JP7559402B2 - Housing reinforcement structure and reinforcement member - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a reinforcing structure and reinforcing member for a housing.

In recent years, efforts to generate energy at home using power generation devices such as solar power generation devices have become widespread. In addition, a power storage system that stores power is sometimes installed together with the power generation device so that power can be used outside of the times when the power generation device is not generating power. The power storage system is installed, for example, at the back of a house, under a bay window, or under an indoor staircase. The power storage system includes a power storage device and a housing that houses the power storage device, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example.

JP 2017-37749 A JP 2016-219284 A

There is a strong demand for reducing the manufacturing costs of power storage systems. Here, the housing that houses the power storage device is generally manufactured by welding multiple metal plates at the corners to form corner joints. In order to weld the metal plates to form corner joints, it is necessary to make the metal plates thicker than a certain thickness. For this reason, it was previously not possible to reduce the amount of metal plates used to manufacture the housing by more than a certain amount, and it was not possible to further reduce the manufacturing costs of the housing.

In addition, when installing an energy storage system outdoors, it is necessary to prevent water from entering the housing that houses the energy storage device. For this reason, even if the manufacturing cost of the housing is reduced, the waterproofing of the housing must be ensured.

In view of these problems, the present disclosure aims to provide a reinforcing structure and reinforcing member for a housing that can further reduce the manufacturing costs of the housing while maintaining the waterproofness of the housing.

The housing reinforcement structure according to the present disclosure is a housing reinforcement structure including a housing and a reinforcement member, the housing having an angular tube portion in which the tube end is open when a single metal plate is bent, the angular tube portion includes a first surface and a second surface that are in contact or close to each other at a predetermined angle in a non-jointed state by bending the tube end, and the reinforcement member is fixed to the first surface and the second surface.

The housing reinforcement structure disclosed herein allows the manufacturing costs of the housing to be reduced while maintaining the waterproofing of the housing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electricity storage system according to this embodiment, viewed from above from the front. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the power storage system according to this embodiment as viewed from the rear. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the housing according to this embodiment with the front panel removed. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a housing according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a housing according to this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a housing according to this embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a housing according to this embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a housing according to this embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a housing according to this embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a reinforcing member according to this embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a reinforcing member according to this embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a reinforcing member according to this embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing how the handle member according to this embodiment is attached to a side panel.

[Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure]
The gist of the present disclosure includes at least the following.

(1) The housing reinforcement structure according to the present disclosure is a housing reinforcement structure including a housing and a reinforcement member, the housing having an angular tube portion in which the tube end is opened when a single metal plate is bent, the angular tube portion includes a first surface and a second surface that are in contact or close to each other at a predetermined angle in a non-jointed state by bending the tube end, and the reinforcement member is fixed to the first surface and the second surface.

The strength of such a housing can be increased by having a bent portion at the end of the tube. However, the first and second surfaces, which are in contact or close to each other at a certain angle when not joined to each other, have an elastic force in the direction in which the angle of the bent portion returns to horizontal, so the first and second surfaces may open over time, which may cause the sealing state of the housing to deteriorate. For example, it is possible to prevent the first and second surfaces from opening by welding them together as a corner joint, but welding requires the first and second surfaces to have a certain thickness. Therefore, in this disclosure, the first and second surfaces are reinforced by a reinforcing member while they are not joined to each other (i.e., they are not welded together as a corner joint). In other words, the reinforcing member can prevent the first and second surfaces from opening, so that the waterproofing between the first and second surfaces can be maintained while reducing the processing costs for welding and the costs for increasing the weight of the housing.

(2) Preferably, the reinforcing member has a first fixing surface that abuts against the side of the first surface that forms an acute angle with the second surface and is fixed to the first surface, a second fixing surface that abuts against the side of the second surface that forms an acute angle with the first surface and is fixed to the second surface, and a connecting surface that connects the first fixing surface and the second fixing surface, the first fixing surface, the second fixing surface, and the connecting surface are formed by bending a single metal plate, and the connecting surface is bent from the outside of the angular tube portion of the first fixing surface and the second fixing surface, respectively, and extends toward the inside of the opening.

With this configuration, the first and second fixing surfaces, which are fixed to the first and second surfaces respectively, are connected by a connecting surface that is bent from the outside of the angular tube portion on the opposite side of the bent portion of the first and second surfaces, so that the force that tends to open the first and second surfaces can be countered by the force that tends to open the first and second fixing surfaces from the connecting surface. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the first and second surfaces from opening.

(3) Preferably, the portion where the first surface and the second surface abut or are adjacent to each other is filled with a caulking agent. With this configuration, the gap where the first surface and the second surface abut or are adjacent to each other is filled with the caulking agent, so that the waterproofing of the housing can be improved. Furthermore, by preventing the first surface and the second surface from opening with the reinforcing member, the caulking agent can be prevented from breaking, so that the waterproofing of the abutting or adjacent portions can be maintained at a higher level.

