Pack case, battery pack, and method for manufacturing pack case

Abstract

A pack case includes: a first wall pressing a battery stack toward a second side in a stacking direction; and a second wall pressing the battery stack toward a first side in the stacking direction. At least one of the first wall and the second wall is a panel structure wall including a first metal plate, a second metal plate located outward of the first metal plate in the stacking direction and faces the first metal plate, and an interposed member interposed between and fixed to the first metal plate and the second metal plate. The interposed member has a lower density than a metal forming the first metal plate and the second metal plate.

1 . A pack case that accommodates a battery stack in which a plurality of batteries are stacked in a stacking direction, the pack case compresses and restrains the battery stack in the stacking direction, the pack case comprising:
 a first wall located on a first side of the accommodated battery stack in the stacking direction, the first wall contacts a first end of the battery stack and presses the battery stack toward a second side in the stacking direction; and   a second wall located on the second side of the accommodated battery stack in the stacking direction, the second wall contacts a second end of the battery stack and presses the battery stack toward the first side in the stacking direction, wherein   at least one of the first wall and the second wall is a panel structure wall including a first metal plate, a second metal plate, and an interposed member,   the second metal plate is located outward of the first metal plate in the stacking direction and faces the first metal plate, and   the interposed member is interposed between the first metal plate and the second metal plate, the interposed member is fixed to the first metal plate and the second metal plate, and the interposed member has a density lower than a density of a metal of the first metal plate and the second metal plate;   further comprising:   a third wall and a fourth wall each located on an outer side of the accommodated battery stack in a lateral direction orthogonal to the stacking direction, the third wall and the fourth wall connecting the first wall and the second wall, and the first wall, the second wall, the third wall and the fourth wall forming a rectangular frame surrounding the battery stack from four sides wherein   the third wall and the fourth wall each include a lateral metal plate extending in the stacking direction, and the lateral metal plate is connected to the first metal plate and the second metal plate via a corner connecting resin portion made from resin; and   wherein   the lateral metal plate has an extending portion extending outward of the first metal plate of the panel structure wall in the stacking direction, the panel structure wall being the first wall or the second wall, and   the extending portion includes a panel engagement portion that is located outward of the first metal plate in the stacking direction and inward of a lateral edge of the first metal plate in the lateral direction, and   the extending portion engages with the first metal plate via the corner connecting resin portion.   
     
     
         2 . The pack case according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the panel structure wall is an one metal plate bended in a U-shape,   the panel structure wall includes a first metal plate portion that is the first metal plate, a second metal plate portion that is the second metal plate, and a connecting portion connecting the first metal plate portion and the second metal plate portion.   
     
     
         3 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The pack case according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of the third wall and the fourth wall is a panel structure lateral side wall including the lateral metal plate, a second lateral metal plate, and a lateral interposed member,   the second lateral metal plate extends in the stacking direction and is located outward or inward of the lateral metal plate in the lateral direction so as to face the lateral metal plate, and   the lateral interposed member is interposed between the lateral metal plate and the second lateral metal plate, the lateral interposed member is fixed to the lateral metal plate and the second lateral metal plate, and the lateral interposed member has a density lower than a density of a metal of the lateral metal plate and the second lateral metal plate.   
     
     
         6 . The pack case according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the third wall and the fourth wall is the panel structure lateral side wall. 
     
     
         7 . The pack case according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first wall and the second wall is the panel structure wall. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing a pack case that accommodates a battery stack in which a plurality of batteries are stacked in a stacking direction and the pack case compresses and restrains the battery stack in the stacking direction, the pack case including a first wall and a second wall, the first wall being located on a first side of the accommodated battery stack in the stacking direction, the first wall contacting a first end of the battery stack, and pressing the battery stack toward a second side in the stacking direction, the second wall being located on the second side of the accommodated battery stack in the stacking direction, the second wall contacting a second end of the battery stack and pressing the battery stack toward the first side in the stacking direction, at least one of the first wall and the second wall being a panel structure wall including a first metal plate, a second metal plate, and an interposed member, the second metal plate being located outward of the first metal plate in the stacking direction and facing the first metal plate, and the interposed member being interposed between the first metal plate and the second metal plate, the interposed member being fixed to the first metal plate and the second metal plate and having a density lower than a density of a metal of the first metal plate and the second metal plate,
 the method comprising:
 setting the first metal plate and the second metal plate in a mold; and 
 performing an injection molding to form the panel structure wall by charging resin between the first metal plate and the second metal plate set in the mold and molding the interposed member. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising prior to the setting, bending one metal plate into a U-shape to form a first metal plate portion that is the first metal plate, a second metal plate portion that is the second metal plate, and a connecting portion connecting the first metal plate portion and the second metal plate portion. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the pack case includes a third wall and a fourth wall each located on an outer side of the accommodated battery stack in a lateral direction orthogonal to the stacking direction, the third wall and the fourth wall connecting the first wall and the second wall, and the first wall, the second wall, the third wall and the fourth wall forming a rectangular frame surrounding the battery stack from four sides,   the third wall and the fourth wall each include a lateral metal plate extending in the stacking direction,   the lateral metal plate is connected to the first metal plate and the second metal plate via a corner connecting resin portion made from resin;   in the setting, the lateral metal plate forming the third wall and the lateral metal plate forming the fourth wall are also set in the mold; and   in the injection molding, the corner connecting resin portion is formed together with forming the panel structure wall.