JP6204876B2 - Temperature sensor mounting structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a temperature sensor mounting structure.

  In power storage modules such as battery modules used in electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, a plurality of single cells (power storage elements) are connected side by side in order to increase the output. A plurality of unit cells are connected in series or in parallel by connecting electrode terminals of adjacent unit cells with a connecting member such as a bus bar.

  By the way, if the battery module is used in a high temperature state, the life may be reduced, and a battery module formed by connecting a plurality of lithium ion batteries or the like may ignite due to a high temperature during charging. In order to avoid such a situation, a temperature sensor for detecting the battery temperature is attached to the battery module. Such a temperature sensor simplifies the attaching operation to the battery module by, for example, integrally attaching it to a battery connection assembly that accommodates a connecting member for connecting adjacent electrode terminals (for example, Patent Document 1). See).

JP 2011-258413 A

  However, since the battery connection assembly accommodates connection members, voltage detection terminals, and wiring structures such as detection wires, there are restrictions on the arrangement of each other, installation workability, and exchangeability during maintenance. There is a risk of damage.

  The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a temperature sensor mounting structure excellent in temperature sensor mounting workability and exchangeability.

The present invention is a temperature sensor mounting structure that is attached to a power storage module in which a plurality of power storage elements having a pair of electrodes are arranged and connected by a connection member, and the power storage module covers the electrode and the connection member A cover is provided, and the temperature sensor has an urging means that is urged toward the power storage module and is held by the cover in a state in which the power storage module can be in heat transfer contact , The cover is characterized in that it can be attached to the power storage module in a state where the electrodes of the adjacent power storage elements are connected by the connecting member .
The present invention is a temperature sensor mounting structure that is attached to a power storage module in which a plurality of power storage elements having a pair of electrodes are arranged and connected by a connection member, and the power storage module covers the electrode and the connection member A cover is provided, and the temperature sensor has an urging means that is urged toward the power storage module and is held by the cover in a state in which the power storage module can be in heat transfer contact, The temperature sensor includes a temperature measurement element and a temperature detection line derived from the temperature measurement element, and the temperature detection line is drawn from the temperature measurement element in a direction along a mounting surface of the cover in the power storage module, The urging means is bent by a plurality of bent portions, and the cover is provided with a regulation rib protruding downward, Control ribs, among the plurality of bent portions, characterized in place to restrict the upward movement of the side of said biasing means by contacting the outer surface of the bent portion of the outer side.

  According to the present invention, the temperature sensor is held by the cover, and is attached to the power storage module by attaching the cover to the power storage module (in contact with the heat transfer). Only a contact area is provided, and a structure exclusively for mounting is not necessary. In addition, a structure for holding the temperature sensor on the cover can be provided regardless of the arrangement of other components such as a voltage detection terminal. That is, the temperature sensor can be easily attached to the power storage module with a simple configuration, and the exchangability during maintenance is excellent.

  Further, since the temperature sensor has an urging unit that is urged toward the power storage module, the temperature sensor can be reliably contacted with the power storage element, and the temperature detection accuracy can be improved.

  The present invention may have the following configurations.

  The temperature sensor and the cover may be provided with guide means capable of holding the temperature sensor in a normal posture with respect to the cover. If the temperature sensor is held in a normal posture with respect to the cover, the temperature sensor can be brought into heat transfer contact with the power storage module in a normal posture, which further improves the temperature detection accuracy. it can.

  The temperature sensor may include a temperature sensor and a temperature detection line derived from the temperature sensor, and the temperature detection line may be drawn from the temperature sensor in a direction along a cover mounting surface of the power storage module. With such a configuration, the temperature sensor can be reduced in height as compared with a configuration in which the temperature detection line is drawn in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface of the cover.

  Further, by adopting a configuration in which the temperature sensor is arranged between the pair of electrodes of the power storage element, the accuracy of detecting the temperature of the power storage element can be further improved.

Exploded perspective view of cover and battery module of one embodiment The perspective view of the state which attached the cover to the battery module Plan view of the cover assembled to the battery module Partially enlarged plan view of the cover Perspective view of the back side of the cover Top view of the back side of the cover AA sectional view of FIG. BB sectional view of FIG. CC sectional view of FIG. DD sectional view of FIG.

  A temperature sensor mounting structure according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The battery module 10 (an example of a power storage module) of the present embodiment is used as a drive source for a vehicle (not shown) such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. In the following description, the X direction in FIG. 1 is the front, and the direction opposite to the X direction is the rear. Further, the Y direction in FIG. 1 is the left side, and the direction opposite to the Y direction is the right side. Furthermore, let the Z direction in FIG. 1 be upper, and let the direction opposite to the Z direction be lower.

