Power supply device
View Patent ↗A power supply device includes a battery cell assembly being an assembly of battery cells each having electrodes, a battery connecting block including a case body including terminal fixing portions connected to each other via flexural deformation portions and a cover fixed to the case body and configured to cover the terminal fixing portions, and lock portions provided to the cover and the case body with intervals in a longitudinal direction. A lock portion other than lock portions located at two end positions in the longitudinal direction is configured to be capable of locking the cover with the case body with a changeable relative lock position of the cover and the case body in the longitudinal direction.
1. A power supply device comprising:
a battery cell assembly comprising an assembly of battery cells each having electrodes;
a battery connecting block placed on a side of the battery cell assembly where the electrodes are located, the battery connecting block comprising a case body including terminal fixing portions connected to each other via flexural deformation portions and a cover fixed to the case body and configured to cover the terminal fixing portions; and
lock portions provided to the cover and the case body with intervals in a longitudinal direction of the cover and the case body and configured to lock the cover with the case body,
wherein the flexural deformation portions are flexurally deformable in the longitudinal direction,
wherein among the lock portions, an intermediate lock portion, other than outer lock portions located at two end positions in the longitudinal direction, is configured to maintain a first lock to the case body in the longitudinal direction,
wherein the flexural deformation portions and the intermediate lock portion are configured to absorb a variation in relative positions between the terminal fixing portions in the longitudinal direction, and
wherein the intermediate lock portion absorbs the variation by shifting the first lock along the longitudinal direction of the case body while maintaining the first lock to the case body,
wherein one of the outer lock portions absorbs the variation by shifting a second lock along the longitudinal direction of the case body while maintaining the second lock to the case body,
wherein the other of the outer lock portions absorbs the variation by shifting a third lock along the longitudinal direction of the case body while maintaining the third lock to the case body,
wherein the intermediate lock portion comprises:
a first position regulating hole provided to the cover; and
a first position regulating rib provided to the case body and arranged in the first position regulating hole with a first gap,
wherein the one of the outer lock portions comprises:
a second position regulating hole provided to the cover; and
a second position regulating rib provided to the case body and arranged in the second position regulating hole with a second gap,
wherein the other of the outer lock portions comprises:
a third position regulating hole provided to the cover; and
a third position regulating rib provided to the case body and arranged in the third position regulating hole with a third gap,
wherein the second gap is smaller than the first gap, and
wherein the third gap is smaller than the first gap.
2. The power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein
the cover comprises:
split cover portions; and
a flexural deformation portion connecting adjacent split cover portions of the split cover portions to each other.
3. The power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein
among the lock portions, each of the outer lock portion located at the two end positions in the longitudinal direction is configured to lock the cover with the case body with an unchangeable and fixed relative lock position of the cover and the case body in the longitudinal direction, and
the cover comprises:
split cover portions; and
a flexural deformation portion connecting adjacent split cover portions of the split cover portions to each other.
4. The power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein
among the lock portions, each of the outer lock portions located at the two end positions in the longitudinal direction is configured to lock the cover with the case body with a changeable relative lock position of the cover and the case body in the longitudinal direction, and
the cover is formed of a single member.
5. The power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate lock portions comprise:
a first lock arm portion provided to the cover; and
a first lock claw portion provided to the case body and locked with the first lock arm portion,
the one of the outer lock portion comprises:
a second lock arm portion provided to the cover; and
a second lock claw portion provided to the case body and locked with the second lock arm portion, and
the other of the outer lock portion comprises:
a third lock arm portion provided to the cover; and
a third lock claw portion provided to the case body and locked with the third lock arm portion.
6. The power supply device according to claim 5 , wherein the intermediate lock portion comprises a first clamping rib provided on the cover and configured to clamp the first position regulating rib between the first clamping rib and the first lock arm portion,
the one of the outer lock portion comprises a second clamping rib provided on the cover and configured to clamp the second position regulating rib between the second clamping rib and the second lock arm portion, and
the other of the outer lock portion comprises a third clamping rib provided on the cover and configured to clamp the third position regulating rib between the third clamping rib and the third lock arm portion.
7. The power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the outer lock portions and the intermediate lock portion are configured to simultaneously lock the cover and the case body.
8. The power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the flexural deformation portions comprise hinges.