOO; Naoya ; et
al. |
May 3, 2018 |
BATTERY MODULE
Abstract
The present invention proposes a structure of a battery module
in which a spacer can slide by means of a guide member constituting
the battery module and can be positioned. A battery module
according to the present invention is a battery module 9 provided
with a battery block 8 in which a plurality of rectangular battery
cells 1 are arranged and laminated, and includes a spacer 2 which
intervenes between the plurality of battery cells 1, guide members
4 and 5 which slidably support the spacer 2 along a laminating
direction of the battery cells 1, and end plates 3 as a pair which
are respectively arranged on one side and the other side of the
guide members 4 and 5 in a sliding direction and which sandwich the
battery block 8 from both sides in the sliding direction.
Inventors: |
TOKOO; Naoya; (Tokyo,
JP) ; KUBOTA; Osamu; (Tokyo, JP) ; FUJIMURA;
Hidekazu; (Tokyo, JP) ; KIMURA; Michihiro;
(Hitachi-shi, JP) ; KOJIMA; Naoki;
(Hitachinaka-shi, JP) ; SUZUKI; Takashi;
(Hitachinaka-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD. |
Hitachinaka-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS,
LTD.
Hitachinaka-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
52104436 |
Appl. No.: |
15/854166 |
Filed: |
December 26, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14899193 |
Dec 17, 2015 |
9876207 |
|
|
PCT/JP2014/064054 |
May 28, 2014 |
|
|
|
15854166 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M 10/6556 20150401;
H01M 10/0585 20130101; H01M 10/625 20150401; H01M 10/647 20150401;
Y02E 60/10 20130101; H01M 10/6555 20150401; H01M 2/14 20130101;
H01M 2/1077 20130101; H01M 10/0525 20130101; H01M 10/613
20150401 |
International
Class: |
H01M 2/14 20060101
H01M002/14; H01M 10/613 20060101 H01M010/613; H01M 10/6555 20060101
H01M010/6555; H01M 2/10 20060101 H01M002/10; H01M 10/0525 20060101
H01M010/0525; H01M 10/0585 20060101 H01M010/0585; H01M 10/6556
20060101 H01M010/6556; H01M 10/625 20060101 H01M010/625; H01M
10/647 20060101 H01M010/647 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 19, 2013 |
JP |
2013-128753 |
Claims
1. A battery module comprising: a battery block in which a
plurality of rectangular battery cells are arranged and laminated,
each rectangular battery cell having a surface on which external
terminals are arranged and side surfaces continuous with the
surface on which the external terminals are arranged; a spacer
arranged between the battery cells; a pair of side plates adapted
to engage with the spacer and arranged on sides of the side
surfaces of each battery cell, wherein engagement portions between
the spacer and the pair of side plates are provided along a
laminated direction of the battery cells, are opposed to the
surface on which the external terminals are arranged of each
battery cell, and are located beside the external terminals.
2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the pair of
side plates includes a pair of opposed portions adapted to be
opposed to the surface on which the external terminals are arranged
of each battery cell.
3. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein each opposed
portion has a recess portion with which the spacer is adapted to
engage.
4. The battery module according to claim 3, wherein the recess
portion has a cross-section in a semi-circular shape.
5. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the recess
portion has a cross-section in a semi-circular shape.
6. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the recess
portion has a cross-section in a semi-circular shape.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/899,193, filed Dec. 17, 2015 as a U.S.
National Phase of International Patent Application Serial No.
PCT/JP2014/064054, filed May 28, 2014, which claim priority to
Japanese Patent Application Serial No. 2013-128753, filed Jun. 19,
2013, which are all incorporated by reference as if fully set
forth.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a battery module configured
by connecting a plurality of rectangular lithium ion secondary
batteries enabling charge and discharge.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] A lithium ion secondary battery (hereinbelow, a lithium ion
battery) utilizing absorption and desorption of lithium ions for
charge-discharge reactions attracts great expectations as a battery
that can be used in various applications such as a power supply for
a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone and a notebook
computer, an auxiliary power supply for disasters, and a power
supply for a moving vehicle such as a car and a motorcycle for the
reasons that larger energy density than that of a conventional lead
battery or nickel-cadmium battery can be obtained, that lithium
contributing to the charge-discharge reactions is rarely deposited
on electrodes as metal lithium, that reproducibility of the
capacity after repeated charge and discharge is excellent to
provide a stable charge-discharge characteristic, and the like.
