Energy storage apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11171378-B2
Application number	US-201816054832-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2018
Priority date	Aug 8, 2017
Publication date	Nov 9, 2021
Grant date	Nov 9, 2021

Abstract

An energy storage apparatus includes: an energy storage device; an insulating adjoining member adjoining the energy storage device in a first direction; a conductive opposite member facing the energy storage device and the adjoining member in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; an insulating member disposed between the energy storage device and adjoining member and the opposite member; and a conductive fastening member disposed through the insulating member in the second direction to fasten the adjoining member to the opposite member. At least one of the adjoining member and the insulating member includes an opposite projection projecting toward an other of the adjoining member and the insulating member and facing a periphery of the fastening member, and the opposite projection is in contact with the other of the adjoining member and the insulating member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An energy storage apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of energy storage devices stacked in a first direction;
an adjoining member disposed between the energy storage devices in the first direction;
an opposite member facing the energy storage devices in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
an insulating member disposed between the adjoining member and the opposite member; and
a fastening member disposed through the insulating member in the second direction to fasten the adjoining member to the opposite member,
wherein at least one of the adjoining member and the insulating member includes an opposite projection projecting in the second direction toward an other of the adjoining member and the insulating member and facing a periphery of the fastening member,
wherein the opposite projection is in a shape of an open ring having two circumferential ends which define a cut, and
wherein the at least one of the adjoining member and the insulating member further includes an external projection disposed outside the opposite projection in a direction orthogonal to the second direction and overlapped with at least the cut and both ends of the opposite projection defining the cut when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the second direction.

2. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the insulating member includes the opposite projection projecting in the second direction toward the adjoining member and facing the periphery of the fastening member, and
wherein the opposite projection has insulating properties and is in contact with the adjoining member.

3. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the opposite projection is elastically deformable, and
wherein the insulating member further includes the cut separating the opposite projection in a circumferential direction of the fastening member.

4. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the opposite projection is tapered toward a tip end in a projecting direction of the opposite projection.

5. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the insulating member further includes the external projection disposed outside the opposite projection in the direction orthogonal to the second direction and overlapped with at least the cut and the both ends of the opposite projection defining the cut when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the second direction.

6. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the adjoining member includes a recess to accept the external projection.

7. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the energy storage device comprises an external terminal protruding from an upper surface of one of the energy storage devices in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

8. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the opposite projection prevents an electrical connection between the opposite projection and the fastening member.

9. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the insulating properties of the opposite projection electrically isolate the opposite projection from the fastening member.

10. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the insulating member further includes the cut that opens the opposite projection in a circumferential direction of the fastening member.

11. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the cut opens the opposite projection in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

12. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the fastening member is exposed from an opening of the cut in the third direction.

13. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the insulating member further includes:
the external projection disposed outside the opposite projection, and
wherein, in the third direction, the external projection overlaps with the opening of the cut and the both ends of the opposite projection defining the cut.

14. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the insulating member further includes:
the cut including an opening in the opposite projection in a circumferential direction of the fastening member; and
the external projection disposed outside the opposite projection in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

15. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein, in the third direction, the external projection overlaps with the opening of the cut and opposing ends of the opposite projection defining the cut.

16. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein, in the third direction, the fastening member is exposed from the opening of the cut and overlaps with the external projection.

17. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cut includes an opening in the opposite projection in a circumferential direction of the fastening member.

18. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the fastening member is exposed from the opening of the cut and overlaps with the external projection.

Assignees

• Blue Energy Co Ltd
• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kakimura Hiroaki

Classifications

• B60K6/28 Primary

  characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors · CPC title

• H01M50/522

  Inorganic material · CPC title

• H01M50/51

  Connection only in series · 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

• H01M50/262

  with fastening means, e.g. locks · CPC title