BATTERY MODULE

The present disclosure provides a battery module including a center cartridge assembly, on which a plurality of battery cells are arrayed and seated, including a cooling plate inner installed therein and configured to cool a part of each of the battery cells, a side cooling cover assembly which is coupled to two sides of the center cartridge assembly to protect the battery cells seated on the center cartridge assembly and includes a cooling plate outer attached thereto and configured to cool a part of each of the battery cells, and a busbar housing assembly which is coupled to an upper portion of the center cartridge assembly and includes one or more output busbars installed thereon and configured to be electrically connected to an electrode exposed at an upper portion of each of the battery cells.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 USC § 119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0089838, filed on Jul. 8, 2021 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a battery module including a plurality of battery cells and parts assembled with the same.

2. Discussion of Related Art

Various manufacturers are manufacturing battery modules having various structures. A battery module is manufactured so that a plurality of basic unit battery cells (for example, cylindrical cells) are arranged to meet specifications of a predetermined voltage and a predetermined current and a battery cooling structure, a fixing member, a heat exchange member, and the like are assembled therewith.

Conventional battery modules are designed with various structures by different manufacturers, for example, with a protrusion for installing a temperature sensor formed on a battery cell frame, with a through hole corresponding to a head of the temperature sensor formed and filled with glue, with a radiation hole formed to extend in an extension direction of a column included, with a plurality of support holes formed in a frame on which a heat sink is installed, or the like.

Such structures have disadvantages that a volume and a weight of a battery module increase because unnecessary elements are added, and accordingly, costs increase, productivity decreases, and the like.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to providing a battery module with a new structure that is not present conventionally and is improved so that the insulation and cooling performance and a degree of design freedom are improved, and a volume, a weight, the number of kinds of components, and costs are decreased.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery module including a center cartridge assembly, on which a plurality of battery cells are arrayed and seated, having a cooling plate inner installed therein and configured to cool a part of each of the battery cells, a side cooling cover assembly which is coupled to two sides of the center cartridge assembly to protect the battery cells seated on the center cartridge assembly and including a cooling plate outer attached thereto and configured to cool a part of each of the battery cells, and a busbar housing assembly which is coupled to an upper portion of the center cartridge assembly and includes one or more output busbars installed thereon and configured to be electrically connected to an electrode exposed at an upper portion of each of the battery cells.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery module including a center cartridge assembly, on which a plurality of battery cells are arrayed and seated, including a cooling plate inner installed therein and configured to serve to cool a part of each of the battery cells, in which the center cartridge assembly further includes a center cartridge in a hexahedral shape, which has an exposed upper portion to which the battery cells are inserted, a lower surface having openings through which a portion of electrodes of the inserted battery cells is exposed, a left portion and a right portion which are exposed to allow side surfaces of the inserted battery cells to be exposed, and a front surface and a rear surface which are closed wall structures, and one or more connection busbars which are connected to the electrodes of the inserted battery cells to connect the electrodes of the battery cells to each other, and the cooling plate inner of the center cartridge assembly is configured to divide a space of the center cartridge assembly into which the batteries are inserted into two spaces and to cool parts of the battery cell which face the cooling plate inner.

A configuration and operation of the present disclosure will be clear through specific embodiments which will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Detailed descriptions of the present disclosure will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating examples of specific embodiments of the disclosure. These embodiments will be described in detail so that the disclosure can be performed by those skilled in the art. It should be understood that various embodiments of the disclosure are different but are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, specific shapes, structures, and characteristics of the embodiments described herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, it should be understood that a position or arrangement of each component in each disclosed embodiment may be changed without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, there is no intent to limit the present disclosure to detailed descriptions to be described below. The scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims and encompasses all equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Like numbers refer to the same or like functions throughout the descriptions of the drawings.

FIG.1is an exploded perspective view illustrating a unit battery module, andFIG.2is an assembly perspective view.

The unit battery module includes a center cartridge assembly20into which cooling plate inners (refer to220inFIG.4) are inserted and seated in a vertical direction so that a plurality of battery cells10are disposed (in this case, an array of 2×3) and which serves to cool inward-facing surfaces of the battery cells10, side cooling cover assemblies30which are coupled to two sides of the center cartridge assembly20to cover outward-facing surfaces of the battery cells10seated on the center cartridge assembly20to protect the battery cells10and to which cooling plate outers (refer to320inFIG.7) configured to cool the outward-facing surfaces of the battery cells10are attached, a busbar housing assembly40which is coupled to an upper portion of the center cartridge assembly20and by which output busbars to be electrically connected to electrodes exposed from upper portions of the battery cells10are supported, an upper cover50which covers the busbar housing assembly40, protects the battery cells10and the busbar housing assembly40, and serves as an upper finishing end of an entire battery module, and a protector60which is attached to a side surface of the center cartridge assembly20to protect wirings (electric wires) passing from the upper portion to a lower portion of the center cartridge assembly20.

