Assembled battery and manufacturing method of assembled battery

Abstract

In an assembled battery 1 disclosed herein, each of adjacent single cells 10 is electrically connected by a busbar 30. The busbar 30 of the assembled battery 1 includes a plate-shaped base portion 32 which extends along an arrangement direction X, and a joining projection 36 extending along electrode terminals 12 and 14 and a locking biasing portion 38 which locks the electrode terminals 12 and 14 and the busbar 30 to each other and which biases the electrode terminals 12 and 14 toward the joining projection 36 are formed at both ends of the base portion 32. Furthermore, in the assembled battery 1 disclosed herein, the electrode terminals 12 and 14 and the joining projection 36 come into surface contact with each other and tip portions 12a and 14a of the electrode terminals 12 and 14 and a tip portion 36a of the joining projection 36 are welded to each other. Accordingly, welding between the electrode terminals 12 and 14 and the busbar 30 can be performed in an appropriate manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembled battery in which a plurality of single cells are arranged along a prescribed arrangement direction and each of adjacent single cells is electrically connected by a busbar, wherein:
 the single cell includes an electrode body, an outer package which houses the electrode body, and an electrode terminal which is a plate-shaped conductive member having a first end connected to the electrode body inside the outer package and a second end protruding to the outside of the outer package;   the busbar includes a plate-shaped base portion which is disposed between the electrode terminals of adjacent single cells and which extends along the arrangement direction;   a plate-shaped joining projection extending along the plate-shaped electrode terminal and a locking biasing portion which locks the electrode terminal and the busbar to each other and which biases the electrode terminal toward the joining projection are formed at both ends of the plate-shaped base portion in the arrangement direction; and   the plate-shaped electrode terminal and the plate-shaped joining projection come into surface contact with each other and a tip portion of the electrode terminal and a tip portion of the joining projection are welded to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The assembled battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking biasing portion is provided at each of both side edges of the both ends of the plate-shaped base portion. 
     
     
         3 . The assembled battery according to  claim 2 , wherein the locking biasing portion includes a rising portion which extends along the electrode terminal from the both ends of the base portion and an arm portion which covers a tip portion of the electrode terminal and which extends in a curved manner from a tip portion of the rising portion so as to oppose the rising portion. 
     
     
         4 . The assembled battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer package of the single cell is a laminated film. 
     
     
         5 . A manufacturing method of an assembled battery in which a plurality of single cells are arranged along a prescribed arrangement direction and each of adjacent single cells is electrically connected by a busbar,
 the single cell including an electrode body, an outer package which houses the electrode body, and an electrode terminal which is a plate-shaped conductive member having a first end connected to the electrode body inside the outer package and a second end protruding to the outside of the outer package,   the busbar including a plate-shaped base portion which is disposed between the electrode terminals of adjacent single cells and which extends along the arrangement direction, a plate-shaped joining projection which extends along a height direction of the single cell and a locking biasing portion which locks the electrode terminal of the single cell and which biases the electrode terminal toward the joining projection being formed at both ends of the plate-shaped base portion in the arrangement direction, wherein the manufacturing method of an assembled battery comprises the steps of:   bringing the plate-shaped electrode terminal and the plate-shaped joining projection into surface contact with each other, causing the locking biasing portion to lock the electrode terminal of the single cell, and biasing the electrode terminal toward the joining projection using the locking biasing portion; and   welding a tip portion of the electrode terminal and a tip portion of the joining projection to each other.   
     
     
         6 . The manufacturing method of an assembled battery according to  claim 5 , wherein the tip portion of the electrode terminal and the tip portion of the joining projection are welded to each other by a laser beam.