IP Library Granted Patent US 11,094,974
Granted Patent B2
US 11,094,974 · App. 15/701,819 · Granted Aug 17, 2021

Voltage detector of battery module and battery pack

Inventors: Takao Shoji (Shizuoka, JP); Shinichi Yanagihara (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
H01M10/482G01R31/396H01M10/4257H01M50/20H01M50/502G01R31/3835H01M2010/4271
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,094,974
App. No.
15/701,819
Granted
Aug 17, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A voltage detector of a battery module includes a flexible conductive member that is disposed for each of two electrode groups formed of electrodes arranged in a row of a battery module that is an aggregate of a battery cell provided with two equipotential portions each of which has a same potential with each of the two electrodes, and is electrically connected to the equipotential portion for each of the electrodes of each of the electrode groups serving as a disposition target. The flexible conductive member includes: a conductive portion for each of the equipotential portions having flexibility that is electrically connected to the equipotential portion and each of an arithmetic processing device of a battery monitoring unit that monitors a voltage of the battery cell; and an insulating portion having flexibility that electrically insulates the plurality of conductive portions from each other.

Claims (34)

1. A voltage detector of a battery module, comprising:

a pair of flexible conductive members that are each disposed for a respective one of two electrode groups each of which includes electrodes arranged in a row of a battery module, the battery module being an aggregate of a battery cell provided with two equipotential portions each of which has a same potential with each of the two electrodes, and that is electrically connected to the equipotential portion for each of the electrodes of each of the electrode groups to be disposed, wherein

the battery module electrically connects the respective battery cells to each other in series or in parallel by being physically and electrically connected to two electrodes adjacent to each other in a respective one of the electrode groups by an electrical connection member, and

the equipotential portions are provided independently of the electrodes, and are a different member from the electrical connection member,

each of the flexible conductive members includes:

a plurality of conductive portions having flexibility, each of the conductive portions is electrically connected to a respective one of the equipotential portions and is electrically connected to an arithmetic processing device of a battery monitoring unit that monitors a voltage of the battery cell; and

an insulating portion having flexibility that electrically insulates the plurality of conductive portions from each other,

a connection portion to physically and electrically connect a respective one of the conductive portions and the respective one of the equipotential portions, which serve as connection targets to each other, is provided between the respective one of the conductive portions and the respective one of the equipotential portions,

each of the equipotential portions includes a second conductive portion having the same potential as the electrode, and the second conductive portion is either exposed to an outside on an outer wall surface of a cell body of the battery cell, or attached to the outer wall surface of the cell body, and

each of the equipotential portions is spaced away from each of the electrodes.

2. The voltage detector of the battery module according to claim 1 , wherein

the connection portion is a fusion coupling portion formed along with welding between the conductive portion and the equipotential portion.

3. The voltage detector of the battery module according to claim 1 , wherein

the flexible conductive member is a flexible flat conductive member formed to be flat.

4. The voltage detector of the battery module according to claim 2 , wherein

the flexible conductive member is a flexible flat conductive member formed to be flat.

5. A battery pack comprising:

a battery module including a plurality of battery cells, each of the battery cells includes two electrodes and two equipotential portions each of which has a same potential with each of the two electrodes, and the battery cells are disposed such that the electrodes form two electrode groups arranged in a respective row;

an electrical connection member that electrically connects the respective battery cells to each other in series or in parallel by being physically and electrically connected to two electrodes adjacent to each other in a respective one of the electrode groups; and

a pair of flexible conductive members that are each disposed for for the respective one of the electrode groups and is physically and electrically connected to the equipotential portion for each of the electrodes of a respective one of the electrode groups, wherein

the equipotential portions are provided on an outer wall surface of a cell body, independently of the electrodes, and are a different member from the electrical connection member,

each of the flexible conductive members includes:

a conductive portion for each of the equipotential portions having flexibility that is electrically connected to a respective one of the equipotential portions and each of an arithmetic processing device of a battery monitoring unit that monitors a voltage of the battery cell; and

an insulating portion having flexibility that electrically insulates the plurality of conductive portions from each other,

a connection portion to physically and electrically connect a respective one of the conductive portions and the respective one of the equipotential portions, which serve as connection targets to each other, is provided between the respective one of the conductive portions and the respective one of the equipotential portions,

each of the equipotential portions includes a second conductive portion having the same potential as the electrode, and the second conductive portion is either exposed to an outside on an outer wall surface of a cell body of the battery cell, or attached to the outer wall surface of the cell body, and

each of the equipotential portions is spaced away from each of the electrodes.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a separator that is disposed at least between the adjacent battery cells to achieve insulation of the battery cells, wherein

the flexible conductive member extends in an arrangement direction of the respective battery cells, and

the separator includes a locking portion that has flexibility and elasticity and locks the flexible conductive member in a state where the flexible conductive member is deflected between the connection portions that are adjacently provided.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6 , wherein

the electrical connection member includes an engaged portion that is spaced away from the two electrodes adjacent to each other, and

the separator includes an engaging portion that protrudes through the engaged portion such that the electrical connection member is held by the separator.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 5, 2023
From: YAZAKI CORPORATION
To: YAZAKI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063845/0802 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2017
From: SHOJI, TAKAO; YANAGIHARA, SHINICHI
To: YAZAKI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043558/0679 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2016-178660 · Sep 13, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180076491A1 · Mar 15, 2018