FIG.2is a perspective view illustrating a state in which components of the unit battery module ofFIG.1are assembled. It can only be seen fromFIG.2the center cartridge assembly20that one of the side cooling cover assemblies30disposed at one side, and the upper cover50.

In an example of the unit battery module in the embodiment illustrated inFIGS.1and2, the battery cells10including a plurality of (in this case, six) cylindrical cells are arrayed in an array of 2×3 and inserted into the center cartridge assembly20. However, the battery cells10are not limited to cylindrical shapes. In addition, the battery cells10may be arrayed so that positions of polarities of electrodes are different from each other according to a desired serial-parallel structure.

FIG.3is an exploded perspective view illustrating the center cartridge assembly20.

The center cartridge assembly20includes a center cartridge210having a form (a substantially hexahedral structure) into which six battery cells10may be inserted in an array of 2×3 and a pair of cooling plate inners220which are positioned between cells of a first row and cells of a second row of the battery cells10inserted into the center cartridge210and disposed in a central portion of the center cartridge210to cool inward-facing surfaces of the first row and the second row of the battery cells10.

In addition, heat conduction interface members230attached to the cooling plate inners220in a self-adhesive manner to facilitate cooling of the battery cells10may be further included in the center cartridge assembly20.

The components will be specifically described.

The center cartridge210is manufactured of a heat conductive plastic to serve as both a cooling member and a structural member. In the center cartridge210, an upper portion is exposed for the battery cells10to be inserted, openings of which the number corresponds to the battery cells10are formed in a lower surface so that the electrodes of one sides of the battery cells10are exposed, and a left portion and a right portion are open so that side surfaces of the battery cells10are exposed. A front surface and a rear surface of the center cartridge210have a closed wall, respectively.

A connection busbar240which is connected (welded) to the electrodes of the battery cells10exposed through the openings of the lower surface of the center cartridge210to connect lower electrodes of the battery cells10is positioned on the lower surface of the center cartridge210. Long holes241for welding are formed in the connection busbar240. The long holes241for welding are formed to be welded to the electrodes of the battery cells10and will be described below. In addition, grooves242, which are recessed inward from a side surface of an edge so that a width of the busbar decreases, are formed in the connection busbar240with intervals in a longitudinal direction of the connection busbar240. The grooves242are coupled to coupling protrusions of busbar fixing parts214(seeFIG.6) for fixing when the connection busbar240is attached to the lower surface of the center cartridge210. This will be described below.

In addition, terminal bases211, on which end portions of output busbars420(to be described below) are installed as a final “+” terminal and a final “—” terminal of the battery cells10, are formed on one surface of a wall structure of the front surface or the rear surface of the center cartridge210. In addition, there is at least one module fixing part212on the front surface and/or the rear surface of the center cartridge210to fix the unit battery module to a module frame (not shown).

The cooling plate inners220are inserted between the front surface and the rear surface of the center cartridge210at right angles to vertically divide the center cartridge210into two portions. In order to provide stable and easy support after the insertion, first seating portions221(for example, protrusions) are formed on upper edges of the cooling plate inners220. In correspondence with the first seating portions221, second seating portions213(for example, slots), which are coupled to the first seating portions221to support the cooling plate inners220after the cooling plate inners220are inserted, are formed at inner sides of the front surface and the rear surface of the center cartridge210.

As described above, the heat conduction interface members230may be attached to the cooling plate inners220in the self-adhesive manner. The heat conduction interface members230are positioned at interfaces between the cooling plate inners220and the battery cells10so that the cooling plate inners220and the battery cells10are pressed against each other to maximally transfer heat generated by the battery cells10to the cooling plate inners220.

In addition, temperature sensor avoidance grooves222, which prevent hooking of temperature sensors when the temperature sensors for measuring temperatures of the battery cells10are installed in the busbar housing assembly40, are formed in at least one of the cooling plate inners220. In addition, temperature sensor avoidance grooves232are also formed at corresponding positions in the heat conduction interface member230attached thereto.

