Patent Publication Number: US-2021167469-A1

Title: Bus Bar Module

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-216702 filed on Nov. 29, 2019, the enter contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     One or more aspects of the present invention relate to a bus bar module. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A power supply device mounted on various vehicles such as an electric vehicle that travels using an electric motor or a hybrid vehicle that travels using an engine and an electric motor in combination is provided with a bus bar module that accommodates a plurality of bus bars electrically connected to electrodes of a plurality of single cells. 
     The bus bar module includes a case having electric wire routing groove portions formed in parallel for accommodating electric wires extending from a plurality of voltage detection terminals, thermistors, or the like connected to the respective bus bars and regulating a routing path. Generally, a plurality of electric wires accommodated in these electric wire routing groove portions are bundled and drawn out from one end side of a bus bar module (see, for example, JP-A-2012-164591 and WO-A1-2014/189023). 
     SUMMARY 
     Depending on an installation condition of the power supply device in the vehicle, it may be required to provide a drawing-out position of the electric wire in the middle of the bus bar module in a longitudinal direction. 
     In this case, as shown in  FIG. 6 , electric wire groups  100 A,  100 B composed of a plurality of electric wires  100  drawn from both end sides of the bus bar module are bundled by an electric wire take-out portion  101  provided in the middle of the bus bar module in the longitudinal direction, and are drawn out by being tilted toward one end portion side of the bus bar module. Then, although the electric wire group  100 B on a drawing-out side is folded back in the electric wire take-out portion  101 , large number of electric wires group  100 B is difficult to bend, and the electric wire group  100 B may be damaged when the electric wire group  100 B is bent to the minimum radius of curvature of the electric wire  100 , so that the height of the electric wire take-out portion  101  becomes bulky. 
     One or more aspects of the present invention have been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a bus bar module capable of suppressing bulkiness of the height of an electric wire take-out portion at which a plurality of electric wires are collectively drawn out at a middle in a longitudinal direction. 
     The object of one or more aspects the present invention can be achieved by the following configurations. 
     (1) A bus bar module including: 
     a case attached to a battery assembly including a plurality of single cells, the case extending from one end to another end in an extending direction; 
     a bus bar supported by the case and electrically connected to electrodes of the plurality of single cells of the battery assembly; and 
     a plurality of electric wires routed in the case, 
     wherein the case includes:
         a first electric wire routing groove portion and a second electric wire routing groove portion extending along the extending direction of the case and provided in parallel with each other, the first electric wire routing groove portion and the second electric wire routing groove portion accommodating the plurality of electric wires,   a plurality of electric wire passing portions, each of which is bridged between the first electric wire routing groove portion and the second electric wire routing groove portion to allow at least a part of the plurality of electric wires to be passed therethrough, and   an electric wire take-out portion provided in the first electric wire routing groove portion in a middle of the case, the electric wire take-out portion from which the plurality of electric wires are drawn toward the another end of the case,       

     wherein the plurality of electric wire passing portions include a first electric wire passing portion provided closer to the one end of the case than the electric wire take-out portion in the extending direction of the case, and 
     wherein at least a part of the plurality of electric wires is routed from a position of the second electric wire routing groove portion, the position closer to the another end of the case than the electric wire take-out portion in the extending direction of the case, through the first electric wire passing portion to the electric wire take-out portion provided in the first electric wire routing groove portion. 
     According to the bus bar module having the configuration (1) described above, at least a part of the electric wires routed in the second electric wire routing groove portion on the another end side of the case with respect to the electric wire take-out portion is passed through the electric wire passing portion on the one end side of the case, and then guided to the first electric wire routing groove portion, and drawn out from the electric wire take-out portion. As a result, in the electric wire take-out portion, the number of electric wires group drawn from the another end side of the case can be reduced. That is, in the electric wire take-out portion, the number of electric wires drawn from the another end side of the case, folded back to the another end side of the case and drawn out can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to suppress bulkiness of the electric wires in the electric wire take-out portion, and to reduce the height of the electric wires. 
     (2) The bus bar module according to the configuration (1), further including: 
     an electric wire holding cover attached to the electric wire take-out portion and holding the plurality of electric wires, the electric wire holding cover forming an electric wire lead-out port, the electric wire lead-out port which opens toward the another end of the case and from which the plurality of electric wires are drawn out. 
     According to the bus bar module having the configuration (2) described above, by attaching the electric wire holding cover to the electric wire take-out portion, the plurality of electric wires can be held by the electric wire take-out portion, and these electric wires can be smoothly led out from the electric wire lead-out port. 
     (3) The bus bar module according to the configuration (2), 
     wherein the electric wire holding cover includes a guide portion that guides at least a part of the plurality of electric wires from a position of the first electric wire routing groove portion, the position closer to the one end of the case than the electric wire take-out portion in the extending direction of the case, to the electric wire lead-out port. 