(Single cell 11)
The unit cell 11 accommodates a power generation element (not shown) inside the case and has a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape. A pair of electrode terminals 12 are formed on the upper surface 11A of the unit cell 11 so as to protrude upward at positions near both ends in the longitudinal direction. The upper surface 11A of the unit cell 11 is an electrode surface. One of the pair of electrode terminals 12 is a positive terminal, and the other is a negative terminal. The electrode terminal 12 includes an electrode post 12A that protrudes upward in a round bar shape from a metal terminal block (not shown), and a thread is formed on the outer surface of the electrode post 12A. Each side surface of the unit cell 11 is covered with an insulating frame portion 14 made of synthetic resin.

  Further, a gas discharge part 13 for discharging the gas generated inside the single cell 11 to the outside is formed at the approximate center of the upper surface 11A of the single cell 11. A portion of the insulating frame portion 14 located on the upper surface 11A of the unit cell 11 is partially cut away, and the electrode terminal 12 and the gas discharge portion 13 are exposed to the outside.

(Battery module 10)
The plurality of single cells 11 are arranged so that the polarities of the electrode terminals 12 of the adjacent single cells 11 are different (so that the positive electrode and the negative electrode are alternately arranged) to constitute a single cell group. . The electrode posts 12 </ b> A of the adjacent unit cells 11 are electrically connected by a bus bar 15 (an example of a connection member) formed by pressing a metal plate material to constitute the battery module 10. Specifically, the bus bar 15 is fixed to the electrode terminal 12 by a nut 16 screwed into a screw thread formed on the electrode post 12A. Thus, the plurality of single cells 11 are connected in series and constitute the battery module 10. In addition, the metal which comprises the bus-bar 15 can select suitably arbitrary metals as needed, such as copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel.

(Cover 20)
A cover 20 is attached to the upper surface 10A of the battery module 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the cover 20 has an elongated shape in the front-rear direction.

  The cover 20 is configured by sequentially arranging a plurality (eight in the present embodiment) of cover units 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D, 21E, 21F, 21G, and 21H in the front-rear direction and connecting them by connecting means described later. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 7, each of the cover units 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> H has a substantially shallow dish shape, and includes an upper wall 22 disposed substantially parallel to the upper surface 10 </ b> A of the battery module 10, Of these, a pair of inclined walls 23 extending obliquely downward from both side edges extending in the front-rear direction and a pair of side walls 24 extending downward from a side edge opposite to the upper wall 22 of the inclined walls 23 are provided. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the center of the width direction (Y direction, left and right direction) of the upper wall 22, a routing groove 25 in which a temperature detection line 43 of a temperature sensor 40 described later is routed is It is provided along the direction (X direction).

  On both the left and right sides of the routing groove 25, a pair of reinforcing walls 26 extending downward (upward in FIG. 5) at a predetermined distance are provided. The lower surfaces 26A of these reinforcing walls 26 are arranged above the lower surfaces 24A of the side walls 24 (see FIG. 7). Further, an opening 27 penetrating the upper wall 22 is provided between the pair of groove walls 25A and the reinforcing wall 26 of the routing groove 25, and gas generated inside the unit cell 11 is externally passed through the opening 27. Can be discharged.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a pair of connecting pieces 28 extending in a cantilevered manner toward the rear is provided near the left and right ends of the rear side (left side in the drawing) of the upper wall 22 of each cover unit 21. And a pair of receiving frames 29 capable of receiving the connecting pieces 28 are provided in the vicinity of the left and right end portions on the front side (the connecting means described above). Adjacent cover units 21 are connected in a state in which the connecting interval in the front-rear direction can be adjusted by inserting the connecting piece 28 of the front cover unit 21 into the receiving frame 29 of the rear cover unit 21. ing.

  On the other hand, a plurality of locking pieces 31 extending downward are provided at the lower edge of the side wall 24. The cover 20 is attached to the battery module 10 by the locking pieces 31 being locked to the locking protrusions 17 provided on the outer surface of the battery module 10.

  Of the eight cover units 21, a holding wall 32 for holding a temperature sensor 40 described later is provided on the upper wall 22 of 21A, 21E, and 21H. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the holding wall 32 is positioned at the front end and the left side (upper side in FIG. 6) of the upper wall 22 of the cover units 21A and 21E, and at the rear end and the left side of the cover unit 21H. Is provided.

