Patent Description:
Meanwhile, when a plurality of battery cells are connected in series or in parallel to configure a battery pack, it is common to configure a battery module having at least one battery cell first, and then configure a battery pack by using at least one battery module and adding other components. <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> discloses a battery module.

In recent years, the demand for battery modules and battery packs that may realize a high energy density while maintaining a more compact size in accordance with the slimming trend has been gradually increasing.

Accordingly, it is required to find a way to realize a more compact size while further securing a greater space for the battery cells provided in the battery module or the battery pack.

The present disclosure is directed to providing a battery module, which may realize a more compact size while further securing a greater space for battery cells, a battery pack including the battery module, and a vehicle including the battery pack.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery module, comprising: a battery cell assembly having a plurality of battery cells; a top plate configured to cover an upper side of the battery cell assembly; a bottom plate disposed opposite to the top plate and configured to cover a lower side of the battery cell assembly; a sensing assembly disposed at a front side and a rear side of the bottom plate and the top plate to cover a front side and a rear side of the battery cell assembly; a pair of side plates coupled to the sensing assembly, the top plate and the bottom plate and disposed at both side surfaces of the battery cell assembly; and a pair of compression pads disposed between the pair of side plates and the battery cell assembly,.

The coupling pin may be provided in plural, and the plurality of coupling pins may be provided at both ends of the first bus bar unit and the second bus bar unit and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along a height direction of the first bus bar unit and the second bus bar unit.

The pair of side plates may have at least one pin insert groove into which the at least one coupling pin is inserted.

In addition, the present disclosure provides a battery pack, comprising: at least one battery module according to the above embodiments; and a pack case configured to package the at least one battery module.

Moreover, the present disclosure provides a vehicle, comprising at least one battery pack according to the above embodiment.

According to various embodiments as above, it is possible to provide a battery module, which may realize a more compact size while further securing a greater space for battery cells, a battery pack including the battery module, and a vehicle including the battery pack.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a side sectional view showing the battery module of <FIG>, and <FIG> is a side sectional view showing the battery module of <FIG> according to another embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the battery module <NUM> may include a battery cell assembly <NUM>, a top plate <NUM>, a bottom plate <NUM>, a sensing assembly <NUM>, a side plate <NUM>, and a compression pad <NUM>.

The battery cell assembly <NUM> may include a plurality of battery cells <NUM>. The plurality of battery cells <NUM> may be stacked so as to be electrically connected to each other. Here, electrode leads <NUM> of the plurality of battery cells <NUM> may be electrically connected to the sensing assembly <NUM>, explained later.

The top plate <NUM> may cover an upper side of the battery cell assembly <NUM>. To this end, the top plate <NUM> may have a size and shape to cover the entire upper side of the battery cell assembly <NUM>.

The bottom plate <NUM> is disposed opposite to the top plate <NUM> and may cover a lower side of the battery cell assembly <NUM>. The bottom plate <NUM> may stably support the battery cell assembly <NUM>.

The sensing assembly <NUM> is disposed at a front side and a rear side of the top plate <NUM> and the bottom plate <NUM> and may cover the front and rear of the battery cell assembly <NUM>.

The sensing assembly <NUM> is electrically connected to the battery cell assembly <NUM> and may sense a voltage or temperature of the battery cell assembly <NUM>. In addition, the sensing assembly <NUM> may be connected to an external power source or the like.

The sensing assembly <NUM> may include a first bus bar unit <NUM>, a second bus bar unit <NUM>, and a sensing wire <NUM>.

The first bus bar unit <NUM> is disposed at a front side of the battery cell assembly <NUM> and may be coupled to a pair of side plates <NUM>, explained later. Here, the first bus bar unit <NUM> may also be coupled to the top plate <NUM> and the bottom plate <NUM> together.

The first bus bar unit <NUM> may include a bus bar body <NUM> and a cover frame <NUM>.

The bus bar body <NUM> may be electrically connected to the electrode leads <NUM> of the battery cells <NUM> of the battery cell assembly <NUM>. To this end, the bus bar body <NUM> may have a plurality of bus bars electrically contacted and connected to the electrode leads <NUM> of the battery cells <NUM>.

The cover frame <NUM> may cover the front side of the bus bar body <NUM>. The cover frame <NUM> may form a front surface of the battery module <NUM>.