[0004] In particular, examples of the car are a zero-emission
electric car mounting a motor driven by power from the secondary
battery and traveling by means of the driving force from the motor,
a hybrid electric car mounting both an engine using fossil fuel and
the motor, and a plug-in hybrid electric car charging the secondary
battery directly from a system power supply.
[0005] In a case in which this lithium ion battery is mounted on
the hybrid car, the zero-emission electric car, or the like, the
lithium ion battery often employs a structure in which a plurality
of battery cells are connected in series, in parallel, or by
combining the serial connection with the parallel connection to
constitute an assembled battery (a battery module), and in which
the battery module is housed in a chassis since load voltage and
load capacity required for the lithium ion battery increase.
[0006] In each battery cell of the lithium ion battery, the
electrodes expand at the time of charge and discharge, and a
distance between a positive-electrode terminal and a
negative-electrode terminal is enlarged, which causes an increase
in internal resistance and reduction in output. Thus, the expansion
needs to be restricted. Also, the battery cell is constituted by a
metallic exterior can, and when the exterior cans having different
potentials are electrically connected, short circuit current flows.
Thus, the battery cells need to be insulated from each other.
[0007] For these reasons, there is proposed a battery block in
which a plurality of rectangular battery cells each having a
positive-electrode terminal and a negative-electrode terminal on an
equal surface are arranged and laminated, having a structure in
which spacers directly holding the battery cells and keeping the
insulating state between the adjacent battery cells and a pair of
highly rigid end plates at both ends of the battery block are
arranged in a laminating direction of the battery cells, and in
which a distance of the end plates is kept constant in a state in
which the end plates are pressed from both the ends by a coupling
and fixing tool (refer to PTL 1).
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0008] PTL 1: Publication of JP 2008-282582 A
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0009] In the method of fixing the battery block in the state in
which the distance of the end plates is kept constant, effective
load to be applied to the battery block varies significantly due to
a tolerance of the thickness of the battery cell. For example, when
only the battery cells having small thickness dimensions within a
tolerance range are arranged, the effective load to be applied to
the battery block fitting in the constant distance is low.
Conversely, when only the battery cells having large thickness
dimensions within the tolerance range are arranged, the effective
load to be applied to the battery block fitting in the constant
distance is high. Consequently, even when battery modules have
equal dimensions, the load to be applied to the battery blocks
significantly varies among the respective battery modules. In a
case in which the load significantly varies, characteristic
deterioration of the battery module in which the battery module is
not fixed with appropriate load cannot be restricted sufficiently.
Under such circumstances, a structure in which each battery block
can be fixed with an appropriate end plate distance or appropriate
load for the battery block is required. Also, since the battery
module for use in the car requires vibration resistance, a module
structure having high assembling accuracy and strong vibration
resistance is desired.
[0010] The present invention is accomplished by taking the above
respects into consideration, and an object of the present invention
is to propose a structure of a battery module in which a spacer can
slide by means of a guide member constituting the battery module
and can be positioned.
Solution to Problem
[0011] A battery module of the present invention to achieve the
above object is a battery module provided with a battery block in
which a plurality of rectangular battery cells are arranged and
laminated, including: a spacer which intervenes between the
plurality of battery cells; a guide member which slidably supports
the spacer along a laminating direction of the battery cells; and
end plates as a pair which are respectively arranged on one side
and the other side of the guide member in a sliding direction and
which sandwich the battery block from both sides in the sliding
direction.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0012] According to the present invention, a spacer can be arranged
at an arbitrary position in a laminating direction of battery
cells. Accordingly, the distance of the end plates can be adjusted
to be appropriate for a dimension of a battery block, and the
battery block can be fixed with appropriate load. Accordingly, even
when there is a tolerance among the respective battery cells, a
battery module of which characteristic deterioration has been
restricted can be produced. Also, since a guide member has a
fitting structure that helps positioning of the spacer, assembling
accuracy can be improved, and vibration resistance can also be
improved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a battery module
according to a first embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module
according to the first embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of a battery cell
according to the first embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a spacer according
to the first embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 5 is an external perspective view describing a method
for assembling the battery module according to the first
embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating a fitting structure
between side plates and the spacer according to the first
embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 7 is an external perspective view describing a method
for assembling a battery module according to a second
embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a fitting structure
between a side plates and a spacer according to the second
embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating another example of the
fitting structure between the side plates and the spacer according
to the second embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating another example of the
fitting structure between the side plates and the spacer according
to the second embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating another example of the
fitting structure between the side plates and the spacer according
to the second embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 12 is an external perspective view illustrating another
example of the battery module according to the first
embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0025] Hereinbelow, the best mode for carrying out the present
invention will be described by specific embodiments, and the
present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Also,
figures in the embodiments are schematically illustrated, and
accuracy of positional relationship, dimensions, and the like in
the figures is not assured. The present invention can be altered
and modified in various ways by those skilled in the art within the
scope of technical ideas disclosed in the present description.
Also, over the figures provided to describe the present invention,
the same reference signs designate components having similar or
identical functions, and description of the duplicate components is
omitted in some cases.
First Embodiment
[0026] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a battery module
according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an exploded
perspective view thereof.
[0027] A battery module 9 includes a battery block 8 in which a
plurality of rectangular battery cells 1 are arranged and
laminated. Spacers 2 intervene between the plurality of battery
cells 1. The spacer 2 is hereinbelow referred to as a cell holder
since a pair of the spacers 2 has a structure of holding the
battery cell 1 when the spacers 2 as the pair are combined. The
battery module 9 includes a guide member slidably supporting the
cell holders 2 along a laminating direction of the battery cells 1
(refer to FIG. 5). On one side and the other side of the guide
member in the sliding direction, end plates 3 as a pair are
respectively provided to sandwich the battery block 8 from both the
sides in the sliding direction.
[0028] The guide member includes a pair of side plates 4 opposed to
side surfaces of the battery block 8 and a base plate 5 opposed to
a bottom portion of the battery block 8. A material for the side
plates 4 can be selected from various materials such as metal and
resin. The pair of side plates 4 includes a pair of side surface
opposed portions 41 opposed to both side surfaces of the battery
cell 1 in a cell width direction and upper surface opposed portions
42 opposed to an upper surface of the battery cell 1 on an upper
side in a cell height direction, and each upper surface opposed
portion 42 is provided with a fitting recess portion 43 recessed in
a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction, extending along
the sliding direction, and fitted with a below-mentioned fitting
protrusion portion 26 of the cell holder 2. The fitting recess
portion 43 has a cross-section formed in a semi-circular shape
recessed upward.
[0029] Also, the upper surface opposed portion 42 of the side plate
4 is provided with slits 44 at predetermined spaces in the sliding
direction and is adapted to bias each cell holder 2 in the
direction perpendicular to the sliding direction when the upper
surface opposed portion 42 is swaged downward to enable a bottom
surface PB of the battery cell 1 to be pressed toward a bottom
surface opposed portion 51 of the base plate 5.
[0030] The base plate 5 includes the bottom surface opposed portion
51 opposed to the bottom surface PB of the battery cell 1 on a
lower side in the cell height direction. The base plate 5 is
provided with a cooling tube 6 circulating a refrigerant therein.
As a material for the base plate 5, aluminum or an aluminum alloy
can preferably be used in consideration of heat conductivity and
formability.
[0031] FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the battery
cell.
[0032] The battery cell 1 is a rectangular lithium ion secondary
battery, in which an electrode group including a positive electrode
and a negative electrode as well as non-aqueous electrolyte is
housed in a battery container made of an aluminum alloy. The
battery container of the battery cell 1 includes a flat box-shaped
battery can 11 and a battery lid 12 sealing an opening portion of
the battery can 11. The battery can 11 is a flat rectangular
container formed by means of deep drawing process and includes the
rectangular bottom surface PB, a pair of wide side surfaces PW
erecting from long sides of the bottom surface PB, and a pair of
narrow side surfaces PN erecting from short sides of the bottom
surface PB.
[0033] The battery lid 12 is made of a rectangular flat plate
member and includes an upper surface PU. The battery lid 12 is
provided with a positive-electrode external terminal 13 and a
negative-electrode external terminal 14 for voltage input/output.
The positive-electrode external terminal 13 and the
negative-electrode external terminal 14 are arranged to be away
from each other in a direction of a long side of the battery lid
12.
[0034] From each of the positive-electrode external terminal 13 and
the negative-electrode external terminal 14, a bolt for tightening
a nut for tightening a bus bar is provided to protrude. The battery
lid 12 is laser-welded on the battery can 11 to seal the opening
portion of the battery can 11 after the electrode group is housed
in the battery can 11.
