Abstract:
Prevention of interference between an electric wire and a terminal in a wiring part, and downsizing of the wiring part are achieved. A battery connection member, includes a plurality of housings accommodating a bus bar connecting in series a plurality of batteries, and one or more terminals electrically connected to the bus bar; and a wiring part arranged in parallel along the plurality of housings in a direction intersecting a connecting direction of the electric wire relative to the terminals. The wiring part includes: a communication part formed to communicate with inside the wiring part, and positioning an end of a swaging part of the terminal therein; and an electric wire protection part continuing to the communication part, projecting toward inside the wiring part, and formed to prevent contact of the terminal positioned inside the communication part and the electric wire connected to the other terminal.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a battery connection member and a battery connection body having the battery connection member, the battery connection member including a plurality of housings accommodating a bus bar connecting in series a plurality of batteries, and one or more terminals electrically connected to the bus bar, and a wiring part arranged in parallel along the plurality of housings in a direction intersecting a connecting direction of the electric wire relative to the terminals, the wiring part having the electric wire bent near swaging part of the terminal wired therewithin. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    For example, to an electric vehicle running using electric motor, or a hybrid vehicle running in conjunction with engine and electric motor is mounted the aforementioned battery device as a drive source for the power source device. For the power source a battery connection plate as shown in the PTL 1 is employed. 
         [0003]    In  FIG. 6 , a battery connection plate  100  is attached to a battery collectivity formed such that batteries each having positive electrode at one end and negative electrode at the other (square battery) are alternately and oppositely stacked, and connects the stacked batteries to each other in series. The battery connection plate  100  is provided with a resin plate formed using mold, a bus bar  116  with one hole fitted into such one end  108  of the resin plate  107 , a bus bar  117  with two holes fitted into one end  109  of the resin plate. 
         [0004]    Wiring a power line to the battery connection plate  100 , and a protection part  120  to a signal line enables attachment to the battery collectivity. A terminal of the power line end is, at this time, attached to contact the bus bar  116  having single hole. Likewise, an end terminal of a plurality of signal lines is attached to contact the bus bar  117  having two holes. 
         [0005]    The battery connection plate  100  includes a protection part  120  protecting the signal to be wired. The protection part  120  is provided with a plurality of wiring grooves  123  wiring the signal line, and a plurality of groove covers  125  engaging with each of plurality of wiring grooves  123  via a hinge  124 . After the signal is wired to the plurality of wiring grooves  123 , the hinge  124  is press-bent to lay the groove cover  125  to the wiring groove  123 , then the wiring groove  123  and the groove cover  124  are engaged to each other, so as to complete the protection part  120 . 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
       [0000]    
       
         [PTL 1] 
         Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-98295 
       
     
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0008]    Notwithstanding, in the aforementioned battery connection plate  100 , the signal line is bent from a swaging portion of the plurality of terminals  118  electrically connected to each of the plurality of bus bars  117  to be wired to the plurality of wiring grooves  123 , it has been likely that the signal line connected to the other terminal  118  is contacted with the swaging part of the terminal  118 . Thereby, the plurality of signal lines wired within the wiring groove  123  has been thereby required to avoid the terminal  118 , making it difficult to downsize the wiring groove  123 . Also, failure of downsizing the wiring groove  123  has caused the battery connection plate  100  to upsize, so as to increase material or mold cost. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, object of the present invention is, in light of the above problem, to provide a battery connection member and a battery connection body preventing interference of electric wire wired within the wiring part and the terminal, and downsizing the wiring part. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0010]    In order to attain the above-mentioned object, a battery connection member according to a first aspect of the present invention, includes: (a) a plurality of housings accommodating a bus bar connecting in series a plurality of batteries, and one or more terminals electrically connected to the bus bar; and (b) a wiring part arranged in parallel along the plurality of housings in a direction intersecting a connecting direction of the electric wire relative to the terminals, wherein the electric wire bent near swaging part of the terminal is wired within the wiring part, the wiring part including: (i) a communication part formed to communicate with inside the wiring part, and positioning an end of the swaging part of the terminal therein; and (ii) an electric wire protection part continuing to the communication part, projecting toward inside the wiring part, and formed to prevent contact of the terminal positioned inside the communication part and the electric wire connected to the other terminal. 
         [0011]    According to the first aspect of the present invention, accommodation of the bus bar and the terminal within the housing makes the terminal of the swaging part positioned in the communication part of the wiring part. While the electric wire connected to the terminal is bent near the swaging part of the terminal so as to be wired within the wiring part, in the communication part where the other terminal in wiring pathway is positioned, the electric wire protection part is projected toward inside the wiring part, preventing contact of the other terminal and the wired electric wire. 