  The holding wall 32 has a box shape projecting in a substantially square shape from the upper wall 22 downward (upward in FIG. 5). Here, among the peripheral walls of the holding wall 32, a pair of walls extending in the front-rear direction is referred to as a side wall 33, a front wall connecting the pair of side walls 33 is referred to as a front wall 34, and a rear wall is referred to as a rear wall 35. And The width in the front-rear direction of the side wall 33 is set longer than the width in the left-right direction of the front wall 34 and the rear wall 35.

  The pair of side walls 33 and the rear wall 35 have substantially the same protruding height from the upper wall 22 of the cover 20, while the front wall 34 has a protruding height set lower than that of the pair of side walls 33 and the rear wall 35. Yes. As a result, the lower end portion of the front wall 34 of the peripheral wall of the holding wall 32 is cut into a concave shape, and this concave portion serves as a relief portion 36 that allows a temperature detection line 43 of a temperature sensor 40 described later to escape. ing.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, the pair of side walls 33 of the holding wall 32 is provided with a notch 37 that is notched into an inverted substantially T-shape from its lower end edge. Of the notches 37, the lower wide portion is a first escape portion 37A for letting out a main body portion 47 of the temperature sensor 40 described later, and the narrow portion on the upper side of the first escape portion 37A is the temperature sensor 40. This is a second escape portion 37B for allowing the guide tube portion 45 to escape.

  As shown in FIG. 9, locking portions 34 </ b> A and 35 </ b> A projecting inward are provided in the vicinity of the center of the holding wall 32 in the height direction of the front wall 34 and the rear wall 35. Further, the guide walls 34B and 35B are vertically raised from the front ends of the locking portions 34A and 35A to the lower ends of the front wall 34 and the rear wall 35 so as to rise in the vertical direction from the front wall 34 and the rear wall 35, respectively. Is provided. Of the front wall 34 and the rear wall 35, the lower part of the locking parts 34A, 35A is slightly recessed inward from the upper part.

  In addition, a pair of regulating ribs 38 protruding in a U-shape from the upper wall 22 downward are provided near both ends in the front-rear direction inside the holding wall 32. The regulating rib 38 is for regulating the upward movement of the spring portion 46 of the temperature sensor 40 described later, and the lower surface 38A is set at a position higher than the locking portions 34A and 35A.

  Further, a guide rib 39 (an example of guide means) extending downward from the upper wall 22 is provided in the central portion inside the holding wall 32. The guide rib 39 has a rectangular tube shape with a substantially rectangular cross section, and its lower surface 39A is located below the locking portions 34A and 35A and substantially flush with the upper opening edge 37A1 of the first relief portion 37A. Yes. Further, the tip of the guide rib 39 has a chamfered shape.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, from the upper end (the lower end in FIG. 5) and the front end portion of the side wall 33 located on the side of the routing groove 25 among the pair of side walls 33 of the holding wall 32, a temperature described later. An introduction groove 25 </ b> B for introducing the detection line 43 into the routing groove 25 is provided so as to be connected to the routing groove 25.

(Temperature sensor 40)
A temperature sensor 40 is attached to the holding wall 32 of the cover 20. As shown in FIG. 9, the temperature sensor 40 includes a box-shaped housing 41 made of synthetic resin, and a substantially square cylindrical guide tube portion 45 (a guide means 45) provided so as to rise vertically from the upper surface of the housing 41. An example) and a pair of plate-like spring portions 46 (an urging means of the urging means) extended so as to be spaced apart obliquely upward from two opposite sides in the front-rear direction of the upper end opening edge of the guide tube portion 45 An example).

  A temperature measuring element 42 is arranged inside the housing 41, and a temperature detection line 43 is led out from the temperature measuring element 42. The temperature detection line 43 extends along the front-rear direction from the front wall of the housing 41, that is, along the upper surface 10 </ b> A (the mounting surface of the cover 20) of the battery module 10 when the cover 20 is attached to the battery module 10. In addition to being led out to the front side (right side in FIG. 9), it is bent at a right angle upward, and is routed from the introduction groove 25 </ b> B of the cover 20 into the routing groove 25. The housing 41 is filled with a filler 44, and the temperature measuring element 42 and the temperature detection line 43 are fixed in the housing 41. A portion in which the housing 41, the temperature measuring element 42, the temperature detection line 43, and the filler 44 are integrated is referred to as a main body portion 47.

  The guide tube 45 having a substantially rectangular tube shape provided so as to rise from the upper surface of the main body 47 (housing 41) has an outer surface of the side wall 45A extending in the front-rear direction and an outer surface of the side wall 41A extending in the front-rear direction of the housing 41. It is set to be flush.