(4) Preferably, the angular tube portion includes a first flange and a second flange that are bent at the tube end of each of the first and second adjacent wall surfaces among the four wall surfaces that constitute the angular tube portion and extend toward the inside of the opening, and the first surface and the second surface are surfaces that are bent from the inside of the opening of the first flange and the second flange, respectively, and extend toward the outside of the angular tube portion. By providing the first flange and the second flange, it is possible to suppress the deflection of the first wall surface and the second wall surface, and the shape of the housing can be maintained constant. This can further suppress deformation of the housing over time and improve the waterproofness of the housing.

(5) Preferably, the reinforcing member further has a third fixing surface that is bent from the inside of the square tube portion of the second fixing surface and extends toward the outside of the opening, and the third fixing surface is fixed to the second flange.

By configuring it in this way, the first fixing surface, the second fixing surface, and the third fixing surface are fixed to the first surface, the second surface, and the second flange, which respectively form a predetermined angle. This allows the reinforcing member to be fixed more firmly to the housing.

(6) The reinforcing member according to the present disclosure is a reinforcing member for reinforcing a housing, the housing having an angular tube portion in which the tube end is opened when a single metal plate is bent, the angular tube portion includes a first surface and a second surface that are in contact or close to each other at a predetermined angle in a non-jointed state by bending the tube end, the reinforcing member has a first fixing surface that is in contact with the side of the first surface that forms an acute angle with the second surface and is fixed to the first surface, a second fixing surface that is in contact with the side of the second surface that forms an acute angle with the first surface and is fixed to the second surface, and a connecting surface that connects the first fixing surface and the second fixing surface, the first fixing surface, the second fixing surface, and the connecting surface are formed by bending a single metal plate, and the connecting surface is a reinforcing member in which the first fixing surface and the second fixing surface are bent from the outside of the angular tube portion and extend toward the inside of the opening.

The strength of such a housing can be increased by having a bent portion at the end of the tube. However, the first and second surfaces, which are in contact or close to each other at a certain angle when not joined to each other, have an elastic force in the direction in which the angle of the bent portion returns to horizontal, so the first and second surfaces may open over time, causing the sealing state of the housing to deteriorate. For example, it is possible to prevent the first and second surfaces from opening by welding them together as a corner joint, but welding requires the first and second surfaces to have a certain thickness. Therefore, in this disclosure, the first and second surfaces are reinforced by a reinforcing member while not joined to each other (i.e., not welded together as a corner joint). This makes it possible to prevent the first and second surfaces from opening, thereby reducing the costs of welding and the costs of increasing the weight of the housing while maintaining the waterproofness of the housing.

Furthermore, in the reinforcing member according to the present disclosure, the first fixing surface and the second fixing surface, which are fixed to the first surface and the second surface, respectively, are connected by a connecting surface that is bent from the outside of the angular tube portion on the opposite side of the bent portion of the first surface and the second surface, so that the force that tends to open the first surface and the second surface can be countered by the force that tends to open the first fixing surface and the second fixing surface from the connecting surface. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the first surface and the second surface from opening.

[Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure]
Hereinafter, specific examples of the reinforcement structure and reinforcement member of the housing of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Overall configuration of the energy storage system>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the power storage system 1 according to the present embodiment, seen from the front. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the power storage system 1 according to the present embodiment, seen from the rear. The power storage system 1 includes a housing 2, a heat dissipation unit 3, a plurality of reinforcing members 6 (FIG. 3), and a power storage device (not shown) and a power conversion device (not shown) housed in the housing 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 2 is installed adjacent to the wall WL1 with a predetermined gap (for example, 50 mm) between the housing 2 and the wall WL1. In this embodiment, the wall WL1 is, for example, an outer wall of a building (such as a house). That is, in this embodiment, the housing 2 is installed outdoors.

The housing 2 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape and houses the power storage device, power conversion device, and wiring equipment related to these devices, not shown. The housing 2 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped box having a square tube section 20 with open ends on both sides, and two panels that close each of the ends. The square tube section 20 includes four walls, which are formed by bending a single metal plate.

Of the two panels, the panel facing the wall WL1 is referred to as the "rear panel 21," and the panel opposite the rear panel 21 is referred to as the "front panel 22." Of the four walls that make up the rectangular tube section 20, the wall facing vertically upward is referred to as the "top panel 23," the wall facing vertically downward is referred to as the "bottom panel 24," the wall perpendicular to the rear panel 21 and top panel 23 and located on the front side of the paper in FIG. 1 is referred to as the "side panel 25," and the wall opposite the side panel 25 is referred to as the "side panel 26."

That is, the top panel 23 is adjacent to each of the side panels 25 and 26. Also, the bottom panel 24 is adjacent to each of the side panels 25 and 26. The back panel 21 and the front panel 22 are each made of a metal plate separate from the square tube portion 20, and are fixed to the square tube portion 20 with screws. With the back panel 21 and the front panel 22 fixed to the square tube portion 20, the housing 2 forms an internal space. Also, the tube end of the square tube portion 20 is open on both the back panel 21 side and the front panel 22 side.

The housing 2 is fixed to the wall WL1 by a number of fasteners 4 to prevent it from falling over and to prevent strong vibrations from being applied to the various devices housed therein. The fasteners 4 are, for example, L-shaped metal fittings. The multiple fasteners 4 are fixed to the side panels 25, 26 by a number of screws 52, respectively. The side panels 25, 26 each have screw holes into which the multiple screws 52 are inserted. The multiple fasteners 4 are also fixed to the wall WL1 by screws (not shown).