         [0012]    Preferably, in the battery connection part of the first aspect, the electric wire protection part is formed plurally in number at both sides of the communication part in an extension direction of the wiring part. 
         [0013]    According to the present invention, the plurality of electric wire protection parts formed at both sides of the communication part in the extension direction of the wiring part, even if the electric wire is wired in any direction of the wiring part, prevents any contact of the terminal and the wired electric wire. Also, it is made possible for the electric wire protection part to restrict wiring toward the other terminal when the electric wire connected to the terminal is wired to the wiring part. 
         [0014]    According a second aspect of the present invention, a battery connection body attached to a plurality of batteries in which positive and negative electrodes alternately and oppositely are stacked to each other, and which connects in series the plurality of batteries to each other, the battery connection body includes: (a) the battery connection member according to the first aspect; (b) a plurality of bus bars accommodated in the housing of the battery connection member, and connecting in series the plurality of batteries; (c) a plurality of terminals electrically connected to each of the bus bars, and accommodated in the housing; (d) one or more electric wires electrically connected to the terminal, and wired inside the wiring part of the battery connection member. 
         [0015]    According to the battery connection body of the invention, the plurality of the battery connection member connects in series the plurality of batteries to each other, and is accommodated in the housing with the bus bar and the terminal electrically connected. The electric wire connected to the terminal is bent near the swaging part of the terminal so as to be wired to the wiring part, and contact of the electric wire to be wired and the other terminal in wiring pathway is prevented by the electric wire protection part communicating with the communicating part of the other terminal. 
       Advantageous Effects of Invention 
       [0016]    According to the invention, since contact of the electric wire and the terminal within the wiring part of the battery connection member is prevented by the electric wire protection part, it is made possible to wire the electric wire near the terminal in the wiring part, enabling to downsize the wiring part. It is also made possible to prevent contact of the electric wire by the electric wire protection part when the end of the terminal projects into the wiring part resulting from assembling error between the housing and the terminal. Therefore, downsizing of the battery connection member allows contributing reduction of material and molding cost. 
         [0017]    According to the invention, in addition to the advantageous effects of the first aspect of the invention, it is made possible to have a degree of flexibility of directions for the electric wire in the wiring part, as well as to securely prevent contact of the plurality of electric wires and the plurality of terminals wired in the wiring part. Restriction of wiring of the electric wire bent from the terminal by the electric wire protection part toward the other terminal can also contribute efficiency of wiring work. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an opening state of a wiring part of a battery connection member. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a power source device composed of a battery connection body including the battery connection member and a battery collectivity. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a partial enlarged top view enlarging in partial the battery connection body including the battery connection. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-section taken from A-A line and viewed from its arrow direction in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view enlarging one of the battery connection members. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a top view illustrating one example of a conventional battery connection plate. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    Hereinafter, one embodiment of a battery connection member and a battery connection body relevant to the present invention is discussed with reference drawings of  FIGS. 1 to 5 . 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a battery connection body  1  of the present invention is attached to a battery collectivity  2 , which composes a power source device. Also, the power source device is mounted in such an electric vehicle running using an electric motor, or a hybrid vehicle running in conjunction with an engine and an electric motor, which is designed to supply power with the electric motor. Note that the battery collectivity is formed such that batteries (square battery) each having positive electrode at one end and negative electrode at the other are alternately and oppositely stacked to each other. 
         [0026]    The battery collectivity  2 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is provided with a plurality of batteries  20 , and a fixture (not shown) that fixes the plurality of batteries  20  stacked to each other. Each of the plurality of batteries  20  is provided with a positive electrode  22  and a negative electrode  23  projecting from one end of an upper face of the battery main body  21  and the other end, respectively. 
         [0027]    The plurality of batteries  20  is stacked such that the positive electrode  22  and the negative electrode  23  are straightly and alternately arranged in a stacking direction of the batteries  20 . Also, an arrow X in  FIG. 2  indicates the stacking direction of the batteries and a longitudinal direction of the battery collectivity  2 , an arrow Z a width direction of each of the batteries, i.e., a width direction of the battery collectivity  2 , and an arrow Y a height direction of each of the batteries  20 , i.e., a height direction of the battery collectivity  2 . Also, the battery collectivity  2  is mounted in the vehicle in such a direction that the height direction (that is, the arrow Y direction) is arranged parallel to direction of gravitational force. Namely, in a state of the battery collectivity  2  being mounted in the vehicle, an upper side along the arrow Y direction in  FIG. 2  is made an upper side of the direction of gravitational force, a lower side along the arrow Y direction a lower side. Also, in the state of the battery collectivity  2  being mounted in the vehicle, the aforementioned positive electrode  22  and the negative electrode  23  project from the upper face of the battery main body  21  of each of the batteries in the arrow Y direction. 
         [0028]    The battery connection body  1  is provided with a plurality of bus bars  3 , a plurality of terminals  4  stacked to each other so as to be connected with the bus bars  3 , a plurality of electric wires  5  connected to each terminal  4 , and a synthetic resin battery connection member  6  accommodating the above. 
         [0029]    The bus bar  3  is obtained to press-form metal plate for example, which as shown in  FIG. 3 , is provided with a plate-like metal plate including a pair of bus bar holes  3   a  passing the positive electrode  22  and the negative electrode  23  therethrough that neighbor each other. Through one of a pair of bus bars  3   a  is passed the positive electrode  22  disposed on one of the battery  20  neighboring each other, through the other the pair of bus bars  3   a  is passed the negative electrode  23  disposed on the other of the battery neighboring each other, and the bus bar  3  is thereby attached to these positive electrode  22  and the negative electrode  23 , as well as is electrically connected to these positive electrode  22  and the negative electrode  23 . Also, the bus bar  3  is fixed to the battery  20  by a nut  8  (see  FIG. 2 ) being threaded into the positive electrode  22  and the negative electrode  23  that are passed through the bus bar  3   a.    
         [0030]    The terminal  4  is obtained by press-forming of metal plate, which, as shown in  FIG. 3 , is integrally provided with a bus bar connection part  41  and an electric wire connection part  42 . 
         [0031]    The bus bar connection part  41  is plate-shaped, which is provided with a communication part  41   a  through which one of the positive and negative electrodes  22 ,  23  is passed. This bas bar connection part  41  with one of the positive and the negative electrodes therethrough is stacked on the bas bar  3  so as to be electrically connected to the bas bar  3 . 
         [0032]    The electric wire connection part  42  is formed continuous to the bus bar connection part  41 , provided with a bottom plate  42   a  positioning the electric wire  5  on a surface thereof, and a pair of swaging pieces  42   b  each upstanding from both ends of the bottom plate  42   a  in its width direction, and swaging an insulating coat of an end of the electric wire  5  so as to fix, and electrically being connected to, the electric wire  5 . The electric wire connection part  42  corresponds to the swaging part of the terminal  4 , which extends toward a direction generally normal to the longitudinal direction of the wiring part  71  of the battery connection member  6  (the arrow X direction) from the bus bar connection part  41 . 
         [0033]    The electric wire  5  is provided with conductive core wire, and insulating synthetic resin coat covering the core wire. The electric wire  5  is connected to an electric wire connection part  42  of the terminal, one end of which is accommodated in the housing  61 , and wired within the wiring part  71  of the battery connection member  6 , and the other end is connected to such a not-shown voltage detection circuit. 
         [0034]    Then, the battery connection member  6  is formed into a generally rectangular shape nearly equal to that of a top of the battery collectivity  2 , which is stacked onto the top of the battery connectivity  2 . The battery connection member  6  is provided with a plurality of housings  61  accommodating each of bas bars  3  and of terminals stacked onto the bas bar, and arranged spaced from each other in the arrow X direction, and a electric wire wiring member  7  extending toward in a arrangement direction of the plurality of housings  61 , extending parallel to, but spaced from, the plurality of housings  61 , and accommodating the plurality of electric wires  5  connected to the each terminal  4 . The plurality of housings  61  and the plurality of electric wire wiring members  7  are connected with the communication member  60  so as to be integrally formed. 
         [0035]    While there will be discussed a case in which in the battery connection member  6 , a plurality of housings  61  arranged spaced from each other in the arrow X direction, and a plurality of electric wire wiring members  7  are each disposed in two lines in the arrow Z direction, it is understood that instead, various modifications such as to be disposed in one line are possible. 
         [0036]    Each housing  61  as shown in  FIG. 3 , is box-shaped capable of each bus bar  3  being fitted thereinto by a bottom wall  61   a  positioning each bus bar  3  thereon, and a peripheral wall  61   b  upstanding from edges of the bottom wall  61   a . Each housing  61  accommodates each bus bar  3  and each terminal  4  stacked onto the bus bar  3 . The bottom wall  61   a  is provided with a pair of battery connection member holes capable of passing the positive and negative electrodes  22  and  23  of the battery  20 . Also, the plurality of housings  61  is arranged spaced from each other in a stack direction of the plurality of batteries  20 , i.e., the arrow X direction. A disposition relative to the positive and the negative electrodes  22 ,  23  of the battery  20  is thereby absorbed. 
         [0037]    The plurality of electric wire wiring members  7  as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , is arranged in parallel in an arrangement direction of the plurality of housings  61 , i.e., the arrow X direction. The plurality of electric wire wiring members  7  is arranged spaced from each other in the same manner as the plurality of housings  61 , and any adjacent electric wire wiring members are connected to each other by connection hinges  70 . A disposition relative to the positive and the negative electrodes  22 ,  23  of the battery  20  is thereby absorbed. 
         [0038]    The electric wire wiring member  7 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , is formed integral with a wiring part  71 , a cover  72 , a hinge  73 , an engagement part  74 , and an engagement receipt part  75 . 
         [0039]    Within the wiring part  71 , the electric wire  5  electrically connected to the terminal  4  accommodated in the aforementioned battery connection member  6  is wired. The wiring part  71  is provided with a bottom wall  71   a , a pair of side wall  71   b ,  71   c , an opening  71   d , communication part  71   e , an electric wire protection part  71   f , and a hole  71   g , and is integrally formed of the above. 
         [0040]    The bottom wall  71   a  is plate-shaped, extending in an arrangement direction of the housings  61  (the arrow X direction in the figure). A pair of side walls  71   b ,  71   c  upstands from an outer edge opposite to the bottom wall  71   a . The wiring part  71  is gutter-shaped in cross-sectional nearly U shape in its width direction, i.e., in the arrow Z direction by the bottom wall  71   a  and the pair of side walls  71   b ,  71   c . The opening  71   d  is arranged between ends of the pair of side walls  71   b ,  71   c , from which the electric wire  5  is inserted toward the wiring part  71 . 
         [0041]    The communication part  71   e , as shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , is disposed near the bottom wall  71   a  of the side wall  71   c  opposite to the housing  61 , which is a through hole communicating with the wiring part  71 , and which positions an end of the electric connection part  42  of the terminal  4  accommodated in the housing  61 . Note that the communication part  71   e  is not limited to a through hole but may be what accommodates the electric wire connection part  42  of the terminal  4 , and thereby may be formed on the side wall  71   c  as a slit for example. 
         [0042]    The electric wire protection part  71   f  is a rib that is formed continuous with the communication part  71   e , projecting toward inside the wiring part  71 . The electric wire protection part  71   f  is formed plurally at both sides of the communication part  71   e  in its extension direction, i.e., the arrow X direction. The electric wire protection direction  71   f  is formed higher than the terminal  4  positioned in the communication part  71   e . In light of various errors such as assembling error relative to the housing  61  of the terminal  4 , or manufacturing error of the terminal  4 , the electric wire protection part  71   f , is formed to project toward inside the wiring part  71  further than the maximum of the errors when the electric wire connection part  42  of the terminal  4  projects inside the wiring part  71 . 
         [0043]    As such the electric wire protection part  71   f  is formed to prevent the terminal  4  positioned at the communication part  71   e  and the electric wire  5  connected to the other terminal  4  from contacting. Also, forming the electric wire protection part  71   f  at both sides of the communication part  71   e  makes both directions of the arrow X into wiring directions of the wiring part  71 , enabling to have a degree of flexibility of wiring directions for the electric wire  5  in the wiring part  71 , as well as to securely prevent the plurality of electric wires wired within the wiring part  71  and the plurality of terminals  4  from contacting. Also, the electric wire protection part  71   f  restricts the electric wire  5  bent from the terminal  4  to be wired toward the other terminal  4 , contributing efficiency of wiring work. Note that the electric wire protection part  71   f  of the present embodiment is made a pair of ribs but instead may be horseshoe-shaped so as to cover the communication part  71   e . Also, at an upper side of the wiring direction the electric wiring protection part  71   f  is formed when the direction of the electric wire  5  is limited to one direction. 
         [0044]    The hole  71   g  is formed in the bottom wall  71   a  toward inside the wiring part  71  from the communication part  71   e . The wiring part  71  is arranged such that the communication part  71   e  is formed plurally or singly, and the bottom wall  71   a  is provided with a through hole when the communication part  71   e  is formed singly. 
