RELAY UNIT

• US 20190318892A1
• Filed: 12/05/2017
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikejiri, Noritaka, Ejima, Takumi, Kawaguchi, Kiyofumi, Oda, Maiko, Suzuki, Toshifumi, Obara, Yoshikazu
• Granted Patent: US 11,562,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/22 characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/044 Protecting cover
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/72 Switches in which the opening movement and the closing movement of a contact are effected respectively by heating and cooling or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 45/04 Mounting complete relay or separate parts of relay on a base or inside a case
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 45/12 Ventilating; Cooling; Heating for operating electrothermal relays H01H61/013
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/655 Solid structures for heat exchange or heat conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6553 Terminals or leads
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/66 Heat-exchange relationships between the cells and other systems, e.g. central heating systems or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

This relay unit includes: a first bus bar; a relay electrically connected to the first bus bar; and an apparatus cover for covering the first bus bar and the relay. The apparatus cover includes: an upper member in a box shape having a covered upper end, the upper member having an opening formed in a lower end; and a lower member bonded to the upper member such that the opening of the upper member is covered with the lower member. The lower member is formed of a resin having heat conductivity that is higher than that of the upper member. The first bus bar is connected to the lower member via a first inner heat conductive sheet such that heat can be transferred to the lower member, said first inner heat conductive sheet being disposed between the first bus bar and the lower member.

Claims

1. A relay unit housed in a battery case, the relay unit comprising:

a first bus bar;

a relay that is electrically connected to the first bus bar; and

a device cover that covers the first bus bar and the relay, wherein

the device cover includes an upper member which has a box shape with an upper end closed and with an opening formed at a lower end, and a lower member which is combined with the upper member in a manner to close the opening of the upper member,

the lower member is formed from a resin having a higher heat conductive property than the upper member,

the first bus bar is connected to the lower member in a manner to allow transfer of heat, via a first inner heat conductive sheet placed between the first bus bar and the lower member, and

the first inner heat conductive sheet is an electrically insulating resin sheet having a lower surface hardness than the lower member.

2. The relay unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

an outer heat conductive sheet that is placed at a lower side of the lower member, wherein

the first bus bar is connected to the outer heat conductive sheet in a manner to allow transfer of heat, via the first inner heat conductive sheet and the lower member.

3. The relay unit according to claim 2, further comprising:

a second bus bar that is covered by the device cover, wherein

the relay is electrically connected to each of the first bus bar and the second bus bar, between the first bus bar and the second bus bar,

a first recess and a second recess which are partitioned by an electrically insulating wall are formed on an upper surface of the lower member,

the first inner heat conductive sheet is placed in the first recess and the first bus bar is placed in an overlapping manner at an upper side of the first inner heat conductive sheet in the first recess,

a second inner heat conductive sheet is placed in the second recess and the second bus bar is placed in an overlapping manner at an upper side of the second inner heat conductive sheet in the second recess, and

the first bus bar is connected to the outer heat conductive sheet in a manner to allow transfer of heat, via the first inner heat conductive sheet and the lower member, and the second bus bar is connected to the outer heat conductive sheet in a manner to allow transfer of heat, via the second inner heat conductive sheet and the lower member.

4. The relay unit according to claim 2, wherein

the outer heat conductive sheet is adhered to a lower surface of the lower member, and

a sheet protection wall which protrudes to a lower side is formed on a portion, of the lower surface of the lower member, opposing at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of the outer heat conductive sheet.

5. The relay unit according to claim 4, wherein

the outer heat conductive sheet has a rectangular or square shape when viewed from one side in a thickness direction,

the sheet protection wall is formed in a rectangular or square cross section to surround the outer heat conductive sheet, and

a height of the sheet protection wall is larger than a thickness of the outer heat conductive sheet.

6. The relay unit according to claim 4, wherein

a notch is formed on the sheet protection wall on an outer circumferential surface including a lower end of the outer heat conductive sheet, to expose a portion in a circumferential direction.