The heat dissipation unit 3 dissipates heat inside the housing 2 (e.g., heat from a power conversion device) to the outside of the housing 2. The heat dissipation unit 3 has a cover 30 and a heat sink (not shown). The heat sink is attached to the rear panel 21. The cover 30 is a member for preventing the heat sink from being contaminated by dust and the like, and covers the rear, top, bottom, and both side surfaces of the heat sink. The cover 30 is formed, for example, from a metal (e.g., iron) whose surface is painted with an anti-rust coating. The cover 30 is fixed to the side panels 25 and 26 with screws 53 and 54.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the housing 2 with the front panel 22 removed. In Figure 3, the power storage device, power conversion device, and wiring equipment related to these devices housed in the housing 2 are not shown. A plurality of flanges 27, a plurality of guide surfaces 28, and a plurality of reinforcing surfaces 29 are formed on the front end of each of the top panel 23, bottom panel 24, and side panels 25 and 26. A plurality of screw receivers (not shown) are formed on the front side of some of the flanges 27. As shown in Figure 1, the front panel 22 is attached to the square tube portion 20, and a plurality of screws 51 are fastened to the plurality of screw receivers via the front panel 22, thereby fixing the front panel 22 to the square tube portion 20.

In the following explanation, of the multiple brims 27, guide surfaces 28, and reinforcing surfaces 29, two brims 27, guide surfaces 28, and reinforcing surfaces 29 that connect to the bottom panel 24 and the side panel 26, respectively, will be representatively explained. The brims 27, guide surfaces 28, and reinforcing surfaces 29 that connect to the other panels 23, 25 have the same configuration as the two brims 27, guide surfaces 28, and reinforcing surfaces 29, so explanations will be omitted.

Here, the flange 27, guide surface 28, and reinforcing surface 29 provided on the bottom panel 24 side will be appropriately referred to as the first flange 271, the first guide surface 281, and the first reinforcing surface 291, respectively. Also, the flange 27, guide surface 28, and reinforcing surface 29 provided on the side panel 26 side will be appropriately referred to as the second flange 272, the second guide surface 282, and the second reinforcing surface 292, respectively.

The reinforcing structure 7 of the housing 2 according to this embodiment is composed of the housing 2 and a number of reinforcing members 6. The reinforcing members 6 are provided on two of the guide surfaces 28 that are in contact with or adjacent to each other at a predetermined angle (e.g., 90 degrees) and are not joined to each other.

<<Method of manufacturing the housing>>
4 to 9 are diagrams for explaining each step of the manufacturing method of the housing 2. First, a metal plate 200 having a predetermined planar shape as shown in FIG. 4 is prepared. The metal plate 200 is formed, for example, by a punching process. The metal plate 200 has an elongated shape, and the direction in which the metal plate 200 extends is referred to as the "longitudinal direction." The metal plate 200 also has five regions F1 to F5 aligned in the longitudinal direction.

Region F1 is located on one end 201 side in the longitudinal direction, and region F5 is located on the other end 202 side in the longitudinal direction. Regions F1 and F5 are regions that will later become the bottom panel 24. Region F2 is a region that will later become the side panel 26, and is adjacent to the other side of region F1 in the longitudinal direction. Region F3 is a region that will later become the top panel 23, and is adjacent to the other side of region F2 in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal length of region F3 is equal to the sum of the longitudinal lengths of region F1 and region F5. Region F4 is a region that will later become the side panel 25, and is adjacent to the other side of region F3 in the longitudinal direction and adjacent to one side of region F5 in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal length of region F4 is equal to the longitudinal length of region F2.

The thickness of each of the regions F1 to F5 is equal. The lengths of the regions F1 to F5 in the longitudinal direction and the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (hereinafter referred to as the "width direction") are also equal. A slit C1 is formed at both ends of the width direction between adjacent regions F1 to F5. In addition, in FIG. 4, bending lines L21 to L24 in a later process are shown as imaginary straight lines.

Figure 5 shows how metal plate 200 is assembled by bending (first bending process). Metal plate 200 is bent at a right angle at bend line L21 between regions F1 and F2. Metal plate 200 is also bent at a right angle at bend line L22 between regions F2 and F3, bend line L23 between regions F3 and F4, and bend line L24 between regions F4 and F5. As a result, region F2 and region F4 are parallel to each other, and region F3 and regions F1 and F5 are parallel to each other. After bending metal plate 200, one end 201 and the other end 202 are butted together, and the butted parts are filled with caulking agent.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of regions F1 and F2 after the first bending process. Below, the corner portion between regions F1 and F2 will be described as a representative example, and other corner portions (e.g., the corner portion between regions F2 and F3) will not be described because they have the same configuration as the corner portion between regions F1 and F2. The direction in which the bend line L21 between regions F1 and F2 extends is referred to as the "first direction." One side of the first direction is the direction that will later become the front side, and the other side of the first direction is the direction that will later become the back side.

