Power supply control apparatus and manufacturing method of power supply control apparatus

A power supply control apparatus includes: a control board that is configured to control a voltage of a battery module; and a bus bar module that is configured to electrically connect the control board to the battery module, the control board and the bus bar module are arranged in a stacked manner, and the bus bar module includes a plurality of bus bars that are made to be independent by cutting off junctions connecting the bus bars to each other and a resin member that supports the bas bars in a state where the junctions are exposed.

This is the U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/JP2012/075788, filed on 4 Oct. 2012. Priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) and 35 U.S.C. §365(b) is claimed from Japanese Application No. 2011-225913, filed 13 Oct. 2011, the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a power supply control apparatus and a manufacturing method of the power supply control apparatus.

Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-225913, filed Oct. 13, 2011, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND ART

A battery system mounted on a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle includes a control board that detects a voltage of a battery so as to prevent degradation of the battery due to overcharge or the like. As described in Patent Document 1, the control board is installed on a battery module including multiple batteries and is electrically connected to the respective batteries.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

Patent Documents

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

On the other hand, a bus bar module may be disposed between the battery module and the control board, because of a difference in arrangement position or shape between connection terminals of the battery module and connection terminals of the control board.

The bus bar module includes bus bars and a resin member supporting the bus bars and connects the connection terminal of the battery modules and the connection terminals of the control board to each other.

The bus bar module and the control board serve as a power supply control apparatus in cooperation with each other. That is, the above-mentioned battery system has a configuration in which the power supply control apparatus is installed on the battery module.

The bus bar module includes conductive bus bars and the resin member supporting the bus bars. One connection terminal of the battery module and one connection terminal of the control board are electrically connected to each other with one bus bar. Since the battery module and the control board each include multiple connection terminals, the bus bar module includes multiple bus bars.

The bus bar module is generally manufactured by insert molding. However, since the number of bus bars is large, it is difficult to accurately position the bus bars. The handling properties of the bus bars at the time of manufacturing the bus bar module are poor and thus workability is also poor.

The bus bars may have various shapes depending on the arrangements of two connection terminals to be electrically connected to each other. Accordingly, in order to form all the bus bars of the bus bar module, for example, multiple molds are necessary, thereby causing an increase in manufacturing costs.

The present invention is made in consideration of the above-mentioned problem and an object thereof is to easily manufacture a power supply control apparatus by improving workability at the time of manufacturing a bus bar module and to reduce the manufacturing cost of the power supply control apparatus by reducing the manufacturing cost of the bus bar module.

Means for Solving the Problems

The present invention employs the following configurations as measures for achieving the above-mentioned object.

(1) According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power supply control apparatus including: a control board that is configured to control a voltage of a battery module; and a bus bar module that is configured to electrically connect the control board and the battery module, wherein the control board and the bus bar module are arranged in a stacked manner, and the bus bar module includes a plurality of bus bars that are made to be independent by cutting off junctions connecting the bus bars to each other and a resin member that supports the bas bars in a state where the junctions are exposed.

(2) In the power supply control apparatus according to (1), the resin member may include an opening portion that penetrates the resin member form the front surface thereof to the rear surface thereof

(3) In the power supply control apparatus according to (2), the junctions may be exposed from the opening portion.

(4) According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manufacturing method of a power supply control apparatus which includes a control board that controls a voltage of a battery module and a bus bar module that electrically connects the control board and the battery module, in which the control board and the bus bar module are arranged in a stacked manner, the manufacturing method including: integrally molding a bus bar assembly including a plurality of bus bars connected to each other by junctions and a resin member so as to expose the junctions; and making the bus bars to be independent by cutting off the junctions after the integral molding.

Effect of the Invention

According to aspects of the present invention, the bus bars are made to be independent by cutting off the junctions connecting the bus bars to each other. The bus bar module can be manufactured by molding the multiple bus bars together in a state (bus bar assembly) in which the multiple bus bars are connected to each other with the junctions, incorporating the bus bar assembly and the resin member into a body, and then cutting off the junctions. Therefore, according to aspects of the present invention, it is possible to manufacture the bus bar module by insert-molding the bus bar assembly in which the multiple bus bars are incorporated into a body and it is thus possible to more easily manufacture the bus bar module in comparison with a case where the bus bar module is manufactured by insert-molding individual bus bars. According to aspects of the present invention, since the manufacturing of the bus bar module is facilitated in this way, it is possible to easily manufacture the power supply control apparatus. Additionally, according to aspects of the present invention, the bus bar assembly can be formed using one mold. Accordingly, it is not necessary to prepare a mold for each bus bar and it is thus possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the bus bar module. According to aspects of the present invention, since the manufacturing cost of the bus bar module is reduced in this way, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the power supply control apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a power supply control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following drawings, in order to make members recognizable, scales of the members are appropriately changed.

FIG. 1is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a battery system100including a power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment. As illustrated in the drawing, the battery system100includes a battery module101, a power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment, and a cover110.

