Patent Description:
This application claims the benefit of priority to <CIT>.

In recent years, with an increase in the demand for portable electronic devices, such as laptop computers, smartphones, and tablet computers, research has been actively conducted on high-performance secondary batteries that are capable of being repeatedly charged and discharged.

In addition, secondary batteries have come to be widely used in medium- or large-sized devices, such as vehicles, robots, and satellites, as well as small-sized devices, such as portable electronic devices. In particular, as fossil fuels are being depleted and increasing attention is being paid to environmental pollution, research on hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles is being actively conducted. The most essential part of a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle is a battery pack configured to supply electric power to a motor. The battery pack includes a battery module including a plurality of battery cells, wherein the plurality of battery cells is connected to each other in series and/or in parallel, whereby the capacity and output of the battery module are increased.

Basically, a battery cell is manufactured through a process of stacking a plurality of electrode plates in the state in which a separator is disposed therebetween and welding a plurality of electrode tabs to the plurality of electrode plates, respectively, to form an electrode assembly and wrapping the electrode assembly in an aluminum pouch so as to be sealed.

The battery pack includes a housing unit configured to receive a battery cell. The housing unit is composed of an upper housing and a lower housing, and the housing unit is assembled by coupling the upper housing and the lower housing to each other.

In the process of assembling the housing unit, the upper housing is pressed against the lower housing by a jig while a contact surface of the upper housing and a contact surface of the lower housing are in contact with each other. In this state, the housing unit is assembled by welding the contact surface of the upper housing and the contact surface of the lower housing to each other.

In the case of a conventional battery pack, only an upper housing is pressed by a jig in the process of assembling a housing unit, and thus, a contact surface of the upper housing and a contact surface of a lower housing may not be in full contact. Therefore, a problem may arise in which the contact surface of the upper housing and the contact surface of the lower housing are not properly welded to each other.

In addition, in the case of the conventional battery pack, only the upper housing is pressed by the jig in the process of assembling the housing unit, and thus, the pressing force for pressing the upper housing may vary depending on an operator. Therefore, since the welding state between the upper housing and the lower housing may vary depending on the operator, a problem may arise in which the quality of the battery pack is not constant.

Additionally, <CIT> <CIT> and <CIT> relate to making batteries.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a battery pack in which a first housing and a second housing constituting a housing unit are configured to press together against each other, thereby improving the welding quality between the first housing and the second housing.

It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a battery pack assembly apparatus configured to press the first housing and the second housing against each other using a first pressing module and a second pressing module, thereby improving the welding quality between the first housing and the second housing.

The solution is provided by the subject matter of independent claims. Further embodiments are claimed in dependent claims.

A battery pack according to embodiments of the present invention provided to accomplish the above object includes a housing unit configured to receive a battery cell therein, the housing unit comprising a first housing including a first contact surface; and a second housing including a second contact surface opposite the first contact surface, wherein the first housing and the second housing are coupled by welding in a state in which the first contact surface and the second contact surface are in contact with each other and pressed against each other, a first support is provided on an outer surface of the first housing, the first support contacting a first pressing module that presses the first housing toward the second housing, and a second support is provided on an outer surface of the second housing, the second support contacting a second pressing module that presses the second housing toward the first housing.

The first support protrudes outward from the outer surface of the first housing and in some embodiments is formed in a flange shape including the first contact surface.

The second support protrudes outward from the outer surface of the second housing and in some embodiments is formed in a flange shape including the second contact surface.

The first support in some embodiments is formed in a rib shape protruding outward from the outer surface of the first housing.

The second support in some embodiments is formed in a rib shape protruding outward from the outer surface of the second housing.

A battery pack assembly apparatus according to the present disclosure provided to accomplish the above object may be configured to assemble a battery pack comprising a housing unit configured to receive a battery cell therein and including a first housing and a second housing, and may include a first pressing module coupled to a first support formed on an outer surface of the first housing; and a second pressing module coupled to a second support formed on an outer surface of the second housing, wherein the first pressing module and the second pressing module may be moved in a direction adjacent to each other to press the first housing and the second housing against each other.

The first support may protrude from the outer surface of the first housing and may extend in a circumferential direction of the first housing. The first pressing module may be configured to extend in the circumferential direction of the first housing to press the entire first support.

The second support may protrude from the outer surface of the second housing and may extend in a circumferential direction of the second housing. The second pressing module may be configured to extend in the circumferential direction of the second housing to press the entire second support.