[0035] At a middle position in the direction of the long side of
the battery lid 12 are provided an inlet 15 for injecting the
non-aqueous electrolyte into the battery can 11 and a gas exhaust
valve 16 fissuring due to an increase of internal pressure to
exhaust gas in the battery container. The plurality of battery
cells 1 are arranged and laminated in a thickness direction thereof
to constitute the battery block 8 of the battery module 9.
[0036] FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the cell
holder.
[0037] The cell holder 2 is made of an insulating material and can
be produced by shaping an engineering plastic such as PBT
(polybutyleneterephtalate) and PC (polycarbonate), rubber, or the
like.
[0038] The pair of the cell holders 2 has a structure of holding
the battery cell 1 when the cell holders 2 as the pair are
combined. Each cell holder 2 intervenes between the two battery
cells 1. The cell holder 2 includes a holding wall portion 21
opposed to the wide side surface PW of the battery cell 1, a pair
of side wall portions 22 facing each other at both end portions of
the holding wall portion 21 in a cell width direction and
intervening between the narrow side surfaces PN of the battery cell
1 on both sides in the cell width direction and the pair of side
surface opposed portions 41, an upper wall portion 25 intervening
between the upper surface PU of the battery cell 1 on an upper side
in the cell height direction and the upper surface opposed portions
42, and a bottom wall portion 23 intervening between the bottom
surface PB of the battery cell 1 on the lower side in the cell
height direction and the bottom surface opposed portion 51. The
upper wall portion 25 is provided with the fitting protrusion
portions 26 fitted with the fitting recess portions 43. The fitting
protrusion portions 26 have cross-sections formed in semi-circular
shapes protruding upward at both end portions of the upper wall
portion 25 in the cell width direction.
[0039] The holding wall portion 21 is sized to be opposed to the
entire wide side surface PW of the battery cell 1 and is provided
with a plurality of cut-out portions 24 cut out and opened with a
constant height dimension over the cell width direction. The
cut-out portions 24 communicate with opening portions 22a of the
pair of side wall portions 22.
[0040] The side wall portions 22 as the pair project from both end
portions of the holding wall portion 21 in the cell width direction
toward one side and the other side in the laminating direction,
extend over the cell height direction with a constant width, and
are sized to be respectively opposed to the narrow side surfaces PN
of the respective battery cells 1 arranged on one side and the
other side in the laminating direction with the holding wall
portion 21 interposed therebetween.
[0041] The bottom wall portion 23 projects from a lower end portion
of the holding wall portion 21 in the cell height direction toward
one side and the other side in the laminating direction, extends
over the cell width direction with a constant width, and is sized
to be opposed to the bottom surfaces PB of the respective battery
cells 1 arranged on one side and the other side in the arranging
direction with the holding wall portion 21 interposed therebetween.
The bottom wall portion 23 is provided with a cut-out 23a adapted
to expose the bottom surface PB of the battery cell 1 to cause the
bottom surface PB to be opposed to the bottom surface opposed
portion 51 of the base plate 5. The bottom surface PB of the
battery cell 1 contacts the bottom surface opposed portion 51 of
the base plate 5 via the cut-out 23a.
[0042] In a case in which two cell holders 2 are arranged to be
combined, an end portion, on one side in the arranging direction,
of the pair of side wall portions 22 and the bottom wall portion 23
of one cell holder 2, is opposed to and abuts on an end portion, on
the other side in the arranging direction, thereof of the adjacent
cell holder 2, so that the cell holders 2 may be continuous in the
arranging direction. The end portion, on one side in the arranging
direction, of the pair of side wall portions 22 and the bottom wall
portion 23 of one cell holder 2, is opposed to the end portion, on
the other side in the arranging direction, thereof of the adjacent
cell holder 2, in a direction perpendicular to the arranging
direction.
[0043] The pair of side wall portions 22 is provided with the
plurality of opening portions 22a respectively communicating with
the respective cut-out portions 24 of the holding wall portion 21
to enable cooling air to flow from the opening portions 22a of the
side wall portion 22 on one side in the cell width direction into
the cut-out portions 24 of the holding wall portion 21 and to
enable the cooling air that has passed through the cut-out portions
24 to flow out of the opening portions 22a of the side wall portion
22 on the other side in the cell width direction, for example. It
is to be noted that the present embodiment does not have such a
structure of letting cooling air flow into the opening portions 22a
and the cut-out portions 24.