     According to the bus bar module having the configuration (3) described above, by attaching the electric wire holding cover to the electric wire take-out portion, the electric wire that is accommodated in the first electric wire routing groove portion and is drawn into the electric wire take-out portion from the one end side of the case can be guided to the electric wire lead-out port by the guide portion, and can be smoothly led out from the electric wire lead-out port. 
     According to one or more aspects of the present invention, it is possible to provide the bus bar module capable of suppressing the bulkiness of the height of the electric wire take-out portion at which the plurality of electric wires are collectively drawn out at a middle in the longitudinal direction. 
     One or more aspects of present invention has been briefly described as above. Details of one or more aspects of the present invention will be further clarified by reading a mode (hereinafter, referred to as “embodiment”) for carrying out one or more aspects of the present invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bus bar module and a battery assembly according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the bus bar module according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the bus bar module according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an electric wire take-out portion provided in a case. 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are views showing the electric wire take-out portion, in which  FIG. 5A  is a plan view, and  FIG. 5B  is a sectional view taken along a line A-A in  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along a longitudinal direction of an electric wire take-out portion provided at an intermediate portion of a bus bar module in the longitudinal direction. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bus bar module and a battery assembly according to the present embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a bus bar module  10  according to the present embodiment is attached to an upper portion of a battery assembly  1  to constitute a power supply device  2 . The power supply device  2  is mounted on and used in various vehicles such as an electric vehicle that travels using an electric motor, and a hybrid vehicle that travels using an engine and an electric motor in combination, and supplies power to the electric motor. 
     The battery assembly  1  includes a plurality of single cells  3  arranged in a row along one direction. Each of the single cells  3  is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and includes a pair of electrodes  5  provided so as to protrude from one end and the other end of an upper surface. One of the pair of electrodes  5  is a positive electrode and the other one is a negative electrode. 
     In the battery assembly  1 , the plurality of (four in this example) single cells  3  adjacent to each other are set to one set, and poles of the electrodes  5  are aligned. The bus bar module  10  connects sets of the single cells  3  in series by bus bars  50  to be described later. 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of the bus bar module according to the present embodiment.  FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the bus bar module according to the present embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the bus bar module  10  includes a case  20 , the bus bars  50 , and a wire harness  60  including a plurality of electric wires  61 . 
     The case  20  is integrally formed of, for example, an electrically insulating synthetic resin or the like, and includes a plurality of bus bar accommodating portions  21 . 
     The bus bar accommodating portions  21  are arranged in two rows along an arrangement direction of the plurality of single cells  3 . The bus bar accommodating portion  21  is formed in a frame shape, and the bus bar  50  is accommodated in the bus bar accommodating portion  21 . 
     A first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A and a second electric wire routing groove portion  31 B are provided between the two rows of bus bar accommodating portions  21 . The first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A and the second electric wire routing groove portion  31 B are formed along the rows of the bus bar accommodating portions  21  in a longitudinal direction of the case  20 , respectively. In addition, a first electric wire passing portion  33 A, a second electric wire passing portion  33 B, and a third electric wire passing portion  33 C are provided between the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A and the second electric wire routing groove portion  31 B. 
     The first electric wire passing portion  33 A is provided in the vicinity of one end  20 A of the case  20 , the second electric wire passing portion  33 B is provided in the middle of the case  20 , and the third electric wire passing portion  33 C is provided in the vicinity of another end  20 B of the case  20 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a cover  25  is attached to the case  20  from above. By attaching the cover  25  to the case  20 , the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A, the second electric wire routing groove portion  31 B, the first electric wire passing portion  33 A, the second electric wire passing portion  33 B, and the third electric wire passing portion  33 C are covered with the cover  25 . 
     The case  20  includes an electric wire take-out portion  35 . The electric wire take-out portion  35  is provided between the first electric wire passing portion  33 A and the second electric wire passing portion  33 B in the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A. An electric wire holding cover  36  can be attached to the electric wire take-out portion  35  from above. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the plurality of electric wires  61  constituting the wire harness  60  are electric wires for voltage detection in which connection terminals  62  are connected to end portions, and electric wires for temperature measurement to which thermistors  63  are connected to end portions. The connection terminals  62  are fastened to the electrodes  5  of the single cells  3  together with the respective bus bars  50 , and are electrically connected to the bus bars  50 . In addition, the thermistor  63  comes into contact with a specific single cell  3  of the battery assembly  1  to measure a temperature of the single cell  3 . Each electric wire  61  of the wire harness  60  is connected to a control circuit board (not shown) including a voltage monitoring circuit and a temperature monitoring circuit. 
     The electric wires  61  of the wire harness  60  are accommodated and routed in the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A, the second electric wire routing groove portion  31 B, the first electric wire passing portion  33 A, the second electric wire passing portion  33 B, and the third electric wire passing portion  33 C. The electric wires  61  are drawn out to the outside from the electric wire take-out portion  35  provided in the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A and are connected to the control circuit board. 