According to a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, a first housing and a second housing constituting a housing unit of the battery pack include a first support and a second support, respectively. As the first support and the second support are pressed against each other by a first pressing module and a second pressing module of a battery pack assembly apparatus, a first contact surface of the first housing and a second contact surface of the second housing may be in close contact. Therefore, since the first contact surface and the second contact surface may be welded to each other in close contact, the first contact surface and the second contact surface may be welded uniformly, and welding defects may be prevented from occurring.

The following drawings appended to this specification are provided to illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and to aid in understanding the technical idea of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention, a description of which will follow, and the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to matters described in the drawings.

Hereinafter, a battery pack and a battery pack assembling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiments of the present invention are provided in order to more completely describe the present invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art, and therefore the shape and size of each element in the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated for clearer description. Consequently, the size or rate of each element does not entirely reflect the actual size or rate thereof.

Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that terms or words used in this specification and the claims are not to be interpreted as having ordinary and dictionary-based meanings but as having meanings and concepts coinciding with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle that the inventors may properly define the concepts of the terms in order to explain the invention in the best method.

<FIG> is a perspective view schematically showing a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and <FIG> is a sectional view schematically showing the battery pack according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the battery pack according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure includes a housing unit <NUM> having an inner space, electrode terminals <NUM> and <NUM> exposed outside through through-holes (not shown) formed in the housing unit <NUM>, and a battery module <NUM> disposed in the housing unit <NUM>, the battery module having a plurality of battery cells <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the electrode terminals <NUM> and <NUM> may be configured so as to be exposed upwards in <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, the housing unit <NUM> may have a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape; however, the present invention is not limited as to the shape of the housing unit <NUM>. The housing unit <NUM> serves to protect the battery module <NUM> from the external environment.

The housing unit <NUM> includes a first housing (an upper housing) <NUM> and a second housing (a lower housing) <NUM>. The first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> are coupled to each other such that the inner space, which is configured to receive the battery module <NUM>, is formed in the housing unit <NUM>.

The plurality of battery cells <NUM> may be received in the second housing <NUM>. For example, each of the battery cells <NUM> may be a pouch-type battery cell. The pouch-type battery cell <NUM> may include an electrode assembly configured by stacking a plurality of electrode plates in the state in which a separator is disposed therebetween and a pouch configured to wrap the electrode assembly. The second housing <NUM> may have a battery cell receiving space having a width and a height corresponding respectively to the width and the length of each of the battery cells <NUM>.

Each of the first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> may be made of plastic. The first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> are joined to each other by welding (for example, ultrasonic welding or laser welding). As the first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> are joined to each other by welding, the interior of the housing unit <NUM> may have a dustproof and waterproof structure.

The first housing <NUM> includes a first contact surface <NUM> continuously formed along a circumferential direction of the first housing <NUM>. The second housing <NUM> includes a second contact surface <NUM> continuously formed along a circumferential direction of the second housing <NUM> and opposite the first contact surface <NUM> of the first housing <NUM>. The first contact surface <NUM> of the first housing <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> of the second housing <NUM> have shapes corresponding to each other and are formed to closely contact each other.

The first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> each function as a welding surface. The first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> are welded while being pressed against each other. For example, when ultrasonic vibration or a laser beam is applied between the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> in a state where the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> are in close contact with each other, a material constituting the first contact surface <NUM> and a material constituting the second contact surface <NUM> are melted and fused to each other, and accordingly, the first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> are coupled to each other.

A battery pack assembly apparatus <NUM> configured to press and weld the first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> against each other is provided so that the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be pressed against each other.

<FIG> is a sectional view schematically showing a process of assembling a housing unit of the battery pack according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, which is not part of the subject matter of the independent claims <NUM> and <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the battery pack assembly apparatus <NUM> may include a first pressing module <NUM> in contact with the first housing <NUM>, the first pressing module <NUM> configured to press the first housing <NUM> toward the second housing <NUM>; a second pressing module <NUM> in contact with the second housing <NUM>, the second pressing module <NUM> configured to press the second housing <NUM> toward the first housing <NUM>; a control module (not shown) configured to control the first pressing module <NUM> and the second pressing module <NUM> to move in a direction adjacent to each other; and a welding module (not shown) configured to weld the first contact surface <NUM> of the first housing <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> of the second housing <NUM> pressed by the first pressing module <NUM> and the second pressing module <NUM> to each other.

The first pressing module <NUM> and the second pressing module <NUM> may be configured to move adjacent to or spaced apart from each other by being connected to a linear movement mechanism such as, for example, an actuator operated by pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, a linear motor using electromagnetic interaction, or a ball screw device. The first pressing module <NUM> and the second pressing module <NUM> may move adjacent to each other to press the first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> against each other.

As the welding module, it may be configured to apply ultrasonic vibration or a laser beam to the first contact surface <NUM> of the first housing <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> of the second housing <NUM> pressed by the first pressing module <NUM> and the second pressing module <NUM>.

Since the first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> are pressed against each other by the first pressing module <NUM> and the second pressing module <NUM>, the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be pressed against each other to be in full contact. Since the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be in full contact, the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be uniformly welded.

As shown in <FIG>, which is not part of the subject matter of the independent claims <NUM> and <NUM>, a first support <NUM> in contact with the first pressing module <NUM> may be provided on an outer surface of the first housing <NUM> so that the first housing <NUM> may be pressed by the first pressing module <NUM>. The first support <NUM> may protrude outward from the outer surface of the first housing <NUM>. For example, the first support <NUM> may protrude outward from the outer surface of the first housing <NUM> and may be formed in a flange shape including the first contact surface <NUM>. In this case, the first support <NUM> may protrude from the outer surface of the first housing <NUM> and extend continuously in the circumferential direction of the first housing <NUM> to form the first contact surface <NUM>.

In addition, as shown in <FIG>, a second support <NUM> in contact with the second pressing module <NUM> may be provided on an outer surface of the second housing <NUM> so that the second housing <NUM> may be pressed by the second pressing module <NUM>. The second support <NUM> may protrude outward from the outer surface of the second housing <NUM>. For example, the second support <NUM> may protrude outward from the outer surface of the second housing <NUM> and may be formed in a flange shape including the second contact surface <NUM>. In this case, the second support <NUM> may protrude from the outer surface of the second housing <NUM> and extend continuously in the circumferential direction of the second housing <NUM> to form the second contact surface <NUM>.

For example, the first pressing module <NUM> may be configured to extend in the circumferential direction of the first housing <NUM> to press the entire first support <NUM>. Similarly, the second pressing module <NUM> may be configured to extend in the circumferential direction of the second housing <NUM> to press the entire second support <NUM>.

According to the battery pack according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> constituting the housing unit <NUM> of the battery pack include the first support <NUM> and the second support <NUM>, respectively. As the first support <NUM> and the second support <NUM> are pressed against each other by the first pressing module <NUM> and the second pressing module <NUM> of the battery pack assembly apparatus <NUM>, the first contact surface <NUM> of the first housing <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> of the second housing <NUM> may be in full contact. Therefore, since the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be welded to each other in close contact, the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be uniformly welded, and welding defects may be prevented from occurring.

In addition, according to the battery pack according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, since the pressing forces of the first pressing module <NUM> and the second pressing module <NUM> are transmitted to the entire first support <NUM> and the entire second support <NUM>, the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be pressed in closer contact with each other.

In addition, according to the battery pack according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, since the first support <NUM> and the second support <NUM> are formed in a flange shape including the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM>, respectively, the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be pressed in closer contact with each other as the first support <NUM> and the second support <NUM> are pressed by the first pressure module <NUM> and the second pressure module <NUM>.

Hereinafter, a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure and an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to <FIG>. Components identical to the components of the first embodiment of the present disclosure as described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

<FIG> is a sectional view schematically showing the battery pack according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in <FIG>, in the case of battery pack according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, a first support <NUM> in contact with a first pressing module <NUM> is provided on an outer surface of a first housing <NUM> so that the first housing <NUM> may be pressed by the first pressing module <NUM>. The first support <NUM> has a rib shape protruding outward from the outer surface of the first housing <NUM>. The first support <NUM> is disposed to be spaced apart from a second support <NUM>. A first contact surface <NUM> is formed at an end portion extending downward from the first support <NUM>. In accordance with the independent claim <NUM>, the first support <NUM> may extend continuously in a circumferential direction of the first housing <NUM>. Alternatively in accordance with the independent claim <NUM>, a plurality of the first supports <NUM> may be formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the first housing <NUM>.

In addition, the second support <NUM> in contact with a second pressing module <NUM> is provided on an outer surface of a second housing <NUM> so that the second housing <NUM> may be pressed by the second pressing module <NUM>. The second support <NUM> protrudes outward from the outer surface of the second housing <NUM>. For example, the second support <NUM> protrudes outward from the outer surface of the second housing <NUM> and is formed in a flange shape including a second contact surface <NUM>. In this case, the second support <NUM> may protrude from the outer surface of the second housing <NUM> and extend continuously in a circumferential direction of the second housing <NUM> to form the second contact surface <NUM>.