[0044] FIG. 5 is an external perspective view describing a method
for assembling the battery module according to the present
embodiment.
[0045] The pair of side plates 4 is fixed to the base plate 5 by
rivets 7. One end plate 3 is swaged and fixed to the side plates 4
in advance (back side in FIG. 5). The cell holders 2 and the
battery cells 1 are slid and laminated in a direction of the arrow
in FIG. 5, using the side plates 4 and the base plate 5 as the
guide member. The respective battery cells 1 are inserted in order
of arranging the positive-electrode external terminals 13 and the
negative-electrode external terminals 14 alternately in the sliding
direction.
[0046] After all the cell holders 2 and the battery cells 1 are
inserted, the other end plate 3 is welded and fixed to the side
plates 4 (front side in FIG. 5).
[0047] Here, the method for first fixing the end plate 3 to the
side plates 4 is not limited to swaging but may be fixing with use
of screws, rivets, bolts, or the like. The method for fixing the
other end plate 3 is not limited to welding but may be fixing with
use of screws, rivets, bolts, or the like after swaging, pressing,
or additional hole processing. Also, although the side plates 4 are
fixed to the base plate 5 by the rivets 7, the side plates 4 may be
fixed with use of screws, rivets, bolts, or the like. The side
plates 4 are pressed to slightly swage the upper portions thereof
and are fixed by applying load to the respective cell holders 2 in
an up-down direction.
[0048] FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating a fitting structure
between the side plates and the cell holder according to the
present embodiment.
[0049] In the battery cell 1, the wide side surface PW is opposed
to the holding wall portion 21 of the cell holder 2, the narrow
side surface PN is opposed to the side wall portion 22 of the cell
holder 2, the bottom surface PB is opposed to the bottom wall
portion 23 of the cell holder 2, and the upper surface PU is
opposed to the upper wall portion 25 of the cell holder 2.
Accordingly, the battery cell 1 is held in the cell holder 2 in a
state in which movement against the cell holder 2 in the laminating
direction and in the direction perpendicular to the laminating
direction is restricted.
[0050] In the cell holder 2, the side wall portion 22 is opposed to
the side surface opposed portion 41 of the side plate 4, the bottom
wall portion 23 is opposed to the bottom surface opposed portion 51
of the base plate 5, and the upper wall portion 25 is opposed to
the upper surface opposed portion 42 of the side plate 4. The
fitting protrusion portion 26 provided at the upper wall portion 25
of the cell holder 2 is fitted with the fitting recess portion 43
provided at the upper surface opposed portion 42 of the side plate
4. Accordingly, the cell holder 2 is supported to be movable along
the laminating direction in a state in which movement against the
side plate 4 and the base plate 5 in the direction perpendicular to
the laminating direction is restricted.
[0051] In the present embodiment, the fitting part between the cell
holder 2 and the side plate 4 employs an R-R fitting structure, in
which the fitting protrusion portion and the fitting recess portion
having semi-circular cross-sections are combined. Due to this
fitting structure, since the cell holder 2 can be positioned in the
up-down and right-left directions of a plane perpendicular to the
laminating direction of the battery cells 1, the battery module 9
excellent in assembling performance and assembling accuracy can be
produced. Thus, the battery module 9 produced to have this
structure is characterized by high vibration resistance. Also,
since the cell holders 2 can be arranged at arbitrary positions in
the laminating direction of the battery cells 1, each battery block
8 can be fixed at a fixing position, that is, with fixing load,
corresponding to the dimension of the battery block 8 even when
there is a tolerance among the battery cells 1.
[0052] Further, by pressing the upper portion of the side plate 4
sectioned by the slits 44 to be slightly swaged and fixing the
respective cell holders 2 while applying load in the up-down
direction to the cell holders 2, the tolerance of the dimensions of
the respective cell holders 2 in the up-down direction is absorbed,
and fixing in a state of applying load can be performed. As for the
fitting structure, numerous patterns can be applied other than the
R-R fitting structure. Also, the fitting structure may be provided
at a plurality of positions, not at two positions on the right and
left.