The second bus bar unit <NUM> is disposed to face the first bus bar unit <NUM> with the battery cell assembly <NUM> being interposed therebetween and may be coupled to a pair of side plates <NUM>, explained later, at a rear side of the battery cell assembly <NUM>. Here, the second bus bar unit <NUM> may also be coupled to the top plate <NUM> and the bottom plate <NUM> together.

The second bus bar unit <NUM> may include a bus bar body <NUM>, a cover frame <NUM>, and a control board <NUM>.

The cover frame <NUM> may cover the rear side of the bus bar body <NUM>. The cover frame <NUM> may form a rear surface of the battery module <NUM>.

The control board <NUM> is for controlling the operation of the sensing assembly <NUM> and may be mounted between the bus bar body <NUM> and the cover frame <NUM>. The control board <NUM> may be a printed circuit board.

The sensing wire <NUM> may connect the first bus bar unit <NUM> and the second bus bar unit <NUM>. The sensing wires <NUM> may be formed as a flexible printed circuit board and may be provided in a pair.

The pair of sensing wires <NUM> may be fitted into the pair of side plates <NUM>, explained later, or into the pair of compression pads <NUM>, explained later. That is, in this embodiment, the pair of sensing wires <NUM> may be provided at both side surfaces of the battery module <NUM>.

The side plate <NUM> is coupled to the top plate <NUM> and the bottom plate <NUM> and may be disposed at both side surfaces of the battery cell assembly <NUM>. To this end, the side plate <NUM> may be provided in a pair.

The compression pad <NUM> may be disposed between the pair of side plates <NUM> and the battery cell assembly <NUM>. The compression pad <NUM> may be provided only in a pair.

One of the pair of compression pads <NUM> may be disposed at one of the pair of side plates <NUM> and one side surface of the battery cell assembly <NUM>.

The other of the pair of compression pads <NUM> may be disposed at the other of the pair of side plates <NUM> and the other side surface of the battery cell assembly <NUM>.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the compression pads <NUM> are provided only in a pair, the space efficiency of the battery module <NUM> may be maximized compared with a conventional structure in which a plurality of compression pads are mounted, and the battery module <NUM> may be designed in a slim form more easily.

The pair of compression pads <NUM> may have a wire placing groove <NUM>.

The wire placing groove <NUM> may be formed by a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the pair of compression pads <NUM>, and the pair of sensing wires <NUM> may be placed therein.

The wire placing groove <NUM> may have a depth corresponding to the thickness of the pair of sensing wires <NUM>. Accordingly, the pair of sensing wires <NUM> may not protrude out of the compression pad <NUM> when being placed in the wire placing groove <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the wire placing groove <NUM> may also be formed at the pair of side plates <NUM> as disclosed in <FIG>, instead of the pair of compression pads <NUM>. That is, the pair of side plates <NUM> may have a wire placing groove <NUM> formed along the longitudinal direction of the pair of sensing wires <NUM> by a predetermined length so that the pair of sensing wires <NUM> is placed therein. Also, the depth of the wire placing groove <NUM> may be correspond to the thickness of the pair of sensing wires <NUM>.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the pair of sensing wires <NUM> are provided at both side surfaces of the battery module <NUM>, the space efficiency of the battery module <NUM> may be improved in the height direction.

Also, in this embodiment, since the pair of sensing wires <NUM> are mounted to both side surfaces of the battery module <NUM> not to protrude out of the side plate <NUM> or the compression pad <NUM>, it is possible to secure space efficiency of both side surfaces of the battery module <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a main part of a sensing assembly of the battery module of <FIG>, and <FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a main part of a side plate of the battery module of <FIG>.

Since the battery module <NUM> of this embodiment is substantially identical or similar to the battery module <NUM> of the former embodiment, the identical or similar features will not be explained again, and the following description will focus on different features from the former embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the battery module <NUM> includes a battery cell assembly <NUM>, a top plate <NUM>, a bottom plate <NUM>, a pair of compression pads <NUM>, a sensing assembly <NUM>, and a pair of side plates <NUM>.

The battery cell assembly <NUM>, the top plate <NUM>, the bottom plate <NUM> and the pair of compression pads <NUM> are substantially identical or similar to those of the former embodiment and thus will not described again.

The sensing assembly <NUM> includes a sensing wire <NUM>, a first bus bar unit <NUM> and a second bus bar unit <NUM>.

