BATTERY MODULE

• US 20150372265A1
• Filed: 02/13/2014
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Inventors: MORISAKU, Naoto, KATO, Takayuki, UEDA, Hiromi, WATANABE, Shintaro, OISHI, Hidefumi, SAKAI, Takashi, MAEDA, Kazuki, KOBAYASHI, Katsumasa
• Application Number:
  US14/766,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20150372265A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/507 comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/51 Connection only in series
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module has a plurality of battery bodies. Each of the battery bodies is constituted by a battery holder and a battery cell held by the battery holder and also has two connecting terminals of different polarities. The battery bodies are arranged side by side. The connecting terminals of adjacent battery bodies are connected to each other by a bus bar, and the battery bodies are thereby connected in series. Each battery holder has an indicator that prevents the bus bars from being connected to a part located between bus bars that are adjacent to each other in the arrangement direction of the battery bodies.

Claims

1. A battery module comprising a plurality of battery bodies, wherein

each of the battery bodies is constituted by a battery holder and a battery cell held by the battery holder and includes two connecting terminals of different polarities,

the battery bodies are arranged side by side,

the connecting terminals of the battery bodies of each adjacent pair thereof are connected to each other by a bus bar, so that the battery bodies are connected in series,

the battery holders include first battery holders and second battery holders,

the battery cells include first battery cells, each of which is held by one of the first battery holders, and second battery cells, each of which is held by one of the second battery holders,

the battery bodies include first battery bodies and second battery bodies,

the first battery bodies, each of which is constituted by one of the first battery holders and one of the first battery cells, and the second battery bodies, each of which is constituted by one of the second battery holders and one of the second battery cells, are arranged alternately such that the first battery holders and the second battery holders face the same direction, and

each of the first and second battery holders includes an indicator, wherein the indicators are used for preventing the bus bars from being connected to a part located between any two of the bus bars that are adjacent to each other in an arrangement direction of the battery bodies.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the indicators are visually recognizable.

3. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the indicators are wall members, each of which is located between two of the bus bars that are adjacent to each other in an arrangement direction of the battery bodies.

4. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein

the battery bodies are arranged side by side such that the polarities of the connecting terminals of each adjacent pair thereof are different from each other,

each first battery cell includes a first protrusion on a terminal surface, on which the connecting terminals are provided,

each second battery cell includes a second protrusion on a terminal surface, on which the connecting terminals are provided, wherein the second protrusion does not face any of the first protrusions in an arrangement direction of the battery cells,

each first battery holder includes a first projecting portion, which projects toward a side at which the first battery cell is provided, wherein, when an attempt is made to fit the second battery cell to the first battery holder, the first projecting portion contacts the second protrusion, thereby preventing the second battery cell from being accommodated in the first battery holder, and

each second battery holder includes a second projecting portion, which projects toward a side at which the second battery cell is provided, wherein, when an attempt is made to fit the first battery cell to the second battery holder, the second projecting portion contacts the first protrusion, thereby preventing the first battery cell from being accommodated in the second battery holder.

6. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein each first protrusion and each second protrusion are each provided at an infusion port of the corresponding one of the first battery cells and the second battery cells.

7. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein

the battery bodies are arranged side by side such that the polarities of the connecting terminals of each adjacent pair thereof are the same, and

connecting terminals of different polarities of the battery bodies of each adjacent pair thereof are connected to each other by one of the bus bars.

8. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein

each indicator is a wall member that guides the corresponding bus bar, which connects the connecting terminals of different polarities of the corresponding adjacent pair of the battery bodies, and

each bus bar is provided along the corresponding wall member.

5. A battery module comprising first and second battery bodies, wherein

each of the first and second battery bodies includes two connecting terminals of different polarities,

the first battery bodies and the second battery bodies are arranged alternately such that the polarities of the connecting terminals of each adjacent pair thereof are different from each other,

each first battery body is constituted by a first battery holder and a first battery cell, which is held by the first battery holder,

each second battery body is constituted by a second battery holder and a second battery cell, which is held by the second battery holder,

each first battery cell includes a first protrusion on a terminal surface, on which the connecting terminals are provided,

each second battery cell includes a second protrusion on a terminal surface, on which the connecting terminals are provided, wherein the second protrusion does not face any of the first protrusions in an arrangement direction of the battery cells,

each first battery holder includes a first projecting portion, wherein, when an attempt is made to fit the second battery cell to the first battery holder, the first projecting portion contacts the second protrusion, thereby preventing the second battery cell from being accommodated in the first battery holder, and

each second battery holder includes a second projecting portion, wherein, when an attempt is made to fit the first battery cell to the second battery holder, the second projecting portion contacts the first protrusion, thereby preventing the first battery cell from being accommodated in the second battery holder.

9. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein each first protrusion and each second protrusion are each provided at an infusion port of the corresponding one of the first battery cells and the second battery cells.

10. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein

the battery bodies are arranged side by side such that the polarities of the connecting terminals of each adjacent pair thereof are the same, and

connecting terminals of different polarities of the battery bodies of each adjacent pair thereof are connected to each other by one of the bus bars.

11. The battery module according to claim 10, wherein

each indicator is a wall member that guides the corresponding bus bar, which connects the connecting terminals of different polarities of the corresponding adjacent pair of the battery bodies, and

each bus bar is provided along the corresponding wall member.

12. A battery module comprising a plurality of battery bodies, wherein

each of the battery bodies is constituted by a battery holder and a battery cell held by the battery holder and includes two connecting terminals of different polarities,

the battery bodies are arranged side by side,

the connecting terminals of the battery bodies of each adjacent pair thereof are connected to each other by a bus bar, so that the battery bodies are connected in series,

the battery holders include first battery holders and second battery holders,

the battery cells include first battery cells, each of which is held by one of the first battery holders, and second battery cells, each of which is held by one of the second battery holders,

first battery bodies, each of which is constituted by one of the first battery holders and one of the first battery cells, and second battery bodies, each of which is constituted by one of the second battery holders and one of the second battery cells, are arranged alternately such that a direction in which the first battery cells are inserted into the first battery holders is the same as a direction in which the second battery cells are inserted into the second battery holders,

each of the first and second battery holders includes a positioning portion configured to arrange the first battery bodies and the second battery bodies alternately, and

each of the first and second battery holders includes an indicator, wherein the indicators are used for preventing the bus bars from being connected to a part located between any two of the bus bars that are adjacent to each other in an arrangement direction of the battery bodies.

13. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein the positioning portions include protrusions and recesses, and each of the first and second battery holders has one of the protrusions and one of the recesses.