[0053] Although the side plates 4 are fixed to the base plate 5 by
the rivets 7, the fixing method is not limited to this, and various
fixing methods such as fixing with use of screws or bolts are
available. Although the base plate 5 is provided with one cooling
tube 6, one tube processed in a U shape or S shape may be used, or
a plurality of tubes may be used. The method for providing the
cooling tube is not limited to these structures. Although the side
plates 4 are used in the present embodiment, a guide member such as
a metal band having a fitting structure may be used.
[0054] As described above, according to the present embodiment,
since the cell holder 2 and the side plate 4 serving as the guide
member have the R-R fitting structure to enable the cell holder 2
to slide against the side plate 4 and to be arranged at an
arbitrary position, fixing in accordance with the dimension of the
battery block 8 can be performed.
[0055] Also, according to the present embodiment, since the side
plate 4 serving as the guide member can be used for positioning of
the cell holder 2, improvement in assembling performance and
assembling accuracy of the battery module 9 can be achieved as well
as the aforementioned fixing in accordance with the dimension, and
the battery module 9 having high vibration resistance can be
produced.
[0056] Meanwhile, although the case in which the battery module 9
has a cooling structure consisting only of the cooling tube 6
provided in the base plate 5 has been described in the present
embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For
example, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the case may be combined with a
configuration in which opening holes 45 communicating with the
opening portions 22a of the cell holders 2 are provided to
introduce cooling air into the cell holders 2 through the opening
holes 45 so that cooling may be performed by letting the cooling
air pass among the respective battery cells 1.
[0057] The present invention has been described above by the
embodiment. The battery module according to the present invention
can be used as an in-vehicle battery module to be mounted on a
hybrid car, a zero-emission electric car, or the like, which uses a
motor as a driving source. Also, application of the battery module
according to the present invention is not limited to the above
application. The power supply device according to the present
invention can be used as a power storage system that charges a
battery and stores power with electric power generated by solar
power generation, wind power generation, or the like for any of
household use, commercial use, and industrial use, as a power
storage system that charges a battery and stores power with
nighttime electric power, or as a power storage system that can be
used in an extraterrestrial place such as the space station, a
spaceship, and a space platform. Further, for industrial use, the
present invention can be applied to a power supply of a medical
device, a construction machine, an electric power storage system,
an elevator, an unmanned moving vehicle, or the like, or a power
supply for a moving vehicle such as a golf cart and a turret
vehicle.
Second Embodiment
[0058] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be
described below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.
[0059] FIG. 7 is an external perspective view describing a method
for assembling the battery module according to the present
embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a fitting
structure between the side plates and the spacer. It is to be noted
that similar components to those in the first embodiment are shown
with the same reference signs, and description of the duplicate
components is omitted.
[0060] The present embodiment is characterized by a structure in
which a fitting recess portion and a fitting protrusion portion are
provided at the side surface opposed portion 41 of the side plate 4
and the side wall portion 22 of the cell holder 2 and in which the
slits 44 in the first embodiment are omitted.
[0061] A fitting recess portion 41A is provided at the side surface
opposed portion 41 of each of the paired side plates 4. A fitting
protrusion portion 22A is provided at the side wall portion 22 of
the cell holder 2 and is fitted with the fitting recess portion
41A. The fitting protrusion portion 22A is formed in a tenon shape
having a rectangular cross-section extending over the side wall
portion 22 in the sliding direction while the fitting recess
portion 41A is formed in a mortise shape having a rectangular
cross-section extending over the side surface opposed portion 41 in
the sliding direction and fitted with the fitting protrusion
portion 22A.
[0062] As for the fitting structure, structures such as a dovetail
tenon and mortise structure illustrated in FIG. 9 and a gooseneck
tenon and mortise structure illustrated in FIG. 10 are available
other than the tenon and mortise fitting structure. Also, the
fitting structure relationship between the cell holder and the side
plate illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 may be relationship in
which the tenon and the mortise are reversed as illustrated in FIG.
11. For example, a structure such as a mortise and tenon structure
illustrated in FIG. 11 is available.
[0063] In an example illustrated in FIG. 9, a fitting protrusion
portion 22B is formed in a dovetail tenon shape extending over the
side wall portion 22 in the sliding direction while a fitting
recess portion 41B is formed in a dovetail mortise shape having a
rectangular cross-section extending over the side surface opposed
portion 41 in the sliding direction and fitted with the fitting
protrusion portion 22B.