The battery module101includes batteries102, a terminal block103, and a not-illustrated fixed block. The battery102is a storage battery which can be charged and discharged and has terminals disposed on the upper portion thereof

The multiple batteries102are fixed to the not illustrated fixed block. The batteries102are arranged in the same form. The terminal block103is a block for fixing connection terminals of the batteries102and includes connection terminals for electrically connecting the batteries102to the power supply control apparatus1. The connection terminals of the terminal block103are disposed in a predetermined arrangement pattern on a top surface of the terminal block103. Since the connection terminals disposed on the top surface of the terminal block103serve as connection terminals for electrically connecting the battery module101to the power supply control apparatus1, the connection terminals disposed on the top surface of the terminal block103are referred to as connection terminals of the battery module101in the following description.

The power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment is disposed on the battery module101and includes a bus bar module2, a control board3, and screws4. The bus bar module2and the control board3are stacked with the bus bar module2located on the lower side (the side of the battery module101) and the control board3located on the upper side (the opposite side of the battery module101) and are integrated by fastening using the screws4.

Hereinafter, the power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment will be described in more detail with reference toFIGS. 2A to 4.FIGS. 2A and 2Bare plan views of the power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment.FIG. 2Ais a plan view of the power supply control apparatus1in which the control board3and the screws4are included.FIG. 2Bis a plan view (that is, only the bus bar module2is illustrated) of the power supply control apparatus1in which the control board3and the screws4are omitted.FIG. 3is a perspective view illustrating only the bus bar module.FIG. 4is a plan view illustrating a state (bus bar assembly10) before bus bars2ato be described later of the bus bar module2are made to be independent.

The bus bar module2is a member for electrically connecting the battery module101and the control board3, which are different in arrangement positions or shapes of connection terminals, to each other and includes multiple bus bars2aand a resin member2bsupporting the bus bars2a.

The bus bar2ais a metal pattern formed of a conductive material such as copper. One end of the bus bar2ais formed as a substantially square connection terminal2cand the other end is formed as a lead pin2d.

The bus bars2aare provided to correspond to the number of connection terminals of the battery module101. Each of the bus bars2ahas a connection terminal2c. The connection terminals2cof the bus bars2aare arranged to have the same height as the surroundings of the resin member2band are disposed at positions corresponding to the connection terminals of the battery module101.

Each connection terminal2cis provided with a through-hole2e. The bus bar module2is fixed to the battery module101by screws (not illustrated) inserted into the through-holes2e, and the connection terminals2care electrically connected to the connection terminals of the battery module101.

The lead pins2dof the bus bars2aare gathered in an opening portion2fformed on one side (the left side inFIG. 2B) of the resin member2b, and are arranged to be exposed from the opening portion2f. The tip of each lead pin2dis bent toward the control board3.

By bonding the lead pins2dto the connection terminals of the resin member2bby soldering, the bus bar module2is electrically connected to the control board3.

Each bus bar2aincludes a bent portion2gwhich is bent outside the resin member2band connected to the corresponding connection terminal2c. The bent portion2gis formed by bending a part of the bus bar2aso as to rise upward to form a step as illustrated inFIG. 3. The bent portion2ghas a thickness and a width permitting deformation when a load acts on the corresponding connection terminal2cand thus has flexibility.

In the power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment, the bus bars2aarranged on the right side inFIG. 2Bwith respect to an opening portion2f(seeFIG. 2B) to be described later become independent bus bars2aby cutting off the junctions11connecting the bus bars to each other. That is, as illustrated inFIG. 4, the multiple bus bars2aare a part of the bus bar assembly10in which the neighboring bus bars2aare connected to each other with the junctions11before the junctions11are cut off. The junctions11are formed of the same material as the bus bars2a. InFIG. 4, the junctions11are illustrated as black in order to improve visibility.

The resin member2bis a substantially rectangular plate-like member formed of a resin supporting the bus bars2a. The resin member2bis formed of, for example, a polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS). The resin member2bhas the opening portion2ffor exposing the lead pins2d, as illustrated inFIG. 2B. Positioning pins2hfor positioning the control board3are formed on the top surface of the resin member2b. In addition to the opening portion2f, multiple opening portions2ipenetrating the resin member from the front surface to the rear surface are formed in the resin member2b. The opening portions2iare disposed at positions at which the junctions11are exposed when the bus bar assembly10and the resin member2bare incorporated into a body. That is, the junctions11are exposed from the opening portions2i. As illustrated inFIG. 2B, all the junctions11exposed from the opening portions2iare cut off, whereby the bus bars2aare separated from each other and are electrically independent.

The control board3is a printed board including a voltage detecting circuit or the like. The control board3is positioned with respect to the bus bar module2by fitting the control board to the positioning pins2hof the bus bar module2and is fixed to the bus bar module2by the screws4.