     The electric wires  61  of the wire harness  60  according to the present embodiment are divided into an electric wire group  61 A drawn from the one end  20 A side of the case  20  and an electric wire group  61 B drawn from the another end  20 B side of the case  20  with respect to the electric wire take-out portion  35 . 
     A part of the electric wire group  61 A drawn into the electric wire take-out portion  35  from the one end  20 A side of the case  20  in the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A, which is accommodated and routed in the second electric wire routing groove portion  31 B, is drawn closer into the another end  20 B side of the case  20  than the electric wire take-out portion  35 . Further, the electric wire group  61 A is passed through the second electric wire routing groove portion  31 B and the first electric wire passing portion  33 A, and is drawn into the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A from the one end  20 A side of the case  20  and guided to the electric wire take-out portion  35 . 
     The electric wire group  61 B drawn into the electric wire take-out portion  35  from the another end  20 B side of the case  20  in the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A is drawn closer into the another end  20 B side of the case  20  than the electric wire take-out portion  35 . In addition, a part of the electric wire group  61 B accommodated and routed in the second electric wire routing groove portion  31 B is passed through the second electric wire passing portion  33 B and the third electric wire passing portion  33 C provided closer to the another end  20 B side of the case  20  than the electric wire take-out portion  35 , and is drawn into the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A. The electric wire group  61 B is collected by the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A and guided to the electric wire take-out portion  35 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the electric wire take-out portion provided in a case.  FIGS. 5A and 5B  are views showing the electric wire take-out portion, in which  FIG. 5A  is a plan view, and  FIG. 5B  is a sectional view taken along a line A-A in  FIG. 5A . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4, 5A, and 5B , the electric wire holding cover  36  is attached to the electric wire take-out portion  35 . As a result, the upper portion of the electric wire take-out portion  35  is covered by the electric wire holding cover  36 . When the electric wire holding cover  36  is attached to the electric wire take-out portion  35 , the electric wire take-out portion  35  is formed with an electric wire lead-out port  38  that opens toward the another end  20 B side of the case  20 . In addition, the electric wire holding cover  36  includes a guide portion  39  that is gradually inclined upward toward the electric wire lead-out port  38 . 
     The electric wire group  61 A is drawn into the electric wire take-out portion  35  of the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A from the one end  20 A side of the case  20  and the electric wire group  61 B is drawn into the electric wire take-out portion  35  of the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A from the another end  20 B side of the case  20 . 
     In the electric wire take-out portion  35 , the electric wire group  61 B from the another end  20 B side of the case  20  is folded back, and the electric wire group  61 A from the one end  20 A side of the case  20  is overlapped with a folded portion of the folded electric wire group  61 B. Further, the electric wire groups  61 A,  61 B are collectively drawn out from the electric wire lead-out port  38  formed by attaching the electric wire holding cover  36  to the electric wire take-out portion  35  (see  FIG. 5B ). 
     It is conceivable that all the electric wires  61  routed in the second electric wire routing groove portion  31 B closer to the another end  20 B side of the case  20  than the electric wire take-out portion  35  are routed so as to guide to the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A through the second electric wire passing portion  33 B and the third electric wire passing portion  33 C closer to the another end  20 B of the case  20  than the electric wire take-out portion  35 . However, in this case, in the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A, the number of electric wires  61  drawn into the electric wire take-out portion  35  from the another end  20 B side of the case  20  increases. That is, the number of electric wires  61  that are folded back and drawn out from the electric wire lead-out port  38  to the another end  20 B side of the case  20  increases in the electric wire take-out portion  35 . Then, in the electric wire take-out portion  35 , the electric wires  61  that are vertically overlapped become bulky. 
     According to the bus bar module  10  according to the present embodiment, the electric wire group  61 A routed closer to the another end  20 B side of the case  20  than the electric wire take-out portion  35  in the second electric wire routing groove portion  31 B is passed through the first electric wire passing portion  33 A on the one end  20 A side of the case  20 , then guided to the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A and drawn out from the electric wire take-out portion  35 . As a result, in the electric wire take-out portion  35 , the number of electric wires group  61 B drawn from the another end  20 B side of the case  20  can be reduced. That is, in the electric wire take-out portion  35 , the number of electric wires group  61 B drawn from the another end  20 B side of the case  20 , folded back to the another end  20 B side of the case  20  and drawn out can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to suppress bulkiness of the electric wires  61  in the electric wire take-out portion  35 , and to reduce the height of the electric wires  61 . 
     Since the case  20  includes only the first electric wire passing portion  33 A closer to the one end  20 A side than the electric wire take-out portion  35 , a routing path of the electric wire group  61 A is limited. Therefore, when a routing work of the wire harness  60  to the case  20  is performed, the electric wire groups  61 A,  61 B can be smoothly routed while suppressing erroneous routing of the electric wire group  61 A. 
