Patent Description:
The present disclosure relates to a battery module, and more particularly, to a battery module that is not high in voltage between terminals and thus is enhanced in a handling property.

Since secondary batteries are easily applicable to various product groups and has electrical characteristics such as high energy density, they are universally applied not only for a portable device but also for an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, an energy storage system or the like, which is driven by an electric driving source. Such secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new environment-friendly energy source for improving energy efficiency since it gives a primary advantage of remarkably reducing the use of fossil fuels and also does not generate by-products from the use of energy at all.

A battery pack applied to an electric vehicle and the like has a structure in which a plurality of cell assemblies including a plurality of unit cells are connected in series to obtain a high output. The unit cell can be repeatedly charged and discharged by an electrochemical reaction between components including a positive electrode current collector, a negative electrode current collector, a separator, an active material, an electrolyte solution and the like.

Meanwhile, along with an increased need for a large capacity structure including utilization as energy storage sources in recent years, there is a growing demand for a battery pack having a multi-module structure in which a plurality of battery modules, each having a plurality sof secondary batteries connected in series and/or in parallel, are aggregated.

When a plurality of battery cells are connected in series/parallel to configure a battery pack, a method of configuring a battery module composed of at least one battery cell and then adding other components to at least one battery module to configure a battery pack is common. The number of battery modules included in the battery pack, or the number of battery cells included in the battery module can be variously set according to a required output voltage or charge/discharge capacity.

In particular, along with an increased demand for a large-capacity/large-area structure in recent years, the number of cells in the battery module itself is increasing, and the module voltage also increases with this increase. However, as the voltage of the electrode module is higher, it is necessary to ensure higher safety during production, handling, and transportation, and the inspection apparatus specification needs to be enhanced even on the production line, which causes a problem that the production cost increases.

<CIT> relates to a battery module assembly including a module array body including two or more unit modules, each including a plurality of battery cells, the unit modules being arranged while sides thereof are closely attached to each other and a combination type module housing that includes a first space set by combining a plurality of plate members and a second space set in the first space while a fixing bracket is additionally combined to one of the plurality of plate members.

<CIT> relates to a battery module capable of preventing abnormal overcurrent due to an external short-circuit from flowing out before a distribution process or assembly in battery pack units.

<CIT> relates to a battery module assembly comprising a first battery module that includes a module case having a plurality of battery cells embedded therein, and a first input/output terminal and a second input/output terminal, provided at one side of the module case, and a second battery module that includes a module case having a plurality of battery cells embedded therein, and a first input/output terminal and a second input/output terminal, provided at one side of the module case, wherein the first input/output terminal of the first battery module is formed by extending a first module bus bar connected to at least one of the plurality of battery cells in the module case and extends to the second input/output terminal of the second battery module and is connected to each other.

The present disclosure has been devised to solve the above problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a battery module in which the terminal voltage is not high even if the number of cells included in one battery module increases, thus capable of ensuring safety during production, handling, and transportation, and also the inspection apparatus specification on the production line can be lowered, thereby reducing the production cost.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery module comprising: a cell block including a battery cell assembly containing one or more battery cells and a pair of terminal busbars connected to the battery cell assembly to electrically connect the battery cell to an external device; and a module frame for housing the cell block, wherein two or more of the cell blocks are contained in the module frame, and the two or more cell blocks are not electrically connected to each other within the module frame.

The pair of terminal busbars may include one positive electrode terminal busbar and one negative electrode terminal busbar.

The pair of terminal busbars, each being connected to the two or more cell blocks, may be exposed to one end part of the module frame.

The battery module may further include an end plate that is coupled to one end part of the module frame and contains four or more openings for exposing the terminal busbar.

Each of the cell blocks may include a protective film that wraps the side surface of the battery cell assembly.

The battery module further includes a busbar frame that covers an upper part of the battery cell assembly and a side surface of the battery cell assembly, and to which the terminal busbar is fixed, and the busbar frame may be provided in common to the two or more cell blocks.

Four or more terminal busbars contained in the two or more cell blocks may be fixed to the busbar frame.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there can be provided a battery pack comprising the at least one battery module, and a pack case for packaging the at least one battery module.

According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, there can be provided a device comprising the at least one battery pack.

According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, there can be provided a battery module in which the terminal voltage is not high even if the number of cells included in one battery module increases, thus capable of ensuring safety during production, handling, and transportation, and also the inspection apparatus specification on the production line can be lowered, thereby reducing the production cost.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out them. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be modified in various different ways, and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

A description of parts not related to the description will be omitted herein for clarity, and like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the description.