FIG.4is a perspective view illustrating a state in which components of the center cartridge assembly20are assembled. It shows that the cooling plate inners220and the heat conduction interface members230attached thereto are installed between the front surface and the rear surface to divide an inner space of the center cartridge210having a hexahedral shape into two spaces, and the connection busbar240is installed on the lower surface. When one row of the battery cells10is inserted into each space at two sides divided by the cooling plate inners220, and the connection busbar240is welded to the lower electrodes of the battery cells10through the openings of the lower surfaces, a first assembly of the unit battery module is completed. The inward-facing surface of the respective battery cell10may be in tight contact with the cooling plate inner220through the heat conduction interface member230and cooled by them.

FIG.5is a bottom perspective view illustrating an assembled state ofFIG.4. It shows that the connection busbar240is installed on the lower surface of the center cartridge210, one module fixing part212is formed on the front surface, and two module fixing parts212′ are formed on the rear surface.

FIG.6is an enlarged view illustrating region A ofFIG.5, and shows a structure in which the connection busbar240is fixed to the lower surface of the center cartridge210. It shows that the connection busbar240formed of a metal is fixedly coupled to the busbar fixing parts214formed on the lower surface. The busbar fixing parts214include coupling protrusions inserted into the grooves242of the connection busbar240and fixing hooks formed at two sides thereof. A fixing structure of the connection busbar240ofFIG.6is one example, and the connection busbar240may be fixed to the lower surface of the center cartridge210in one of various manners depending on a designer.

FIG.7is an exploded perspective view illustrating the side cooling cover assembly30. Referring toFIG.1again, although a pair of side cooling cover assemblies30are formed to cover an exposed left portion and an exposed right portion of the center cartridge assembly20, inFIG.7, only one of the side cooling cover assemblies30(disposed at a left side of the center cartridge210) is illustrated. Since a structure of the other side cooling cover assembly disposed at the other side is symmetrical thereto, a configuration and a form thereof will be easily understood fromFIG.7.

InFIG.7, the one of the side cooling cover assemblies30includes a side cooling cover310which covers the left portion or the right portion of the center cartridge210and the cooling plate outer320which is disposed on an inner surface of the side cooling cover310and in contact with outward-facing surfaces of the battery cells10(portions seen from the exposed left side or right side of the center cartridge210) to cool the battery cells10. In addition, the one of the side cooling cover assemblies30may further include a heat conduction interface member330which is attached to the cooling plate outer320in a self-adhesive manner and pressed against the battery cells10to facilitate cooling.

The components will be specifically described.

The side cooling cover310illustrated inFIG.7has substantially an “L” shape to cover the left portion of the center cartridge210and a part of the lower surface, and a plurality of coupling parts311are formed at proper positions of the side cooling cover310for coupling with the center cartridge210.

In addition, a plurality of holes321are formed in the cooling plate outer320in order to restrict a position when the cooling plate outer320is attached to the side cooling cover310, and in correspondence therewith, a plurality of protrusions312are formed on an inner surface of the side cooling cover310at positions corresponding to the holes321. Accordingly, the cooling plate outer320may be placed on and brazed to the inner surface of the side cooling cover310at the accurate positions.

The heat conduction interface member330may also be attached to the cooling plate outer320in the self-adhesive manner similar to that of described above. The heat conduction interface member330is positioned at an interface between the cooling plate outer320and the battery cells10to be pressed against the cooling plate outer320and the battery cells10so that heat generated by the battery cells10is maximally transferred to the cooling plate outer320. Accordingly, the outward-facing surfaces of the battery cells10can be pressed against and effectively cooled by the cooling plate outer320through the heat conduction interface member330.

InFIG.8, the side cooling cover assembly30in which the cooling plate outer320and the heat conduction interface member330are assembled with the side cooling cover310illustrated inFIG.7is illustrated. The one of the side cooling cover assemblies30is coupled to the left portion of the center cartridge assembly20illustrated inFIG.1. Similarly, although not illustrated in the drawing, the side cooling cover assembly at the other side may be coupled to the right portion of the center cartridge assembly20(seeFIG.9).