     In addition, according to the bus bar module  10  according to the present embodiment, the electric wire holding cover  36  that holds the electric wires  61  and forms the electric wire lead-out port  38  that opens toward the another end  20 B side of the case  20  and from which the electric wires  61  are drawn out is attached to the electric wire take-out portion  35 . Therefore, by attaching the electric wire holding cover  36  to the electric wire take-out portion  35 , the plurality of electric wires  61  can be held by the electric wire take-out portion  35 , and the electric wires  61  can be smoothly led out from the electric wire lead-out port  38 . 
     In addition, the electric wire holding cover  36  includes the guide portion  39  that guides the electric wire group  61 A drawn into the electric wire take-out portion  35  from the one end  20 A side of the case  20  to the electric wire lead-out port  38 . Accordingly, by attaching the electric wire holding cover  36  to the electric wire take-out portion  35 , the electric wire group  61 A that is accommodated in the first electric wire routing groove portion  31 A and is drawn into the electric wire take-out portion  35  from the one end  20 A side of the case  20  can be guided to the electric wire lead-out port  38  by the guide portion  39 , and can be smoothly led out from the electric wire lead-out port  38 . 
     The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and modifications, improvements, and the like can be made as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, size, number, arrangement position, and the like of each component in the above-described embodiment are optional and are not limited as long as the present invention can be achieved. 
     Here, the bus bar module according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention will be briefly summarized in the following [1] to [3]. 
     [1] A bus bar module ( 10 ) including: 
     a case ( 20 ) attached to a battery assembly ( 1 ) including a plurality of single cells ( 3 ), the case ( 20 ) extending from one end ( 20 A) to another end ( 20 B) in an extending direction; 
     a bus bar ( 50 ) supported by the case ( 20 ) and electrically connected to electrodes ( 5 ) of the plurality of single cells ( 3 ) of the battery assembly ( 1 ); and 
     a plurality of electric wires ( 61 ) routed in the case ( 20 ), 
     wherein the case ( 20 ) includes
         a first electric wire routing groove portion ( 31 A) and a second electric wire routing groove portion ( 31 B) extending along the extending direction of the case ( 20 ) and provided in parallel with each other, the first electric wire routing groove portion ( 31 A) and the second electric wire routing groove portion ( 31 B) accommodating the plurality of electric wires ( 61 ),   a plurality of electric wire passing portions (a first electric wire passing portion  33 A, a second electric wire passing portion  33 B, and a third electric wire passing portion  33 C), each of which is bridged between the first electric wire routing groove portion ( 31 A) and the second electric wire routing groove portion ( 31 B) to allow at least a part of the electric wires ( 61 ) to be passed therethrough, and   an electric wire take-out portion ( 35 ) provided in the first electric wire routing groove portion ( 31 A) in a middle of the case ( 20 ), the electric wire take-out portion ( 35 ) from which the plurality of electric wires ( 61 ) are drawn toward the another end ( 20 B) of the case ( 20 ),       

     wherein the plurality of electric wire passing portions (the first electric wire passing portion  33 A, the second electric wire passing portion  33 B, and the third electric wire passing portion  33 C) include the first electric wire passing portion ( 33 A) provided closer to the one end ( 20 A) of the case ( 20 ) than the electric wire take-out portion ( 35 ) in the extending direction of the case, and 
     wherein at least a part (electric wire group  61 A) of the plurality of electric wires ( 61 ) is routed from a position of the second electric wire routing groove portion ( 31 B), the position closer to the another end ( 20 B) of the case ( 20 ) than the electric wire take-out portion ( 35 ) in the extending direction of the case ( 20 ), through the first electric wire passing portion ( 33 A) to the electric wire take-out portion ( 35 ) provided in the first electric wire routing groove portion ( 31 A). 
     [2] The bus bar module according to [1], further including: 
     an electric wire holding cover ( 36 ) attached to the electric wire take-out portion ( 35 ) and holding the plurality of electric wires ( 61 ), the electric wire holding cover ( 36 ) forming an electric wire lead-out port ( 38 ), the electric wire lead-out port ( 38 ) which opens toward the another end ( 20 B) of the case ( 20 ) and from which the plurality of electric wires ( 61 ) are drawn out. 
     [3] The bus bar module according to [2], 
     wherein the electric wire holding cover ( 36 ) includes a guide portion ( 39 ) that guides at least a part of the plurality of electric wires ( 61 A) from a position of the first electric wire routing groove portion ( 31 A), the position closer to the one end ( 20 A) of the case ( 20 ) than the electric wire take-out portion ( 35 ) in the extending direction of the case ( 20 ), to the electric wire lead-out port ( 38 ).