In FIG. 6, bending lines L31-L33 and L41-L43 in later processes are shown as virtual straight lines. Bending line L31 is located on one side of region F1 in the first direction and extends in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and region F2. One end of bending line L31 is connected to one end of bending line L21. Bending line L32 is located on one side of bending line L31 in the first direction and extends in a direction parallel to bending line L31. Bending line L33 is located on one side of bending line L32 in the first direction and extends in a direction parallel to bending lines L31 and L32.

Bending line L41 is located on one side of region F2 in the first direction and extends in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and region F1. One end of bending line L41 is connected to one end of bending line L21 and one end of bending line L31. That is, one ends of bending lines L21, L31, and L41 are located on a common point. Bending line L42 is located on one side of bending line L41 in the first direction and extends in a direction parallel to bending line L41. Bending line L43 is located on one side of bending line L42 in the first direction and extends in a direction parallel to bending lines L41 and L42.

The distance in the first direction between bend lines L31 and L32 is equal to the distance in the first direction between bend lines L41 and L42. The distance in the first direction between bend lines L32 and L33 is equal to the distance in the first direction between bend lines L42 and L43. The distance from bend line L33 to end E1 of region F1 is equal to the distance from bend line L43 to end E2 of region F2.

Between the bending lines L42 and L43, a hole h1 is formed that penetrates the metal plate 200 in the thickness direction. In addition, between the bending lines L41 and L42, and between the bending lines L32 and L33, holes h2 and h3 are formed that penetrate the metal plate 200 in the thickness direction, respectively.

Here, the area of the metal plate 200 located on one side of the bending lines L31 and L41 in the first direction is the end of the metal plate 200, and is the area that will become the "tube end of the rectangular tube portion 20" after the housing 2 is completed.

The slit C1 formed between region F1 and region F2 has a first slit end C11 and a second slit end C12. The first slit end C11 is a partial area of the end of the metal plate 200 that extends from the end on one side of the bend line L21 in the first direction to the end E1 on one side of region F1 in the first direction. The second slit end C12 is a partial area of the end of the metal plate 200 that extends from the end on one side of the bend line L21 in the first direction to the end E2 on one side of region F2 in the first direction.

Figure 7 shows the state in which the metal plate 200 is bent at the bend lines L31 and L41 (second bending process). Specifically, the metal plate 200 is bent at a right angle at the bend line L31 so that the end E1 of the region F1 is located on the region F2 side (inside the opening of the angular tube portion 20 formed by the metal plate 200). The metal plate 200 is bent at a substantially right angle at the bend line L41 so that the end E2 of the region F2 is located on the region F1 side (inside the opening of the angular tube portion 20 formed by the metal plate 200). When the metal plate 200 is first bent at the bend line L31 and then bent at the bend line L41, as shown in Figure 7, the portion where the first cut end C11 and the end E1 are adjacent and the portion where the second cut end C12 and the end E2 are adjacent overlap in the first direction.

Figure 8 shows the state in which the metal plate 200 is bent at bend lines L32, L33, L42, and L43 (third bending process). Specifically, after the second bending process, the metal plate 200 is bent at a right angle at the bend line L42 so that the end E2 of the region F2 faces one side in the first direction (the outside of the rectangular tube portion 20). Then, the metal plate 200 is bent at a right angle at the bend line L43 so that the end E2 of the region F2 faces the bend line L41 side (the outside of the opening of the rectangular tube portion 20). Next, the metal plate 200 is bent at a right angle at the bend line L32 so that the end E1 of the region F1 faces one side in the first direction (the outside of the rectangular tube portion 20). Then, the metal plate 200 is bent at a right angle along the bend line L33 so that the end E1 of the region F1 faces the bend line L31 (the outside of the opening of the rectangular tube portion 20).

In a state where the metal plate 200 is bent at right angles at the bending lines L32, L33, L42, and L43, the end face of the first cut end C11 located between the bending lines L31 and L32 and the end face of the second cut end C12 located between the bending lines L41 and L42 are butted together. Also, in this state, the end face of the first cut end C11 located between the bending lines L32 and L33 and the end face of the second cut end C12 located between the bending lines L42 and L43 are in contact or close to each other at a predetermined angle (e.g., 90 degrees). On the other hand, in this state, the end face of the first cut end C11 located between the bending line L33 and the end E1 and the end face of the second cut end C12 located between the bending line L43 and the end E2 are not butted together and are located apart from each other.

After bending the metal plate 200 at the bending lines L32, L33, L42, and L43, the first cut end C11 and the second cut end C12 are in a non-jointed state (i.e., not joined by welding). The portions where the first cut end C11 and the second cut end C12 abut or are adjacent to each other are filled with a caulking agent. The caulking agent contains, for example, silicone resin. This fills the gaps in the abutting or adjacent portions. This completes the third bending process.

By the third bending process, the area of region F1 on the other side of bend line L31 in the first direction becomes the bottom panel 24. The area of region F1 between bend line L31 and bend line L32 becomes the first flange 271. The area of region F1 between bend line L32 and bend line L33 becomes the first guide surface 281. The area of region F1 between bend line L33 and end E1 becomes the first reinforcing surface 291.

