Battery cover

• US 6,896,995 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2001
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Saito, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLS, MONIQUE M
• Application Number:
  US09/861,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 429/99, 429/100, 429/163, 429/59, 429/83, 429/158, 429/149, 429/175, 429/177, 429/176, 429/179, 340/628, 340/69.7
• US Class Current: 429/163
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/548 on opposite sides of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/588 outside the batteries, e.g. incorrect connections of terminals or busbars
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/591 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power source device (2) includes a plurality of small batteries (3), a plurality of bus bars (4), a casing (5), and a battery cover (1). The small batteries (3) are stacked together in such a manner that positive electrodes (7), as well as negative electrodes (8), are alternately reversely directed. The bus bars (4) are embedded in the casing (5), and when the casing (5) covers end portions of the small batteries (3), the electrodes (7, 8) are connected together. The battery cover (1) includes a cover body (11), opening/closing covers (12), and hinges (13). The cover body (11) is attached to the casing (5). The opening/closing covers (12) can be displaced between their respective closed positions where the opening/closing covers (12) respectively cover the electrodes (7, 8) and their respective open positions where the electrodes (7, 8) are exposed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a battery cover;

a battery assembly,

a cover body attachable to the battery assembly comprising a plurality of batteries so that a plurality of first electrodes are covered, wherein the battery assembly comprises the first electrodes and at least one second electrode which are formed on a first face of the battery assembly;

a hinge; and

at least one opening/closing cover pivotably connected to the cover body through the hinge,

wherein when the cover body is attached to the battery assembly, the opening/closing cover is movable relative to the cover body between an open position where the at least one second electrode is exposed with the opening/closing cover and a closed position where the at least one second electrode is covered with the opening/closing cover;

wherein said battery assembly further comprises;

a casing comprising a plurality of holes;

wherein said plurality of first electrodes and said at least one second electrode are passed through the holes.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the hinge is formed integrally with the cover body and the opening/closing cover, and is smaller in thickness than the cover body and the opening/closing cover.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said casing is of a hood-like shape.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said battery assembly further comprises:

a plurality of bus bars embedded in the casing;

wherein said bus bars comprise electrically conductive metal; and

wherein said bus bars have a strip-like shape.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said hinge comprises a self-hinge.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said battery cover comprises insulative synthetic resin.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said battery assembly further comprises:

a first and a second casing;

wherein said first casing covers the first face of said battery assembly; and

wherein a second casing covers a second face of said battery assembly.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said battery cover further comprises:

a positioning mechanism;

wherein said positioning mechanism holds the opening/closing cover in the open position when the cover is displaced to the open position.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said cover body comprises claws;

wherein said casing comprises projections;

wherein said claws are releasably engaged with the projections during the closed position and the claws are not engaged with the projections during the open position.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of batteries comprise a square-cross section.