         [0045]    The cover  72  is formed into such a shape as to cover the opening  71   d  of the wiring part  71 . The hinge  73  is formed across the side wall  71   b  of one side of the wiring part  71  and the cover  72 . The hinge  73  connects the cover  72  to the wiring part  71  operable to open and close relative to the opening  71   d  of the wiring part  71 . The hinge  73  of the present embodiment makes the wiring part  71  or the cover  72  rotatable from an open state in which the opening  71   d  of the wiring part  71  is opened to a closed state in which the opening  71   d  is closed by the cover  72 . 
         [0046]    The engagement part  74  upstands from an end of the cover  72  such as to cover near an upper end of the side wall  71   c  of the other side of the wiring part  71  when the cover  72  is positioned in the closed state. The engagement part  74  is provided with an arm  74   a , and an engagement projection  74   b  at near a tip of the arm  74   a , projecting toward outside the wiring part  71 . 
         [0047]    The engagement receipt part  75  is formed along near an upper end of the side wall  71   c  of the wiring part  71 . The engagement receipt part  75  forms a space capable of passing the engagement part  74  therethrough between the side walls  71   c . Engagement of the engagement projection  74   b  of the engagement part  74  through the space with a lower end of the engagement receipt part  75  allows keeping the closed state in which the opening  71   d  of the wiring part  71  is closed by the cover  72 . 
         [0048]    Hereinafter, there will be discussed one example for assembling work of making the power source device by attaching the aforementioned battery connection body  1  to a terminal face (an upper face in  FIG. 2 ) of the battery collectivity  2 . 
         [0049]    The battery connection body  1 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is stacked onto the terminal face of the battery collectivity  2 , and is attached to the battery collectivity  2  by threading the nut  8  into the positive electrode  22  and the negative electrode  23  that are sequentially passed through each of the holes of the battery connection member  6 , the bus bar  3 , and the terminal  4 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 3 , after electrical connection of the terminal  4  each accommodated in the plurality of housing  61  of the battery connection member  6  with the electric wire  5 , the electric wire  5  is bent toward near the electric wire protection part  71   f  along the housing  61 , and is inserted into inside the wiring part  71  from the opening  71   d  of the plurality of electric wire wiring members  7 , resulting in the plurality of electric wires  5  being wired within the wiring part  711 . At this time, while the electric wire  5  is wired in its wiring direction along the side wall  71   c  of the wiring part  71  near the housing  61 , the electric wire connection part  42  of the terminal  4  in wiring pathway is covered by the electric wire protection part  71   f  of the wiring part  71 , preventing the electric wire to be wired and the terminal  4  (the other terminal) in wiring pathway from contacting. 
         [0050]    After wiring the electric wire  5 , pressing the cover  72  of the electric wire wiring member  7  by such a worker moves the cover  72  about the hinge  73  toward the opening  71   d  of the wiring part  71 . Then, engagement of the engagement part  74  with the engagement receipt part  75  makes the wiring part  71  into the closed state in which the cover  72  is closed, completing assembling work after these steps are worked for all electric wire wiring member  7 . 
         [0051]    According to the battery connection body  1  as mentioned above, since it is made possible to prevent the electric wire  5  and the terminal  4  from contacting in the wiring part  71  of the wiring connection member  6  by the electric wire protection part  71   f , the electric wire  5  is wired near the terminal  4  in the wiring part  71  solely by forming the electric wire protection part  71   f  in the communication part  71   e  of the wiring part  71 , leading to downsizing of the wiring part  71 . Also, when the end of the terminal  4  projects in the wiring part  71 , which is induced by assembling error between the housing  61  and the terminal  4 , the electric wire protection part  71   f  is allowed to prevent the end of the terminal  4  from contacting with the electric wire  5 . Therefore, downsizing of the battery connection member  6  contributes reduction of material and mold cost. 
         [0052]    It is to be understood the aforementioned embodiment only shows what the present invention typically represents, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. Therefore, unless otherwise such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention hereinafter defined, they should be construed as being included therein. 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           1  battery connection body 
           2  battery collectivity 
           3  bus bar 
           4  terminal 
           5  electric wire 
           6  battery connection member 
           7  electric wire wiring part 
           61  housing 
           71  wiring part 
           71   a  bottom wall 
           71   b ,  71   c  side wall 
           71   d  opening 
           71   e  communication part 
           71   f  electric wire protection part 
           72  cover 
           73  hinge