Similarly, the third bending process makes the region of region F2 on the other side of bend line L41 in the first direction into side panel 26. The region of region F2 between bend line L41 and bend line L42 into second flange 272. The region of region F2 between bend line L42 and bend line L43 into second guide surface 282. The region of region F2 between bend line L43 and end E2 into second reinforcing surface 292. The metal plate 200 into rectangular tube portion 20.

In other words, the first flange 271 is a region that bends from the tube end on the front side of the bottom panel 24 (the first wall surface of the present disclosure) and extends vertically toward the inside of the opening of the square tube portion 20. The first flange 271 is located on a plane parallel to the back panel 21. The first guide surface 281 (the first surface of the present disclosure) is a region of the first flange 271 that bends from the inside of the opening of the square tube portion 20 and extends vertically toward the front side (the outside of the square tube portion 20). The first guide surface 281 is located on a plane parallel to the bottom panel 24. The first reinforcing surface 291 is a region that bends from the front side of the first guide surface 281 and extends vertically toward the outside of the opening of the square tube portion 20. The first reinforcing surface 291 is located on a plane parallel to the back panel 21.

The second flange 272 is a region that bends from the tube end on the front side of the side panel 26 (the second wall surface of this disclosure) and extends vertically toward the inside of the opening of the square tube portion 20. The second flange 272 is located on a plane parallel to the back panel 21. The second guide surface 282 (the second surface of this disclosure) is a region of the second flange 272 that bends from the inside of the opening of the square tube portion 20 and extends vertically toward the front side (the outside of the square tube portion 20). The second guide surface 282 is located on a plane parallel to the side panel 26. The second reinforcing surface 292 is a region that bends from the front side of the second guide surface 282 and extends vertically toward the outside of the opening of the square tube portion 20. The second reinforcing surface 292 is located on a plane parallel to the back panel 21.

The first flange 271 and the second flange 272 are formed by bending the respective tube ends on the front side of the square tube portion 20. The first flange 271 and the second flange 272 are butted together on the same plane in a non-jointed state. The first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282 are formed by bending the insides of the openings of the square tube portion 20 in the first flange 271 and the second flange 272, respectively. The first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282 are abutted or close to each other at a predetermined angle in a non-jointed state. The part where the first flange 271 and the second flange 272 are butted together (hereinafter referred to as the "butting part") and the part where the first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282 are abutted or close to each other at a predetermined angle (hereinafter referred to as the "abutting part") are filled with caulking agent. By filling the gaps at the butt joints and the abutting parts with caulking material, it is possible to prevent water from entering the inside of the housing 2 from the outside.

The third bending process may be performed before the second bending process. That is, the metal plate 200 may be bent vertically at the bending lines L32, L33, L42, and L43, and then bent vertically at the bending lines L31 and L33. In addition, all or part of the second bending process and the third bending process may be performed in parallel.

After the third bending process, multiple reinforcing members 6 are fixed to the angular tube portion 20 (fixing process). Figure 8 shows the reinforcing members 6 before they are fixed to the angular tube portion 20. Figure 9 shows the reinforcing members 6 after they are fixed to the angular tube portion 20. Below, each direction of the reinforcing members 6 will be explained based on the direction when they are fixed to the angular tube portion 20 as shown in Figure 9.

Refer to FIG. 8. The reinforcing member 6 is a member made of a single metal plate (e.g., steel plate) and has a connection surface 61, a first fixing surface 62, a second fixing surface 63, and a third fixing surface 64. The first fixing surface 62 is a surface fixed to the first guide surface 281 by a screw 55 (FIG. 9) in a state where it abuts against the surface of the first guide surface 281 that forms an acute angle with the second guide surface 282. The second fixing surface 63 is a surface fixed to the second guide surface 282 by a screw 56 (FIG. 9) in a state where it abuts against the surface of the second guide surface 282 that forms an acute angle with the first guide surface 281. The third fixing surface 64 is a surface fixed to the second flange 272 by a screw 57 (FIG. 9) in a state where it abuts against the inner surface of the square tube portion 20 of the second flange 272. The third fixing surface 64 bends from the side of the second fixing surface 63 located on the other side in the first direction (the inside of the rectangular tube portion 20) and extends vertically toward the outside of the opening of the rectangular tube portion 20.

The connection surface 61 is a surface that connects the first fixed surface 62 and the second fixed surface 63. The connection surface 61 is bent from one side of the first direction of each of the first fixed surface 62 and the second fixed surface 63 (i.e., the outer side of the square tube portion 20 of the first fixed surface 62 and the second fixed surface 63) and extends vertically toward the direction in which the normal lines of the first fixed surface 62 and the second fixed surface 63 intersect (i.e., the inner side of the opening of the square tube portion 20). At the corner C6 of the connection surface 61, the first fixed surface 62 and the second fixed surface 63 face each other vertically in a non-contact state. In other words, the first fixed surface 62 and the second fixed surface 63 do not abut each other, and a gap is formed between the first fixed surface 62 and the second fixed surface 63.