In addition, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, or plate is referred to as being "on" or "above" another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, it means that other intervening elements are not present. Further, the word "on" or "above" means disposed on or below a reference portion, and does not necessarily mean being disposed on the upper end of the reference portion toward the opposite direction of gravity.

Further, throughout the specification, when a part is referred to as "including" a certain component, it means that it can further include other components, without excluding the other components, unless otherwise stated.

<FIG> is a diagram showing the inside and outside of a battery module according to an example of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a diagram showing an appearance of the battery module of <FIG>, and <FIG> is a diagram schematically showing the battery module of <FIG>.

Referring <FIG>, the battery module <NUM> according to this example includes a battery cell assembly <NUM> in which a plurality of battery cells <NUM> are aligned side by side and stacked adjacent to each other, and a module frame <NUM> that houses the battery cell assembly and forms the appearance of the battery module <NUM>. At this time, a pair of terminal busbars <NUM> for electrically connecting the battery cell <NUM> to an external device are connected to the battery cell assembly <NUM>, and the battery cell assembly <NUM> and a pair of terminal busbars <NUM> constitute one cell block <NUM>. The battery module <NUM> according to this example includes a plurality of cell blocks <NUM> housed in one module frame <NUM>, wherein the plurality of cell blocks <NUM> are not electrically connected to each other in the battery module <NUM>.

The battery cell assembly <NUM> is an assembly of secondary batteries including a plurality of battery cells <NUM>. The battery cell assembly <NUM> may include a plurality of battery cells <NUM>, and each battery cell includes an electrode lead <NUM>. The battery cell <NUM> may be a pouch-type battery cell having a plate shape, but is not limited thereto. The electrode lead <NUM> is a positive electrode lead or a negative electrode lead, and the end part of the electrode lead <NUM> of each battery cell <NUM> may be bent in one direction, and thereby may come into contact with an end part of an electrode lead of another adjacent battery cell <NUM>. The two electrode leads <NUM> that are in contact with each other may be mutually fixed by welding or the like, whereby an electrical connection can be made between the battery cells <NUM> in the battery cell assembly <NUM>.

The plurality of battery cells <NUM> are vertically stacked so that the electrode leads <NUM> are aligned in one direction to form the battery cell assembly <NUM>. The electrode leads <NUM> aligned in one direction are electrically connected to the terminal busbar <NUM> that is fixed to the busbar frame <NUM> coupling to the battery cell assembly <NUM>. The terminal busbar <NUM> may be fixed toward the outside of the busbar frame <NUM>, and the electrode leads <NUM> of the battery cell assembly <NUM> may pass through a slit formed in the busbar frame <NUM> to be electrically connected to the terminal busbar <NUM>. Here, the busbar frame <NUM> is formed of an insulating material, for example, a nonconductive synthetic resin, and the terminal busbar <NUM> may be formed of a conductive metal material.

Further, the battery module <NUM> includes a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) <NUM> that is extendedly mounted in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell assembly <NUM> at the upper part of the battery cell assembly <NUM> and is configured so as to sense the battery cell <NUM>. In addition, the battery module <NUM> may include various electronic components. As an example, it may include an ICB (Internal Circuit Board) and a BMS (Battery Management System). Electrical components such as the ICB and BMS board may be electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells <NUM>.

The battery cell assembly <NUM> and the terminal busbar <NUM> electrically connected thereto form one cell block <NUM>. One cell block <NUM> includes a pair of terminal busbars <NUM>, and the pair of terminal busbars <NUM> includes a positive electrode terminal busbar and a negative electrode terminal busbar, respectively.

The module frame <NUM> for housing the cell block <NUM> may be a mono frame having a rectangular tube shape as shown in <FIG> and the like. Alternatively, it may be a shape in which the upper plate is coupled to the U-shaped lower frame, but is not particularly limited.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of cell blocks <NUM> are provided and included in one module frame <NUM> to form the battery module <NUM>. Therefore, the battery module <NUM> includes the terminal busbars <NUM> that needs to correspond to the number of the cell blocks <NUM>. For example, when two cell blocks <NUM> are housed in the module frame <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, two pairs of terminal busbars <NUM> are included.

