Electric storage apparatus

• US 9,786,960 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd. (GS Yuasa Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd. (GS Yuasa Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyawaki, Yasutaka, Yamashiro, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Usyatinsky, Alex
• Application Number:
  US14/206,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20140287286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• 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 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/264 for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/519 comprising printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electric storage apparatus includes a plurality of electric storage devices aligned in a first direction and each having an electrode terminal extending in a direction orthogonal to the first direction; a holding member configured to hold the plurality of electric storage devices; and a circuit case housing a circuit thereinside, wherein the holding member has an opening, and the circuit case is formed into a size corresponding to the opening so as to close the opening.

Claims

1. An electric storage apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of electric storage devices aligned in a first direction and each including an electrode terminal extending in a direction orthogonal to the first direction;

a holding member including a pair of end members sandwiching the plurality of electric storage devices in the first direction, and a pair of coupling members coupling lateral parts of the pair of end members to each other;

a circuit case housing a circuit thereinside,

wherein the holding member includes an opening that is defined by end edges, in a direction orthogonal to the first direction of the pair of end members and the pair of coupling members,

wherein the circuit case is formed into a size corresponding to the opening so as to close the opening,

wherein edges of the pair of coupling members extend along the first direction in a straight line and in parallel with a predetermined distance to each other,

wherein the pair of end members comprises internal threads for receiving a screw fastener,

wherein the circuit a is fixed on a top of the pair of end members by the screw fastener, and

wherein an outer circumference of the circuit case overlaps with the end edges of the opening; and

a pair of support posts projecting, in the direction orthogonal to the first direction of the pair of end members and the pair of coupling members, from the top of each of the pair of end members.

2. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric storage apparatus has a rectangular parallelepiped shape including:

a first plane on which the circuit case is located;

a second plane, and a third plane, as a pair of parallel planes, on which the pair of end members are respectively located;

a fourth plane and a fifth plane, as a pair of parallel planes, on which the pair of coupling members are respectively located; and

a sixth plane on which a side opposite to the electrode terminals of the plurality of electric storage devices is located.

3. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening exposes a plane of the electrode terminals of the plurality of electric storage devices.

4. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening includes an extended portion extended from the end edges of the opening in the direction orthogonal to the first direction.

5. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the extended portion is extended from each of a plurality of points on the end edges of the opening.

6. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a spacer arranged between adjacent two of the electric storage devices,

wherein the spacer includes a spacer body and an extended portion extended from the spacer body into the circuit case, and

wherein the extended portion covers a boundary between the circuit case and the opening from an inside.

7. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein corners of the circuit case are surrounded by the end edges of the opening.

8. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the support posts includes the internal threads, extending in the direction orthogonal to the first direction of the pair of end members and the pair of coupling members, into which a threaded portion of the screw fastener is screwed.

9. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a through hole, extending in the direction orthogonal to the first direction of the pair of end members and the pair of coupling members, configured to allow the threaded portion of the screw fastener to pass therethrough.

10. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the through hole is provided at a point, corresponding to said each of the support posts, on a bottom plate of the circuit case.

11. An electric storage apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of electric storage devices aligned in a first direction;

a holding member including;

a pair of end members each extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the pair of end members sandwiching the plurality of electric storage devices in the first direction; and

a pair of coupling members each extending in the first direction and coupling the pair of end members to each other;

a circuit case housing a circuit,

wherein the holding member includes an opening that is defined by end edges extending in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction,

wherein edges of the pair of coupling members extend along the first direction in a straight line and in parallel with a predetermined distance to each other,

wherein the pair of end members comprises internal threads for receiving a screw fastener,

wherein the circuit case is attached to a top surface of the pair of end members by the screw fastener, and

wherein an outer circumference of the circuit case overlaps with the end edges of the opening; and

a pair of support posts projecting, in the third direction from the top surface of the pair of end members.

12. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a spacer arranged between adjacent two of the electric storage devices,

wherein the spacer includes a spacer body and an extended portion extended from the spacer body into the circuit case, and

wherein the extended portion covers a boundary between the circuit case and the opening from an inside.

13. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein corners of the circuit case are surrounded by the end edges of the opening.

14. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of the support posts includes the internal threads, extending in the third direction, into which a threaded portion of the screw fastener is screwed.

15. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a through hole, extending in the third direction, configured to allow the threaded portion of the screw fastener to pass therethrough.

16. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the through hole is provided at a point, corresponding to said each of the support posts, on a bottom plate of the circuit case.

17. The electric storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the opening exposes a plane of electrode terminals of the plurality of electric storage devices.