The reinforcing member 6 is fixed to the rectangular tube portion 20 by screws 55, 56, and 57 with the corner C6 of the connection surface 61 positioned at the abutting portion of the first notched end C11 and the second notched end C12 of the rectangular tube portion 20. The first fixing surface 62, the second fixing surface 63, and the third fixing surface 64 are respectively formed with holes 62a, 63a, and 64a (FIG. 12). With the corner C6 of the connection surface 61 positioned at the abutting portion, the hole 62a communicates with the hole h3, the hole 63a communicates with the hole h2, and the hole 64a communicates with the hole h1. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, a screw 55 is inserted into hole 62a and hole h3, a screw 56 is inserted into hole 63a and hole h2, and a screw 57 is inserted into hole 64a and hole h1. By fastening the screws 55, 56, and 57, the first fixing surface 62 is fixed to the first guide surface 281, the second fixing surface 63 is fixed to the second guide surface 282, and the third fixing surface 64 is fixed to the second flange 272.

<Effects of reinforcement structure>
As described above, the rectangular tube portion 20 is formed by bending one metal plate 200. For example, the side panel 26 is formed by bending the metal plate 200 that constitutes the bottom panel 24 at a right angle. Therefore, there is no seam between the two panels that are connected perpendicularly to each other. This can further improve the waterproofing of the housing 2.

In addition, the housing 2 of this embodiment forms the first flange 271, the second flange 272, the first guide surface 281, and the second guide surface 282 by bending the tube end of the square tube portion 20. In this way, by forming a bent portion at the tube end of the square tube portion 20, the deflection of the square tube portion 20 is suppressed, and the strength of the housing 2 can be increased even if the thickness of the metal plate 200 constituting the square tube portion 20 is thin. On the other hand, when the bent portion is formed, an elastic force acts on each fold of the first flange 271, the second flange 272, the first guide surface 281, and the second guide surface 282 in a direction that tries to return the angle of the folded portion to the horizontal, and the butt portion and the abutting portion open due to aging, and the sealed state of the housing 2 (a state in which the internal space of the housing 2 is formed with less gaps) may be broken.

For example, it is possible to prevent the opening of the butt joints and abutment parts by welding the first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282 as a corner joint, but welding requires a certain thickness of the first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282 are not joined to each other (i.e., they are not welded as a corner joint), and the reinforcing member 6 is screwed to the first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282, thereby preventing the butt joints and abutment parts from opening.

With this type of reinforcement structure 7, there is no need to weld the butt joints and abutment parts, which reduces the cost of welding. Furthermore, because welding is not required, it is possible to make the metal plate 200 that constitutes the rectangular tube portion 20 thinner, which reduces the cost of increasing the weight of the housing 2 (e.g., material costs and transportation costs). As a result, with the reinforcement structure 7, it is possible to maintain the waterproofness of the butt joints and abutment parts while reducing the manufacturing cost of the housing 2.

In addition, in this embodiment, the first fixed surface 62 and the second fixed surface 63, which are fixed to the first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282, respectively, are connected by a connection surface 61 that is bent from the opposite side (i.e., the outside of the square tube portion 20) to the bent portion (bending lines L32, L42) of the first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282 toward the inside of the opening of the square tube portion 20. Therefore, the force that the first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282 tend to open can be counteracted by the force that the first fixed surface 62 and the second fixed surface 63 tend to open from the connection surface 61. Therefore, the opening of the first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282 can be more reliably prevented.

Furthermore, by bending the connection surface 61 perpendicularly from the first fixing surface 62 and the second fixing surface 63, respectively, it is possible to suppress the deflection of the first fixing surface 62 and the second fixing surface 63, thereby further increasing the strength of the reinforcing member 6.

In addition, according to this embodiment, multiple reinforcing surfaces 29 are provided that extend perpendicularly from one side of each of the multiple guide surfaces 28 in the first direction, thereby making it possible to suppress deflection of the guide surfaces 28. This makes it possible to prevent deformation of the guide surfaces 28 even if the thickness of the metal plate 200 that constitutes the guide surfaces 28 is thin.

The reinforcing member 6 according to this embodiment fixes the first fixing surface 62, the second fixing surface 63, and the third fixing surface 64 to the three surfaces of the first guide surface 281, the second guide surface 282, and the second flange 272, respectively. Moreover, these three surfaces (the first guide surface 281, the second guide surface 282, and the second flange 272) are perpendicular to each other, so that the reinforcing member 6 can be fixed more firmly.

In addition, according to this embodiment, at the corner C6 of the connection surface 61, the first fixing surface 62 and the second fixing surface 63 face each other perpendicularly in a non-contact state, so that a gap is formed between the first fixing surface 62 and the second fixing surface 63. Even if a bulge of caulking agent is formed at the contact portion between the first guide surface 281 and the second guide surface 282, the bulge of caulking agent is contained within the gap, thereby preventing interference between the caulking agent and the reinforcing member 6.

In the above embodiment, the caulking agent is filled in the third bending process, and then the reinforcing member 6 is fixed to the square tube portion 20 in the fixing process. However, after the metal plate 200 is bent in the third bending process, the reinforcing member 6 may be fixed to the square tube portion 20 before filling the caulking agent, and then the caulking agent may be filled in the butt joint and the abutting portion. In this case, a gap is formed between the first fixing surface 62 and the second fixing surface 63, so that the caulking agent can be filled in the abutting portion through the gap.