According to the battery pack according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, since the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be in close contact with each other by pressing the first support <NUM> and the second support <NUM> by the first pressing module <NUM> and the second pressing module <NUM>, the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be uniformly welded.

In addition, according to the battery pack according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, since the first contact surface <NUM> of the first housing <NUM> and the first support <NUM> of the first housing <NUM> are separately formed, a position of the first support <NUM> of the first housing <NUM> according to a pressing position of the first pressing module <NUM> may be freely designed regardless of a position of the first contact surface <NUM>.

Hereinafter, a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to <FIG>. Components identical to the components of the first and second embodiments of the present disclosure as described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

<FIG> is a sectional view schematically showing the battery pack according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure, which is another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in <FIG>, in the case of the battery pack according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure, a first support <NUM> in contact with a first pressing module <NUM> is provided on an outer surface of a first housing <NUM> so that the first housing <NUM> may be pressed by the first pressing module <NUM>. The first support <NUM> protrudes outward from the outer surface of the first housing <NUM>. In accordance with the independent claim <NUM> the first support <NUM> protrudes outward from the outer surface of the first housing <NUM> and is formed in a flange shape including a first contact surface <NUM>. In this case, the first support <NUM> may protrude from the outer surface of the first housing <NUM> and extend continuously in a circumferential direction of the first housing <NUM> to form the first contact surface <NUM>.

In addition, a second support <NUM> in contact with a second pressing module <NUM> is provided on an outer surface of a second housing <NUM> so that the second housing <NUM> may be pressed by the second pressing module <NUM>. The second support <NUM> has a rib shape protruding outward from an outer surface of the second housing <NUM>. The second support <NUM> is disposed to be spaced apart from the first support <NUM>. A second contact surface <NUM> is formed at an end portion extending upward from the second support <NUM>. In accordance with the independent claim <NUM>, the second support <NUM> may extend continuously in a circumferential direction of the second housing <NUM>. Alternatively in accordance with the independent claim <NUM>, a plurality of the second supports <NUM> may be formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the second housing <NUM>.

According to the battery pack according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure, since the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be in close contact with each other by pressing the first support <NUM> and the second support <NUM> by the first pressing module <NUM> and the second pressing module <NUM>, the first contact surface <NUM> and the second contact surface <NUM> may be uniformly welded.

In addition, according to the battery pack according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure, since the second contact surface <NUM> of the second housing <NUM> and the second support <NUM> of the second housing <NUM> are separately formed, a position of the second support <NUM> of the second housing <NUM> according to a pressing position of the second pressing module <NUM> may be freely designed regardless of a position of the second contact surface <NUM>.

The battery pack according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be applied to a device including the battery pack as a power source.

For example, the device may be a computer, a cellular phone, a wearable electronic device, a power tool, an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, an electric two-wheeled vehicle, an electric golf cart, or an energy storage apparatus. The energy storage apparatus may be applied to various fields or places, such as a smart-grid system configured to control the supply and demand of electric power or a charging station for electric vehicles.

Claim 1:
A battery pack comprising:
a housing unit (<NUM>) configured to receive a battery cell therein, the housing unit comprising:
a first housing (<NUM>) including a first contact surface (<NUM>); and
a second housing (<NUM>) including a second contact surface (<NUM>) opposite the first contact surface (<NUM>), wherein
the first housing (<NUM>) and the second housing (<NUM>) are coupled by welding in a state in which the first contact surface (<NUM>) and the second contact surface (<NUM>) are in contact with each other and pressed against each other,
a first support (<NUM>) is provided on an outer surface of the first housing (<NUM>), the first support (<NUM>) being configured for contacting a first pressing module (<NUM>) that presses the first housing (<NUM>) toward the second housing (<NUM>), and
a second support (<NUM>) is provided on an outer surface of the second housing, the second support (<NUM>) being configured for contacting a second pressing module (<NUM>) that presses the second housing (<NUM>) toward the first housing (<NUM>),
wherein the second support (<NUM>) protrudes outward from the outer surface of the second housing (<NUM>) and is formed in a flange shape including the second contact surface (<NUM>),
the first support (<NUM>) is formed in a rib shape protruding outward from the outer surface of the first housing (<NUM>),
the first support (<NUM>) is disposed so that it is spaced apart from the second support (<NUM>),
the first contact surface (<NUM>) is formed at an end portion extending downward from the first support (<NUM>),and wherein
the first support (<NUM>) extends continuously in a circumferential direction of the first housing (<NUM>) or a plurality of the first supports (<NUM>) is formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the first housing (<NUM>).