Battery pack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10903463-B2
Application number	US-201616084410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2016
Priority date	Mar 16, 2016
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A battery pack includes a casing, a plurality of battery cells, and a first connector, for example. The casing includes a first outer wall and a protrusion that is provided on the first outer wall and protrudes outward from the first outer wall. The battery cells include an electrode terminal and are housed in the casing. The first connector is provided on the protrusion and is electrically connected to the electrode terminal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A battery pack comprising:
a casing including a first outer wall and a protrusion that is provided on the first outer wall and protrudes outward from the first outer wall;
a plurality of battery cells that includes an electrode terminal and is housed in the casing;
a first connector that is provided on the protrusion and is electrically connected to the electrode terminal;
a first screw member;
a second screw member connected to the first screw member;
a support that is provided in the casing and movably supports the first screw member in an axial direction of a central axis of the first screw member; and
a first conductive member electrically connected to the electrode terminal, wherein
the first connector includes an insulating body and a second conductive member supported by the body, and
the first conductive member and the second conductive member are held between the first screw member and the second screw member.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein
the protrusion include an end face in a protruding direction of the protrusion, and a chamber open to the end face, and
at least part of the first connector is housed in the chamber.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising
a first conductive member including a first terminal, a second terminal, and bent parts between the first terminal and the second terminal, the first terminal electrically connected to the electrode terminal, the second terminal electrically connected to the first terminal.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the first screw member is a first nut.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4 , wherein the first nut includes:
an annular tube about the central axis; and
a flange including a first face on which the first conductive member and the second conductive member are stacked, the flange that projects radially outward from the tube.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein
the flange has a non-circular shape when viewed in a direction along the central axis, and
the support includes a second face that is shaped to extend along an outer circumference of the flange to surround the outer circumference, and restricts the first nut from rotating about the central axis while being in contact with the outer circumference.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6 , wherein
the flange includes a first part and a second part, the first part that includes the outer circumference and projects radially outward from the tube, the second part that is connected to the first part, includes the first face, and at least partially projects radially outward from the first part, and
an area of the first face is larger than a cross sectional area of the first part orthogonal to the central axis.

8. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the first face is asymmetrical relative to the central axis.

9. The battery pack according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the first outer wall has insulating properties, and
the casing is supported by a first support member of the support, with the first screw fitted into the second screw, holding the first support member in-between the first screw and the second screw.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9 , wherein the second screw is formed by a second nut at least part of which is embedded in the first outer wall.

11. The battery pack according to claim 9 , wherein
the casing includes a second outer wall connected to a second support member, and
the second screw is connected to the second support member via the first support member.

12. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein a cable connected to a second connector extends along the first outer wall with the second connector electrically connected to the first connector.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk
• Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corp

Inventors

• Shimizu Norio
• Uchida Toshinori
• Kuroda Kazuto
• Sekino Masahiro

Classifications

• H01M50/296 Primary

  characterised by terminals of battery packs (terminals of batteries H01M50/543) · CPC title

• H01M50/289

  characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs (spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471) · CPC title

• H01M50/284

  with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB] · CPC title

• H01M50/505

  comprising a single busbar · CPC title

• H01M50/227

  Organic material · CPC title