  On the other hand, the pair of spring portions 46 has a long plate shape, a base portion 46A extending in a direction away from the upper end opening edge of the guide tube portion 45 obliquely upward, and a bend from the base portion 46A. A first intermediate portion 46B extending downward, a second intermediate portion 46C bent from the first intermediate portion 46B and extending obliquely upward, and a tip portion bent and extended obliquely downward by the second intermediate portion 46C 46D. That is, the spring portion 46 is continuously bent into a substantially Z shape by a plurality of bent portions, thereby acting as a spring. The spring portion 46 is set so as to extend obliquely upward as a whole.

  The temperature sensor 40 is held on the holding wall 32 of the cover 20 by the tip portions 46 </ b> D of the pair of spring portions 46 being locked to the locking portions 34 </ b> A and 35 </ b> A of the holding wall 32. The temperature sensor 40 is set so that the upper surface of the main body 47 (housing 41) is substantially flush with the lower end surface of the holding wall 32 before the cover 20 is attached to the battery module 10 (FIG. 8). And FIG. 9). Further, the outer surfaces of the side walls 41A and 45A extending in the front-rear direction of the housing 41 and the guide tube portion 45 are set in advance so as to be substantially flush with the outer surface of the side wall 33 of the holding wall 32 (see FIG. 6).

  The temperature sensor 40 of the present embodiment as described above is attached to the battery module 10 as follows. First, the pair of spring portions 46 of the temperature sensor 40 are inserted into the holding wall 32 of the cover 20. The pair of spring portions 46 of the temperature sensor 40 is compressed as a whole by the tip portions 46D being pressed toward each other by guide walls 34B and 35B provided on the front wall 34 and the rear wall 35 of the holding wall 32. While being inserted into the depth of the holding wall 32. At this time, the guide rib 39 of the cover 20 enters the guide tube portion 45 of the temperature sensor 40, whereby the insertion posture of the temperature sensor 40 into the holding wall 32 is guided.

  When the temperature sensor 40 is inserted into the interior of the holding wall 32 and the distal end portion 46D of the spring portion 46 exceeds the locking portions 34A and 35A, the spring portion 46 is elastically restored and the distal end portion 46D is returned to the locking portions 34A and 35A. Lock to the top surface. Thereby, the temperature sensor 40 is prevented from coming off and is held on the holding wall 32. At this time, the bent portion 46e on one end side of the distal end portion 46D of the spring portion 46 is in a state of facing the lower surface 38A of the regulating rib 38 of the cover 20 with a slight gap. Further, the guide rib 39 is in a state where it has entered approximately half of the height of the guide tube portion 45. Furthermore, the lower surface of the main body 47 (housing 41) of the temperature sensor 40 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the holding wall 32 (see FIGS. 8 and 9).

  Next, the cover 20 holding the temperature sensor 40 is attached so as to cover the upper surface 10 </ b> A of the battery module 10. Then, first, the lower surface of the main body 47 of the temperature sensor 40 comes into contact with the upper surface 11 </ b> A of the unit cell 11. Further, when the cover 20 is pressed to fix the battery module 10, the lower surface of the main body portion 47 is pressed upward by the upper surface 11 </ b> A of the unit cell 11. Accordingly, the main body 47 is inserted into the holding wall 32 while compressing the spring portion 46. At this time, since the guide rib 39 enters the guide tube portion 45, the posture of the main body portion 47 with respect to the cover 20 is guided to a normal state. Further, since the upward movement of the spring portion 46 is regulated by the bent portion 46e coming into contact with the regulating rib 38, the whole spring portion 46 is compressed without moving upward.

  Further, as the main body 47 is inserted into the holding wall 32, the side wall 45 </ b> A of the guide cylinder 45 of the temperature sensor 40 enters the second escape portion 37 </ b> B of the holding wall 32 and the side wall 41 </ b> A of the housing 41. Enters the first escape portion 37A.

  As shown in FIG. 10, in the state where the locking piece 31 of the cover 20 is locked to the locking protrusion 17 of the battery module 10 and the cover 20 is mounted on the upper surface 10 </ b> A of the battery module 10, the temperature sensor 40. The main body 47 is brought into contact with the upper surface 11 </ b> A of the unit cell 11 while being urged downward by the compressed spring portion 46. At this time, the tip (lower end) of the guide rib 39 is set in advance in the guide tube portion 45 so as to be substantially equal to or slightly above the upper surface of the housing 41. Furthermore, the side wall 41A of the housing 41 and the side wall 45A of the guide tube portion 45 are in a state of entering the first escape portion 37A and the second escape portion 37B.