<<Method of manufacturing reinforcing member>>
Next, a method for manufacturing the reinforcing member 6 will be described with reference to Fig. 10 to Fig. 12 as appropriate. Fig. 10 to Fig. 12 are drawings for explaining the method for manufacturing the reinforcing member 6. First, a metal plate 60 formed into a predetermined planar shape is prepared. The metal plate 60 is, for example, a steel plate having a thickness of 1 mm to 2 mm. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the planar metal plate 60 according to this embodiment. The metal plate 60 is formed, for example, by punching.

The metal plate 60 has regions that will later become the connection surface 61, the first fixing surface 62, the second fixing surface 63, and the third fixing surface 64. In addition, bending lines L11, L12, and L13 in a later process are shown as imaginary straight lines. The bending line L11 is located between the connection surface 61 and the second fixing surface 63. The bending line L12 is located between the second fixing surface 63 and the third fixing surface 64. The bending line L13 is located between the connection surface 61 and the first fixing surface 62. The bending line L12 extends in a direction parallel to the bending line L11. The bending line L13 extends in a direction perpendicular to the bending line L11. The bending lines L11 and L13 are connected at a portion that will later become the corner C6 of the connection surface 61.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the metal plate 60 is bent at a right angle at the bend line L11. Then, the metal plate 60 is bent at a right angle at the bend line L13 so that the first fixing surface 62 is located on the same side as the second fixing surface 63. Finally, as shown in FIG. 12, the metal plate 60 is bent at a right angle at the bend line L12 so that the third fixing surface 64 is located on the opposite side to the connection surface 61. As described above, the reinforcing member 6 is manufactured by bending one metal plate 60.

By configuring the reinforcing member 6 in this manner, there is no need to perform welding when manufacturing the reinforcing member 6. This makes it possible to reduce the cost of welding. Furthermore, since a single metal plate 60 has a planar shape before bending, a large number of metal plates 60 can be produced more easily than with a member having a three-dimensional shape. Furthermore, since the reinforcing member 6 is manufactured by bending a single metal plate 60, there is no seam between each surface (for example, between the first fixing surface 62 and the connecting surface 61). This makes it possible to increase the strength of the reinforcing member 6.

In the above description, the reinforcing member 6 is manufactured by bending the metal plate 60 along the bending lines L11, L13, and L12 in that order, but the bending order of the bending lines L11, L12, and L13 is not limited to this order. In addition, the metal plate 60 may be bent along the bending lines L11, L12, and L13 simultaneously.

Attaching the handle to the housing
As described above, the housing 2 houses electrical equipment such as a power storage device. In addition, since the housing 2 itself is also made of metal, the total weight of the housing 2 and the electrical equipment housed therein is, for example, 50 kg or more. Furthermore, since the housing 2 does not have a handle as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there is a problem that the housing 2 is difficult to transport. Therefore, a pair of handle members 8 is attached to the housing 2 according to this embodiment when it is transported. The handle members 8 are attached to the side panels 25 and 26, respectively. The attachment of the handle member 8 to the side panel 25 will be representatively described below, but the handle member 8 is also attached to the side panel 26 in the same manner as the side panel 25.

Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing how the handle member 8 is attached to the side panel 25. The handle member 8 is a metal member and has a connection part 81 and a handle part 82. The connection part 81 is a part that is fixed along the side panel 25. The handle part 82 is a U-shaped handle that is connected to the connection part 81.

The connection portion 81 has a plurality of holes 81a (two in this embodiment). The plurality of holes 81a communicate with screw holes for inserting screws 52 (FIG. 1) provided in the side panel 25 when fixing the connection portion 81 to the side panel 25. The connection portion 81 is fixed to the side panel 25 by inserting screws 58 into the holes 81a and the screw holes. When transporting the housing 2, the pair of handle members 8 can be fixed to the side panels 25, 26, allowing the housing 2 to be easily carried by one person.

The screw holes in the side panel 25 function as screw holes for inserting screws 58 for fixing the connection parts 81 when the housing 2 is transported, and function as screw holes for inserting screws 52 for fixing the fasteners 4 when the housing 2 is fixed to the wall WL1. In this way, by providing a common screw hole for fixing the connection parts 81 and the fasteners 4 in the side panel 25, the number of screw holes provided in the side panel 25 can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost of the side panel 25 can be reduced. Furthermore, by reducing the number of screw holes, the waterproofing of the housing 2 can be improved.

"others"
In the above embodiment, the housing 2 is installed outdoors. However, the housing 2 may be installed indoors. In the above embodiment, the front panel 22 is provided so as to be removable from the housing 2. However, instead of the front panel 22, one of the side panels 25 and 26 may be provided so as to be removable from the housing 2.