The sensing wire <NUM> is substantially identical or similar to that of the former embodiment and thus will not described again.

The first bus bar unit <NUM> may include a bus bar body <NUM>, a cover frame <NUM>, and a coupling pin <NUM>.

The bus bar body <NUM> and the cover frame <NUM> are substantially identical or similar to those of the former embodiment and thus will not described again.

The coupling pin <NUM> couples the first bus bar unit <NUM> and the pair of side plates <NUM>, explained later, to each other. The coupling pin <NUM> may be provided in plural.

The plurality of coupling pins <NUM> are provided at both ends of the first bus bar unit <NUM> and may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along the height direction of the first bus bar unit <NUM>.

Specifically, the plurality of coupling pins <NUM> are provided at both side surfaces of the cover frame <NUM> and may be spaced apart from each other along the height direction of the cover frame <NUM>.

The second bus bar unit <NUM> may include a bus bar body <NUM>, a cover frame <NUM>, a control board <NUM>, and a coupling pin <NUM>.

The bus bar body <NUM>, the cover frame <NUM> and the control board <NUM> are substantially identical or similar to those of the former embodiment and thus will not described again.

The coupling pin <NUM> couples the second bus bar unit <NUM> with the pair of side plates <NUM>, explained later, to each other. The coupling pin <NUM> may be provided in plural.

The plurality of coupling pins <NUM> are provided at both ends of the second bus bar unit <NUM> and may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along the height direction of the second bus bar unit <NUM>.

The pair of side plates <NUM> may have a pin insert groove <NUM> formed therein.

The coupling pins <NUM> of the first bus bar unit <NUM> and the coupling pins <NUM> of the second bus bar unit <NUM> may be inserted into the pin insert groove <NUM>.

The pin insert groove <NUM> may be provided in plural. The plurality of pin insert grooves <NUM> may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along the height direction of the pair of side plates <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the sensing assembly <NUM> and the side plate <NUM> may be coupled more conveniently by means of the pin insertion structure of the sensing assembly <NUM> and the side plate <NUM> without any additional bonding process such as welding.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, a battery pack <NUM> may include at least one battery module <NUM> according to the former embodiment and a pack case <NUM> for packaging the at least one battery module <NUM>.

Here, the at least one battery module may be the battery module <NUM> of the former embodiment. It is also possible that the battery module may be provided as a group of the battery module <NUM> and the battery module <NUM> of the former embodiments.

The battery pack <NUM> may be provided to a vehicle as a fuel source of the vehicle. As an example, the battery pack <NUM> may be provided to an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and various other-type vehicles capable of using the battery pack <NUM> as a fuel source.

In addition, the battery pack <NUM> may be provided in other devices, instruments or facilities such as an energy storage system using a secondary battery, in addition to the vehicle.

As described above, the battery pack <NUM> of this embodiment and devices, instruments or facilities such as a vehicle, which have the battery pack <NUM>, include the battery module <NUM> as described above, and thus it is possible to implement a battery pack <NUM> having all the advantages of the battery module <NUM> described above, or devices, instruments, facilities or the like such as a vehicle, which have the battery pack <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A battery module (<NUM>), comprising:
a battery cell assembly (<NUM>) having a plurality of battery cells (<NUM>);
a top plate (<NUM>) configured to cover an upper side of the battery cell assembly (<NUM>);
a bottom plate (<NUM>) disposed opposite to the top plate (<NUM>) and configured to cover a lower side of the battery cell assembly (<NUM>);
a sensing assembly (<NUM>) disposed at a front side and a rear side of the bottom plate (<NUM>) and the top plate (<NUM>) to cover a front side and a rear side of the battery cell assembly (<NUM>);
a pair of side plates (<NUM>) coupled to the sensing assembly (<NUM>), the top plate (<NUM>) and the bottom plate (<NUM>) and disposed at both side surfaces of the battery cell assembly (<NUM>); and
a pair of compression pads (<NUM>) disposed between the pair of side plates (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the battery cell assembly (<NUM>),
wherein the sensing assembly (<NUM>) includes a first bus bar unit (<NUM>), a second bus bar unit (<NUM>), and a sensing wire (<NUM>),
wherein the first bus bar unit (<NUM>) and the second bus bar unit (<NUM>) are coupled to the pair of side plates (<NUM>) by means of at least one coupling pin (<NUM>).