  According to such an attachment structure of the temperature sensor 40 of the present embodiment, the temperature sensor 40 can be attached to the battery module 10 only by holding the temperature sensor 40 on the cover 20, so that the attachment workability is excellent. Further, since the temperature sensor 40 is in thermal contact with the battery module 10 (unit cell 11) while being urged toward the battery module 10 (unit cell 11), the temperature of the unit cell 11 is accurately determined. Can be detected. Further, since the cover 20 is not provided with other components such as a voltage detection terminal, the structure is simple and the exchangability during maintenance is excellent.

  Further, since the temperature sensor 40 is held in a normal posture with respect to the cover 20 by the guide tube portion 45 and the guide rib 39, the temperature sensor 40 is thermally transferred in a normal posture with respect to the battery module 10 (unit cell 11). It can be made to contact and the temperature detection accuracy can be improved.

  Furthermore, since the temperature detection line 43 is drawn from the temperature measuring element 42 along the arrangement direction of the cells 11, the temperature sensor 40 can be lowered.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  (1) In the above embodiment, the guide mechanism for guiding the insertion posture of the temperature sensor 40 with respect to the cover 20 is provided by the guide tube portion 45 provided in the temperature sensor 40 and the guide rib 39 provided in the cover 20. It is not always necessary.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the holding wall 32 is provided with the notches 37 (the first escape portion 37A and the second escape portion 37B) for allowing the temperature sensor 40 to escape, but the notches 37 are not necessarily required, and the holding wall 32 It is good also as a structure which inserts the whole temperature sensor 40 inside.

  (3) The configuration for holding the temperature sensor 40 on the cover 20 is not limited to the holding wall 32, and other holding structures may be used.

  (4) The biasing means for the battery module 10 (unit cell 11) of the temperature sensor 40 is not limited to the spring portion 46 of the above embodiment.

  (5) In the above-described embodiment, the guide tube portion 45 and the spring portion 46 are continuously and integrally provided. However, the guide tube portion 45 and the spring portion 46 may be separately provided for the main body portion 47.

  (6) In the above embodiment, the temperature detection line 43 is drawn from the temperature measuring element 42 along the arrangement direction of the cells 11, that is, in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction). ). Or it is good also as a structure pulled out to the orthogonal | vertical direction with respect to 10 A of upper surfaces of the battery module 10. FIG.

  (7) The contact position of the main body 47 with respect to the unit cell 11 is not limited to the above embodiment.

10 ... Battery module (storage module)
10A ... Upper surface (mounting surface)
11 ... Single cell (electric storage element)
12 ... Electrode terminal (electrode)
15 ... Bus bar (connection member)
17 ... Locking projection 20 ... Cover 21 ... Cover unit 31 ... Locking piece 32 ... Holding wall 37 ... Notch 37A ... First relief part 37B ... Second relief part 38 ... Auxiliary wall 39 ... Guide rib (guide means)
40 ... temperature sensor 42 ... temperature measuring element 43 ... temperature detection line 45 ... guide cylinder (guide means)
46 ... Spring part (biasing means)
47 ... Body part

Claims (5)

A temperature sensor mounting structure attached to a power storage module in which a plurality of power storage elements having a pair of electrodes are arranged and connected by a connection member,
The power storage module is provided with a cover that covers the electrode and the connection member,
The temperature sensor has an urging means that is urged toward the power storage module and is held by the cover in a state in which heat transfer can be made to the power storage module .
The temperature sensor mounting structure , wherein the cover is attachable to the power storage module in a state where the electrodes of adjacent power storage elements are connected by the connecting member . 2. The temperature sensor mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor and the cover are provided with guide means capable of holding the temperature sensor in a normal posture with respect to the cover. The temperature sensor includes a temperature measurement element and a temperature detection line derived from the temperature measurement element, and the temperature detection line is drawn from the temperature measurement element in a direction along a mounting surface of the cover in the power storage module. The temperature sensor mounting structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The temperature sensor mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the temperature sensor is set so as to be addressed between a pair of electrodes of the power storage element. A temperature sensor mounting structure attached to a power storage module in which a plurality of power storage elements having a pair of electrodes are arranged and connected by a connection member,
The power storage module is provided with a cover that covers the electrode and the connection member,
The temperature sensor has an urging means that is urged toward the power storage module and is held by the cover in a state in which heat transfer can be made to the power storage module .
The temperature sensor includes a temperature measurement element and a temperature detection line derived from the temperature measurement element, and the temperature detection line is drawn from the temperature measurement element in a direction along a mounting surface of the cover in the power storage module. ,
The urging means is bent by a plurality of bent portions,
The cover is provided with a regulating rib protruding downward,
The temperature sensor mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the restricting rib restricts the upward movement of the biasing means by contacting an outer surface of an outwardly bent portion of the plurality of bent portions .

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