Power storage device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9570722-B2
Application number	US-201214360158-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2012
Priority date	Jan 4, 2012
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

Provided is a power storage device that enables a reduction in workload and work risk and thus allows a battery unit to be simply and safely removed from and attached to the power storage device.
A power storage device ( 1 ) includes a plurality of battery unit receiving portions ( 70 ) for receiving battery units ( 100 ), a plurality of connectors ( 20 ) each floatable in the plane intersecting a direction (X) of insertion of the battery unit ( 100 ) into the battery unit receiving portion ( 70 ), an attaching object ( 80 ) to which the plurality of connectors ( 20 ) are attached, and connecting members ( 93 ) that connect between the plurality of connectors ( 20 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power storage device comprising:
a plurality of battery unit receiving portions for receiving battery units;
a plurality of connectors each floatable in a plane intersecting a direction of insertion of the battery unit into the battery unit receiving portion;
an attaching object to which the plurality of connectors are attached; and
a connecting member that connects between the plurality of connectors,
wherein each connector comprises a first housing that is attached to the attaching object, a second housing that is attached to the first housing and forms a contact receiving portion jointly with the first housing, and a contact that is at least partially received in the contact receiving portion,
wherein the second housing is attached to the first housing so as to be movable relative to the first housing in the plane intersecting the direction of insertion of the battery unit,
wherein the contact is received in the contact receiving portion in a state where the contact is not fixed to the first housing or the second housing so as to be movable relative to the first housing and the second housing, and
wherein the first housing comprises a first control portion that controls a position and posture of the contact in the contact receiving portion or the second housing comprises a second control portion that controls a position and posture of the contact in the contact receiving portion.

2. The power storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is inserted into the connectors from a side opposite to the direction of insertion of the battery unit so as to be connected to the connectors.

3. The power storage device according to claim 2 , wherein the contact comprises a first contact portion that is disposed on a first housing side for contact with the connecting member.

4. The power storage device according to claim 2 , wherein the contact comprises a second contact portion that is disposed on a second housing side for contact with a battery-side contact of a battery-side connector attached to the battery unit.

5. The power storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the contact comprises a first contact portion that is disposed on the first housing side for contact with the connecting member.

6. The power storage device according to claim 5 , wherein the contact comprises a second contact portion that is disposed on a second housing side for contact with a battery-side contact of a battery-side connector attached to the battery unit.

7. The power storage device according to claim 5 , wherein the first housing comprises a first control portion that controls a position and posture of the contact in the contact receiving portion.

8. The power storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the contact comprises a second contact portion that is disposed on the second housing side for contact with a battery-side contact of a battery-side connector attached to the battery unit.

9. The power storage device according to claim 8 , wherein the first housing comprises a first control portion that controls a position and posture of the contact in the contact receiving portion.

10. The power storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the contact comprises a pair of conductive members facing each other and a biasing member provided between the pair of conductive members and biasing the pair of conductive members toward each other.

11. The power storage device according to claim 1 , further comprising a signal connector that is attached to the second housing,
wherein the signal connector moves along with the second housing relative to the first housing when the second housing moves relative to the first housing.

12. The power storage device according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover that covers the connecting member in a state where the connecting member is attached to the connectors.

13. The power storage device according to claim 1 , further comprising the battery units that are received in the battery unit receiving portions,
wherein each battery unit comprises a battery incorporated in the battery unit and a battery-side connector connected to the battery, and
wherein the battery-side connector is connected to the connector when the battery unit is received in the battery unit receiving portion.

14. The power storage device according to claim 13 , wherein the battery-side connector comprises a pair of battery-side contacts one of which is connected to a positive electrode of the battery and the other of which is connected to a negative electrode of the battery.

15. The power storage device according to claim 13 ,
wherein the battery-side connector comprises a battery-side housing,
wherein the power storage device further comprises a battery-side signal connector attached to the battery-side housing, and
wherein the battery-side signal connector is connected to a control circuit of the battery.

16. The power storage device according to claim 15 , wherein the battery-side signal connector is connected to a signal connector attached to the connector when the battery unit is received in the battery unit receiving portion.

17. The power storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing comprises a first control portion that controls a position and posture of the contact in the contact receiving portion, and
wherein the second housing comprises a second control portion that controls a position and posture of the contact in the contact receiving portion.

18. A power storage device comprising:
a plurality of battery unit receiving portions for receiving battery units;
a plurality of connectors each floatable in a plane intersecting a direction of insertion of the battery unit into the battery unit receiving portion;
an attaching object to which the plurality of connectors are attached; and
a connecting member that connects between the plurality of connectors
wherein each connector comprises a first housing that is attached to the attaching object, a second housing that is attached to the first housing and forms a contact receiving portion jointly with the first housing, and a contact that is at least partially received in the contact receiving portion,
wherein the second housing is attached to the first housing so as to be movable relative to the first housing in the plane intersecting the direction of insertion of the battery unit,
wherein the contact is received in the contact receiving portion in a state where the contact is not fixed to the first housing or the second housing so as to be movable relative to the first housing and the second housing, and
wherein the contact comprises a pair of conductive members facing each other and a biasing member provided between the pair of conductive members and biasing the pair of conductive members toward each other.

19. The power storage device according to claim 18 , wherein the connecting member is inserted into the connectors from a side opposite to the direction of insertion of the battery unit so as to be connected to the connectors.

20. The power storage device according to claim 19 , wherein the contact comprises a first contact portion that is disposed on a first housing side for contact with the connecting member.

21. The power storage device according to claim 19 , wherein the contact comprises a second contact portion that is disposed on a second housing side for contact with a battery-side contact of a battery-side connector attached to the battery unit.

Assignees

• Japan Aviation Electronics Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Ebisawa Takeshi
• Nakazawa Katsuhiko

Classifications

• H01R13/6315 Primary

  allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection (for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/745

  separate from the housing · CPC title

• H01R4/4863

  Coil spring · CPC title

• H01R13/514

  composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them · CPC title

• H01R13/447

  Shutter or cover plate · CPC title