[0064] In an example illustrated in FIG. 10, a fitting protrusion
portion 22C is formed in a gooseneck tenon shape extending over the
side wall portion 22 in the sliding direction while a fitting
recess portion 41C is formed in a gooseneck mortise shape having a
rectangular cross-section extending over the side surface opposed
portion 41 in the sliding direction and fitted with the fitting
protrusion portion 22C.
[0065] In an example illustrated in FIG. 11, a fitting recess
portion 22D is formed in a mortise shape having a rectangular
cross-section extending over the side wall portion 22 in the
sliding direction while a fitting protrusion portion 41D is formed
in a tenon shape having a rectangular cross-section extending over
the side surface opposed portion 41 in the sliding direction and
fitted with the fitting recess portion 22D.
[0066] By actively providing one of these fitting structures, since
the cell holder 2 can be positioned with high accuracy in the
up-down and right-left directions of a plane perpendicular to the
laminating direction of the battery cells, the battery module
excellent in assembling performance and assembling accuracy can be
produced. Thus, the battery module produced to have one of these
structures is characterized by extremely high vibration resistance.
Also, since the cell holders 2 can be arranged at arbitrary
positions in the laminating direction of the battery cells 1, each
battery block 8 can be fixed at a fixing position, that is, with
fixing load, corresponding to the dimension of the battery block 8
even when there is a tolerance among the battery cells 1. As for
the fitting structure, numerous patterns can be applied other than
the aforementioned structures. Also, the fitting structure may be
provided at a plurality of positions.
[0067] Although the base plate 5 is provided with one cooling tube
6, one tube processed in a U shape or S shape may be used, or a
plurality of tubes may be used. The method for providing the
cooling tube is not limited to these structures. Although the side
plates 4 are used in the present embodiment, a guide member such as
a metal band having a fitting structure may be used.
[0068] As described above, according to the present embodiment,
since the cell holder 2 and the side plate 4 serving as the guide
member are actively provided with the tenon and mortise fitting
portion, the dovetail tenon and mortise fitting portion, the
gooseneck tenon and mortise fitting portion, the mortise and tenon
fitting portion, or the like to enable the cell holder 2 to slide
against the side plate 4 and to be arranged at an arbitrary
position, fixing in accordance with the dimension of the battery
block 8 can be performed. Also, according to the present
embodiment, since the side plate 4 serving as the guide member can
be used for positioning of the cell holder 2, improvement in
assembling performance and assembling accuracy of the battery
module 9 can be achieved as well as the aforementioned fixing in
accordance with the dimension, and the battery module 9 having
extremely high vibration resistance can be produced.
[0069] The present invention has been described above by the
embodiment. The battery module according to the present invention
can be used as an in-vehicle battery module to be mounted on a
hybrid car, a zero-emission electric car, or the like, which uses a
motor as a driving source. Also, application of the battery module
according to the present invention is not limited to the above
application. The power supply device according to the present
invention can be used as a power storage system that charges a
battery and stores power with electric power generated by solar
power generation, wind power generation, or the like for any of
household use, commercial use, and industrial use, as a power
storage system that charges a battery and stores power with
nighttime electric power, or as a power storage system that can be
used in an extraterrestrial place such as the space station, a
spaceship, and a space platform. Further, for industrial use, the
present invention can be applied to a power supply of a medical
device, a construction machine, an electric power storage system,
an elevator, an unmanned moving vehicle, or the like, or a power
supply for a moving vehicle such as a golf cart and a turret
vehicle.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0070] 1 battery cell [0071] 2 spacer (cell holder) [0072] 3 end
plate [0073] 4 side plate [0074] 5 base plate [0075] 6 cooling tube
[0076] 7 rivet [0077] 8 battery block [0078] 9 battery module
[0079] 11 battery can [0080] 12 battery lid [0081] 13
positive-electrode external terminal [0082] 14 negative-electrode
external terminal [0083] 15 inlet [0084] 21 holding wall portion
[0085] 22 side wall portion [0086] 22a opening portion [0087] 22A,
22B, 22C fitting protrusion portion [0088] 22D fitting recess
portion [0089] 23 bottom wall portion [0090] 24 cut-out portion
[0091] 25 upper wall portion [0092] 26 fitting protrusion portion
[0093] 41 side surface opposed portion [0094] 41A, 41B, 41C fitting
recess portion [0095] 41D fitting protrusion portion [0096] 42
upper surface opposed portion [0097] 43 fitting recess portion
[0098] 44 slit
* * * * *