A battery module, comprising: a first bus bar electrically connected to a first electrode lead of a first battery cell; a second bus bar electrically connected to a second electrode lead of a second battery cell; a short-circuit unit configured to move toward the first bus bar and the second bus bar by receiving an expansive force due to a volume increase of at least one of the first battery cell and the second battery cell so that the first bus bar and the second bus bar are electrically connected to generate a short circuit; characterized by a cartridge configured to accommodate or support at least a portion of the first electrode lead, the second electrode lead, the first bus bar, the second bus bar and the short-circuit unit, wherein the short-circuit unit includes: an elastic member having one end supported to an inner side of the cartridge and configured to provide an elastic force in a direction opposite to the expansive force; a slide bar having a short-circuit terminal provided at one end thereof to contact the other end of the elastic member and receive the elastic force from the elastic member, the slide bar having a rack gear formed along a surface of the other end thereof; and an expansive force transmitting unit (330a, 330b) having a pinion gear (331a, 331b) provided at one end thereof to engage with the rack gear and support the other end of the slide bar, the expansive force transmitting unit (330a, 330b) having the other end that is in contact with one end of each of the first battery cell and the second battery cell to receive the expansive force. a first bus bar electrically connected to a first electrode lead of a first battery cell; a second bus bar electrically connected to a second electrode lead of a second battery cell; a short-circuit unit configured to move toward the first bus bar and the second bus bar by receiving an expansive force due to a volume increase of at least one of the first battery cell and the second battery cell so that the first bus bar and the second bus bar are electrically connected to generate a short circuit; characterized by a cartridge configured to accommodate or support at least a portion of the first electrode lead, the second electrode lead, the first bus bar, the second bus bar and the short-circuit unit, wherein the short-circuit unit includes: an elastic member having one end supported to an inner side of the cartridge and configured to provide an elastic force in a direction opposite to the expansive force; a slide bar having a short-circuit terminal provided at one end thereof to contact the other end of the elastic member and receive the elastic force from the elastic member, the slide bar having a rack gear formed along a surface of the other end thereof; and an expansive force transmitting unit (330a, 330b) having a pinion gear (331a, 331b) provided at one end thereof to engage with the rack gear and support the other end of the slide bar, the expansive force transmitting unit (330a, 330b) having the other end that is in contact with one end of each of the first battery cell and the second battery cell to receive the expansive force. an elastic member having one end supported to an inner side of the cartridge and configured to provide an elastic force in a direction opposite to the expansive force; a slide bar having a short-circuit terminal provided at one end thereof to contact the other end of the elastic member and receive the elastic force from the elastic member, the slide bar having a rack gear formed along a surface of the other end thereof; and an expansive force transmitting unit (330a, 330b) having a pinion gear (331a, 331b) provided at one end thereof to engage with the rack gear and support the other end of the slide bar, the expansive force transmitting unit (330a, 330b) having the other end that is in contact with one end of each of the first battery cell and the second battery cell to receive the expansive force.