FIG.9is an exploded view showing that the side cooling cover assemblies30are coupled to the left portion and the right portion of the center cartridge assembly20and the battery cells10are inserted into the center cartridge210. It shows that the cooling plate inners220and the heat conduction interface members230are installed to divide the inner space of the center cartridge210into two spaces, the cooling plate outers320and the heat conduction interface members330are installed on the inner surfaces of the side cooling covers310, and the battery cells10are inserted between the cooling plate inners220and the cooling plate outers320. Accordingly, all of the inward-facing surfaces (that is, sides of the inner space of the center cartridge210) and the outward-facing surfaces (that is, sides of the side cooling covers310) of the battery cells10may be surrounded and effectively cooled by the cooling plate inners220and the cooling plate outers320through the heat conduction interface members230and330.

FIG.10is an exploded view illustrating the busbar housing assembly.

The busbar housing assembly40includes a busbar housing410which is positioned above the battery cells10inserted into the center cartridge assembly20and in which openings411are formed to allow the upper electrodes of the battery cells10to be exposed and output busbars420which are installed on the busbar housing410and connected and welded to the electrodes of the battery cells10exposed through the openings411. The output busbars420are not necessarily formed of a pair of metal conductors as illustrated inFIG.10. Although this will be described below, the output busbars420may be provided in various shapes and numbers so that various serial-parallel combinations of the battery cells10may be obtained (the same applies to the connection busbar240). Since “+” and “—” voltage should be finally output through the output busbars420, end portions are attached to the terminal bases211of the center cartridge210, which are described above, by screws or the like and exposed to the outside.

A plurality of long holes421for welding are formed in the output busbars420similarly to the connection busbar240. The long holes421for welding are formed for welding with the electrodes of the battery cells10and will be described below. In addition, grooves422, which are recessed inward from side surfaces, are formed in outer edges of the output busbars420at intervals so that a width decreases in a longitudinal direction. The grooves422are coupled to the busbar fixing parts214(seeFIG.6) when the output busbars420are installed on an upper surface of the busbar housing410. Since this is the same as a concept of fixing the connection busbar240described above, the detailed description will be omitted.

In addition, one or more temperature sensors430for measuring temperatures of battery cells10are additionally installed on a temperature sensor installation part412of the busbar housing assembly40. The temperature sensor installation part412may be positioned at a center of four battery cells10which are inserted and arrayed through the openings411. The temperature sensor installation part412will be described below with reference toFIG.11.

In addition, a wiring groove413through which wirings connected to the temperature sensors430pass is formed in the connection busbar housing410, and the wiring groove413is formed in a space between the openings411formed as two rows on the busbar housing410. The temperature sensors430may have curved surfaces (having, for example, concave curvatures to be in contact with cylindrical shapes) corresponding to shapes of outer surfaces of the battery cells10to be in contact with and measure temperatures of the battery cells10. The temperature sensor avoidance grooves222and232are formed in the cooling plate inner220and the heat conduction interface member230, respectively, to prevent hooking of the temperature sensors430while the temperature sensors430are installed, as described inFIG.3.

FIG.11is an explanatory view for describing a detailed structure of the temperature sensor installation part412illustrated inFIG.10.

Referring toFIG.11, the temperature sensor installation part412(seeFIG.10) includes temperature sensor insertion holes414. The plurality of (four inFIG.11) temperature sensor insertion holes414are formed in the temperature sensor installation part412around the openings411(seeFIG.10) through which the battery cells are inserted so that the temperature sensors430are in contact with or close to surfaces of the temperature measurement target battery cells. Accordingly, the temperature sensors430having concave curvatures431similar to curvatures of outer surfaces of the battery cells10are inserted through the temperature sensor insertion holes414from top to bottom and installed to be in contact with or close to the battery cells.

In order to prevent the temperature sensors430from being separated after the insertion, elastic hooks415which fix the temperature sensors430are formed on the busbar housing410. The hooks415may be designed to open when the temperature sensors430are inserted through the temperature sensor insertion holes414and to return to their original positions by elastic forces and fixedly push upper surfaces of the temperature sensor430after the temperature sensors430are completely inserted.

Referring toFIG.10again, a voltage sensor440which measures a voltage of the output busbar420is additionally connected to a plus (+) busbar which is one of the output busbars420through riveting or laser welding.

In addition, a connector450for connecting wirings of the temperature sensors430and a wiring of the voltage sensor440to an external device (for example, a battery management system (BMS)) is additionally provided. According to design, the connector450may be attached to the busbar housing410or also the center cartridge210described above according to a design.

A voltage sensor460which measures a voltage of the connection busbar240described above may also be connected to the connector450. The voltage sensor460for voltage measurement extends downward from the connector450along an outer rear surface of the center cartridge210through a wiring461and is connected to the connection busbar240installed on the lower surface of the center cartridge210through riveting or laser welding.

FIG.12is an assembly view illustrating the busbar housing assembly40ofFIG.10. It shows that the output busbars420are attached to the upper surface of the busbar housing410, the temperature sensors430are installed, the voltage sensor440for the output busbars420and the connector450are installed, and the voltage sensor460for the connection busbar240extends downward from the connector450through the wiring461. (The voltage sensor440for the connection busbar240will be installed in the center cartridge210when an entire module is assembled.)

FIG.13is an explanatory view for describing the upper cover50and the protector60. It is illustrated that the side cooling cover assemblies30are coupled to left and right sides of the center cartridge assembly20and the center cartridge assembly20is covered by the busbar housing assembly40.

The connector450is attached to a rear surface (a surface seen in the front inFIG.13) of the center cartridge assembly20, and the wiring461extends downward from the connector450. The protector60is attached to the center cartridge assembly20in a lateral direction to prevent damage to the wiring461. In order to attach the protector60at an accurate position, a guide protrusion250is formed on a corresponding surface of the center cartridge, and a guide groove610is formed in a corresponding surface of the protector60. The protector60may be simply snap-attached at an accurate position using the units. However, a method of attaching the protector60may be variously changed depending on a designer or a shape of the module.

The upper cover50serves to prevent the output busbar420attached to an upper surface of the busbar housing assembly40from being exposed and protect an overall upper portion of the unit battery module. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG.13, in an upper surface of the upper cover50, marks510of a “+” and a “−” which indicate directivities of an output voltage of the battery cells10are carved, and a plurality of coupling units520for coupling with the busbar housing assembly40(for example, hooks) are formed along an outer edge. However, other coupling units470(for example, hook coupled grooves) coupled to the coupling units520are formed at corresponding positions of the busbar housing410of the busbar housing assembly40.

FIGS.14A-Dshow a set of views for describing that a degree of serial-parallel freedom of the battery cells10of the unit battery module may be secured by changing shapes and the numbers of connection busbars240of the center cartridge assembly20and the output busbars420of the busbar housing assembly40. Even when six battery cells10are formed as a unit battery module having the same array of 2×3, various serial-parallel combinations, such as 1-serial 6-parallel, 2-serial 3-parallel, 3-serial 2-parallel, and 6-serial 1-parallel, may be achieved by variously changing the output busbars420and the connection busbars240.

InFIG.14A, it shows that a unit battery module can be formed as a 1-parallel/6-serial (1P6S) structure by connecting four pieces of output busbars420ato420dinstalled on the upper surface of busbar housing assembly40and three pieces of connection busbars240ato240cinstalled on a lower surface of the center cartridge assembly20. InFIG.14B, it shows that a unit battery module can be formed as a 3-parallel/2-serial (3P2S) structure by connecting two pieces of output busbars420aand420binstalled on the upper surface of the busbar housing assembly40and one piece of a connection busbar240ainstalled on the lower surface of the center cartridge assembly20.

According to the present disclosure, a decrease in size is possible because there is no protruding portion for installing a temperature sensor on a battery cell frame and a temperature sensor avoidance groove is provided, a process is simplified because there is no through hole in a portion corresponding to a head portion of the temperature sensor, and the temperature sensor can be directly in contact with a measurement target portion (that is, a surface of a battery cell). In addition, since heat is conducted through a cooling plate without a separate radiation hole, cooling efficiency is improved, and since there are not a plurality of support holes and a heat sink on the frame, there is a cost reduction effect. In addition, weight reduction and insulation performance can be secured through a cartridge, a housing, and a cover which are formed of a synthetic resin, a composite material, or the like. In addition, since a busbar in which various cell combinations for obtaining a voltage/current such as 1-parallel 6-serial and 3-parallel 2-serial can be applied to a single bus housing, a degree of design freedom is maximized.

Although the present disclosure has been described in detail through exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the disclosure may be performed in concrete forms different from the content disclosed in the present specification without changing the technological scope and essential features.

Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be considered as only examples in all aspects and not for purposes of limitation. In addition, it should be interpreted that the scope of the present disclosure is defined not by the detailed description but by the appended claims and encompasses all modifications and alterations derived from the scope and equivalents of the appended claims.