At this time, the terminal busbars <NUM> included in each cell block <NUM> are not connected to each other and the terminal busbars <NUM> included in other cell blocks <NUM>, but the electrical connection can be made only in the cell block <NUM>. Due to such a configuration, even if the number of battery cells <NUM> included in one battery module <NUM> increases and the total capacity of the battery module <NUM> increases, the terminal voltage does not increase at the same time, and thereby, safety can be ensured during the production, handling, and transportation of the battery module <NUM>. Since the terminal voltage is not increased, the inspection apparatus specification on the production line can also be lowered, thereby reducing the production cost.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate that two cell blocks <NUM> are included, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. More than two cell blocks <NUM> may be included as shown in <FIG>, which are not particularly limited. In particular, even if more than two cell blocks <NUM> are provided, the terminal voltage does not increase. Therefore, the capacity of the battery module <NUM> can be increased without being bound by safety issues in the production, handling, and transportation processes and inspection apparatus specifications.

Meanwhile, the battery module <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an end plate <NUM> coupled to one end part of the module frame <NUM>. In this case, the end plate <NUM> includes at least four openings <NUM> capable of exposing the terminal busbars <NUM> included in each cell block <NUM> to the outside. For example, when two cell blocks <NUM> are included in the module frame <NUM>, a total of four terminal busbars <NUM> are formed and thus, four openings <NUM> for exposing each of them to the outside can be formed.

In this way, each of the battery cell stacked body <NUM> and the terminal busbar <NUM> are independently provided in one battery module <NUM>, and two or more cell blocks <NUM> that are not electrically connected to each other are included in the battery module <NUM>, whereby even while increasing the capacity of the battery module <NUM>, the terminal voltage can be lowered, thus securing safety and reducing production costs.

<FIG> is a diagram showing a battery module according to an example of the present disclosure.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a protective film <NUM> that wraps the side surface of the battery cell stack <NUM> included in each cell block <NUM> may be further included. The protective film <NUM> may be formed of a resin material. By providing the protective film <NUM>, it is possible to prevent the battery cell stack <NUM> from being damaged in the process of housing the cell block <NUM> in the module frame <NUM> or the like. In addition, respective battery cells <NUM> can be maintained more stably within the battery cell stack <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram showing a battery module according to the present disclosure.

In the present disclosure, one busbar frame <NUM> is provided in common to two or more cell blocks <NUM>. For example, as shown in <FIG>, one busbar frame <NUM> may be provided for two cell blocks <NUM>. This is structured such that one busbar frame <NUM> covers the upper surface and side surfaces of the two battery cell stacks <NUM> provided in the two cell blocks <NUM>. According to this configuration, a total of four terminal busbars <NUM> connected to each of the battery cell stack <NUM> can be fixed onto the side cover of one busbar frame <NUM> covering the battery cell stack <NUM>. Thereby, even if the plurality of battery cell stacked bodies <NUM> are provided, it is connected to one busbar frame <NUM>, and thus, the assembly process can be further simplified.

Meanwhile, one or more of the battery modules <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be packaged in a pack case to form a battery pack. At this time, respective terminal busbars <NUM> formed in the plurality of cell blocks <NUM> included in the battery module <NUM> may be electrically connected to each other in the process of packaging and assembling the battery pack. That is, an electrical connection between the cell blocks <NUM> can be made outside the battery module <NUM>.

The above-mentioned battery module and the pack including the same can be applied to various devices. Such a device may be applied to a vehicle means such as an electric bicycle, an electric vehicle, or a hybrid vehicle, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and is applicable to various devices that can use a battery module, which also falls under the scope of the present disclosure.

Claim 1:
A battery module (<NUM>) comprising:
two or more cell blocks (<NUM>), each cell block (<NUM>) including a battery cell assembly (<NUM>) containing one or more battery cells (<NUM>) and a pair of terminal busbars (<NUM>) connected to the battery cell assembly (<NUM>) to electrically connect the battery cell (<NUM>) to an external device; and
a module frame (<NUM>) for housing the two or more cell blocks (<NUM>),
wherein the two or more cell blocks (<NUM>) are not electrically connected to each other within the module frame (<NUM>),
wherein the battery module (<NUM>) further comprises a busbar frame (<NUM>) that covers an upper part of the battery cell assembly (<NUM>) and a side surface of the battery cell assembly (<NUM>), the terminal busbar (<NUM>) being fixed to the busbar frame (<NUM>), the busbar frame (<NUM>) extending across two or more cell blocks (<NUM>).