The control board3has the same substantially rectangular shape as the resin member2bof the bus bar module2, as illustrated inFIG. 2A. The control board3includes multiple notches3ain the peripheral portion thereof so as to expose the connection terminals2cof the bus bars2a. In this way, in the power supply control device1according to this embodiment, since the control board3includes the notches3a, the connection terminals2cof the bus bar module2which are connected to the battery module101are exposed when viewed from the control board3.

The control board3includes through-holes3b(seeFIG. 1) corresponding to the lead pins2din areas overlapping with the lead pins2dof the bus bars2a. Since the lead pins2dare inserted into the through-holes3band the lead pins2dare bonded to lands of the control board3by soldering, the bus bar module2and the control board3are electrically connected to each other.

Referring toFIG. 1again, the cover110is disposed on the control board3and serves to protect the power supply control apparatus1. The cover110is fixed to the power supply control apparatus1, for example, with not illustrated screws or the like.

When the battery system100having this configuration is manufactured, first, the battery module101and the power supply control apparatus1are individually assembled.

The battery module101is assembled by arranging the multiple batteries102in the not illustrated fixed block and fixing the terminal block103to the batteries. In the power supply control apparatus1, the bus bar module2and the control board3are fixed by the screws4and the lead pins2dare bonded to the control board3by reflow type soldering.

Subsequently, the power supply control apparatus1and the battery module101are coupled to each other. Specifically, by inserting not illustrated screws into the through-holes2eformed in the connection terminals2cand screwing the screws to the battery module101, the power supply control apparatus1and the battery module101are coupled to each other.

Thereafter, the cover110is coupled thereto to assemble the battery system100.

When the bus bar module2is manufactured, the bus bar assembly10, which is illustrated inFIG. 4, including the bus bars2aconnected to each other with the junctions11is first formed. The bus bar assembly is formed, for example, by press work such as punching work of punching a metal plate. In the press work, the forming of the bent portions2gor the through-holes2eand the bending of the lead pins2dare performed at the same time.

The bus bars2a(bus bars2aarranged on the left side than the opening portion2finFIG. 2B) not included in the bus bar assembly10are formed in parallel with the forming of the bus bar assembly10.

Subsequently, the bus bar assembly10, the bus bars2a, and the resin member2bare incorporated into a body by insert molding. The opening portions2ifor exposing the junctions11of the bus bar assembly10or the like are formed at the same time by the insert molding.

Subsequently, by cutting off the junctions11exposed from the opening portions2f, the bus bars2aof the bus bar assembly10are separated to be electrically independent.

In the power supply control apparatus1and the manufacturing method of the power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment, the bus bar module2can be manufactured by forming the multiple bus bars2atogether in a state in which the multiple bus bars are connected to each other with the junctions11to form the bus bar assembly10, incorporating the bus bar assembly10and the resin member2binto a body, and then cutting off the junctions11. That is, the bus bar module2can be manufactured by insert-molding the bus bar assembly10in which the multiple bus bars2aare incorporated into a body. Therefore, it is possible to more easily manufacture the bus bar module in comparison with a case where the individual bus bars are insert-molded to manufacture the bus bar module. As a result, in the power supply control apparatus1and the manufacturing method of the power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment, since the manufacturing of the bus bar module2can be facilitated, it is possible to easily manufacture the power supply control apparatus1.

Additionally, in the power supply control apparatus1and the manufacturing method of the power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment, the bus bar assembly10can be formed using one mold. Accordingly, it is not necessary to prepare a mold for each shape of the bus bars2aand it is thus possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the bus bar module2. As a result, in the power supply control apparatus1and the manufacturing method of the power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment, since the manufacturing cost of the bus bar module2is reduced, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the power supply control apparatus1.

In the power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment, the resin member2bincludes the opening portions2fand2ipenetrating the resin member from the front surface as one surface to the rear surface as the other surface. Accordingly, in comparison with a case where the opening portions2fand2iare not formed, the amount of resin is reduced and it is thus possible to prevent deformation due to sink marks and to decrease the weight.

In the power supply control apparatus1according to this embodiment, the junctions11are exposed from the opening portions2i. Accordingly, it is possible to easily cut off the junctions11in the opening portions2iafter incorporating the bus bar assembly10and the resin member2binto a body.

While the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment. All the shapes or combinations of the elements described in the above-mentioned embodiment are only examples and can be modified in various forms depending on design requirements without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, the arrangement positions of the junctions11in the above-mentioned embodiment are only an example and can be changed. In order to enhance the strength of the bus bar assembly10to improve the handling properties, it is preferable that the junctions11be distributed all over the bus bar assembly10. For example, when the bus bar assembly10is divided into two areas, i.e., the lead pins2dside and the opposite side, the same number of junctions11may be disposed in both areas. By distributing the junctions11in this way, the opening portions2iof the resin member2bare also distributed as a result. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the sink marks of the resin member2bas a whole.

The opening portions2iare formed in a track shape in this embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and another shape such as a rectangular shape may be employed. A configuration in which notches are formed in the peripheral portion of the resin member2binstead of the opening portions2iand the junctions11are exposed from the notches may be employed.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST