Rack Structure, Power Storage System, and Method of Assembling Rack Structure

1 . A rack structure, comprising:

a battery shelf for accommodating a plurality of battery units;

a rack in which at least one battery shelf is mounted; and

a connector which electrically connects the battery shelf and the rack with each other, wherein

the connector has a first connector member disposed on a rear surface of the battery shelf and a second connector member disposed on the rack side.

2 . The rack structure according to claim 1 , wherein the connector is a floating connector having a floating structure configured to absorb position gap between the first connector member and the second connector member.

3 . The rack structure according to claim 2 , wherein the floating structure absorbs position gap (i) in at least one of vertical direction, left-right direction, and oblique direction, or (ii) in at least one of vertical direction, left-right direction, oblique direction, and front-back direction.

4 . The rack structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the first connector member is a non-movable member, and

the second connector member is a movable member.

5 . The rack structure according to claim 4 , wherein the movable member has a plug part, and the non-movable member has a recessed part into which the plug part is inserted, and a taper part is formed at least at distal end of the plug part.

6 . The rack structure according to claim 1 , wherein retaining member, retaining the second connector member, is configured to be movable at least in a direction along direction of movement of the battery shelf, thereby absorbing position gap between the first and second connector members.

7 . The rack structure according to claim 6 , wherein

the retaining member has:

a support member on which the second connector member is mounted; and

a coupling member which couples the support member to a part of the rack.

8 . The rack structure according to claim 7 , wherein the coupling member is configured to be movable at least in front-back direction relative to the part of the rack.

9 . The rack structure according to claim 7 , wherein the support member is configured to be movable at least in upper-lower direction relative to the coupling member.

10 . A power storage system comprising:

the rack structure according to claim 1 ; and

a plurality of battery units accommodated in the battery shelf.

11 . The power storage system according to claim 10 , further comprising:

a control unit for controlling operation of the plurality of battery units, the control unit is configured to perform at least one of the following processes:

determining whether or not the temperature of one or more battery units is within a proper range;

determining whether there is any defect in one or more battery units; and

determining, for a certain battery unit, how much the battery unit has been used, and determining on this basis whether or not replacement is necessary.

12 . A method of assembling a rack structure by mounting a battery shelf, accommodating battery units, in a rack, wherein a first connector member is disposed on a rear surface of the battery shelf and a second connector member is disposed on the rack side, and the method comprising the steps of:

(a) linearly moving the battery shelf into the rack; and

(b) connecting the first connector member and the second connector member with each other while moving the battery shelf to a predetermined position in the rack.