《Addendum》
In addition, at least some of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined with each other. In addition, the embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Energy storage system 2 Housing 20 Square tube portion 200 Metal plate 201 One end portion 202 Other end portion 21 Rear panel 22 Front panel 23 Top panel 24 Bottom panel (first wall surface)
25 Side panel 26 Side panel (second wall)
27 Flange 271 First flange 272 Second flange 28 Guide surface 281 First guide surface (first surface)
282 second guide surface (second surface)
29 Reinforcing surface 291 First reinforcing surface 292 Second reinforcing surface 3 Heat dissipation portion 30 Cover 4 Fixture 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 Screw 6 Reinforcing member 60 Metal plate 61 Connection surface 62 First fixing surface 63 Second fixing surface 64 Third fixing surface 62a, 63a, 64a Hole 7 Reinforcing structure 8 Handle member 81 Connection portion 81a Hole 82 Handle portion WL1 Wall F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 Region C1 Notch C11 First notch end C12 Second notch end C6 Corner E1 End (of region F1) E2 End (of region F2) L11, L12, L13 Bending line L21, L22, L23, L24 Bend lines L31, L32, L33 Bend lines L41, L42, L43 Bend lines h1, h2, h3 Holes

Claims (6)

A reinforcement structure for a housing, comprising : a housing; and a reinforcement member for reinforcing the housing ,
The housing has a rectangular tube portion having four corners formed by bending a single elongated metal plate , and both ends of the tube are open,
The rectangular tube portion is
The bottom panel,
The tube end portion is bent to form a first surface and a second surface that are in contact with or close to each other at a predetermined angle in a non-jointed state,
The bottom panel has a butt portion where one end and the other end of the elongated metal plate are butted together,
The reinforcing member is fixed to the first surface and the second surface.
Reinforcement structure of the housing. The reinforcing member is
a first fixing surface that abuts against a side of the first surface that is visible from the second surface and is fixed to the first surface;
a second fixing surface that abuts against a side of the second surface that is visible from the first surface and is fixed to the second surface;
a connection surface that connects the first fixed surface and the second fixed surface;
having
the first fixing surface, the second fixing surface, and the connecting surface are formed by bending a single metal plate,
The connection surface is bent from the outer side of the rectangular tube portion to the inner side of the opening,
The reinforcement structure for a housing according to claim 1 . A caulking agent is filled in a portion where the first surface and the second surface are in contact with each other or in close proximity to each other.
The reinforcement structure for a housing according to claim 1 or 2. The rectangular tube portion includes a first wall surface and a second wall surface adjacent to each other among four wall surfaces constituting the rectangular tube portion, the first wall surface and the second wall surface being bent at the respective tube ends and extending toward the inside of the opening,
the first surface and the second surface are surfaces that bend from the inside of the opening of the first flange and the second flange, respectively, and extend toward the outside of the rectangular tube portion,
Any of the four walls includes the bottom panel.
The reinforcement structure for a housing according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The reinforcing member is
a first fixing surface that abuts against a side of the first surface that is visible from the second surface and is fixed to the first surface;
a second fixing surface that abuts against a side of the second surface that is visible from the first surface and is fixed to the second surface;
a connection surface that connects the first fixed surface and the second fixed surface;
a third fixing surface bent from the inside of the square tube portion of the second fixing surface and extending toward the outside of the opening ,
the first fixing surface, the second fixing surface , the third fixing surface , and the connecting surface are formed by bending a single metal plate,
The connection surface is bent from the outer side of the rectangular tube portion to the inner side of the opening,
The rectangular tube portion includes a first wall surface and a second wall surface adjacent to each other among four wall surfaces constituting the rectangular tube portion, the first wall surface and the second wall surface being bent at the respective tube ends and extending toward the inside of the opening,
the first surface and the second surface are surfaces that bend from the inside of the opening of the first flange and the second flange, respectively, and extend toward the outside of the rectangular tube portion ,
the third fixing surface is fixed to the second flange,
Any of the four walls includes the bottom panel.
The reinforcement structure for a housing according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . A reinforcing member for reinforcing a housing,
The housing has a rectangular tube portion formed by bending a single metal plate, and both ends of the tube are open,
The angular tube portion includes a first surface and a second surface that are in contact with or close to each other at a predetermined angle in a non-jointed state by bending the tube end portion,
The reinforcing member is
a first fixing surface that abuts against a side of the first surface that is visible from the second surface and is fixed to the first surface;
a second fixing surface that abuts against a side of the second surface that is visible from the first surface and is fixed to the second surface;
an L-shaped connection surface provided along a long side of the first fixed surface and a long side of the second fixed surface, the connection surface connecting the first fixed surface and the second fixed surface;
a third fixing surface having a rectangular shape that is bent from the inside of the square tube portion of the second fixing surface and extends toward the outside of the opening ,
the first fixing surface, the second fixing surface , the third fixing surface , and the connecting surface are formed by bending a single metal plate,
The connection surface is bent from the outer side of the rectangular tube portion to the inner side of the opening,
The rectangular tube portion includes a first wall surface and a second wall surface adjacent to each other among four wall surfaces constituting the rectangular tube portion, the first wall surface and the second wall surface being bent at the respective tube ends and extending toward the inside of the opening,
the first surface and the second surface are surfaces that bend from the inside of the opening of the first flange and the second flange, respectively, and extend toward the outside of the rectangular tube portion,
The third fixing surface is fixed to the second flange.
Reinforcing material.

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