Patent ID: 12224454

MODE FOR DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure will become more apparent by describing in detail embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described herein are only illustrative for better understanding of the present disclosure and may be modified in various ways. In addition, for ease of understanding of the present disclosure, the accompanying drawings are not illustrated in a real scale and the dimensions of some components may be exaggerated.

FIG.1is a view for describing a battery module10according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.2is a bottom perspective view of the battery module10ofFIG.1,FIG.3is a bottom view of the battery module10ofFIG.2,FIG.4is a view for describing a resin injection process of the battery module10ofFIG.1,FIGS.5and6are views for describing shapes of resin injection holes according to various embodiments of the battery module10ofFIG.4,FIG.7is a view illustrating the battery module10ofFIG.1without a module case,FIG.8is an exploded perspective view of the battery module10ofFIG.7,FIG.9is a bottom view of the battery module10ofFIG.7,FIG.10is a plan view of the battery module10ofFIG.7, andFIG.11is a view for describing a fixing process to weld electrode leads of the battery module10ofFIG.7.

Referring toFIGS.1to11, the battery module10may include battery cells100, a module case200, a busbar frame assembly300, a voltage sensing unit400, and a plurality of fixing jig holes500.

The battery cells100may be secondary batteries and be provided as pouch-type secondary batteries. Each pouch-type secondary battery may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and an external pouch. The external pouch may include two pouches, and at least one of the two may have a recessed internal space. The electrode assembly and the electrolyte may be accommodated in the internal space of the external pouch. Sealing portions may be provided on outer circumferential surfaces of the two pouches and be fused together to seal the internal space accommodating the electrode assembly.

A plurality of battery cells100may be provided. The plurality of battery cells100may be stacked on one another to be electrically connected to each other. Each of the plurality of battery cells100is a long cell having a length greater than a width thereof compared to conventional battery cells. For example, the length of the long cell may be about 3 to 5 times greater than the width thereof. The battery module10according to the present disclosure employs the long-cell-type battery cells100in order to easily mount the battery module10under, for example, the seats or trunk of a vehicle by reducing the height and increasing the capacity of the battery module10. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Each of the plurality of battery cells100may include a pair of electrode leads150respectively protruding in front and rear directions of the battery module10.

The pair of electrode leads150are located at a side from a width-direction centerline of the battery cell100and at a lower side along a height direction of the battery module10.

The pair of electrode leads150are located at a side from a width-direction centerline of the battery cell100as described above in order to increase an energy density of the battery module10by providing a space for mounting, for example, a connector member420to be described below.

The module case200may accommodate the plurality of battery cells100and form the exterior of the battery module10. In this regard, the module case200may have a predetermined-sized space capable of accommodating the battery cells100.

The module case200is provided in a rectangular tube shape. The space in the module case200has a volume capable of tightly accommodating the battery cells100and the busbar frame assembly300to be described below. The above-described module case200may be effective to reduce the weight and volume of the battery module10.

One or more resin injection holes210through which a thermally conductive resin L is injectable are provided in a surface of the module case200. Herein, the surface of the module case200may be a bottom surface corresponding to bottom surfaces of the battery cells100.

Specifically, a plurality of resin injection holes210are located between a length-direction central region and both side regions of the bottom surface of the module case200. Checking holes220may be further provided in the central region and the both side regions. The checking holes220are used to check whether the resin L has permeated to the corresponding regions. For example, the amount of the injected resin L may be controlled by stopping injection of the resin L when the resin L is observed through the checking holes220.

The resin injection holes210and the checking holes220may have a rectangular cross-section as illustrated inFIG.5, or have a trapezoidal cross-section as illustrated inFIG.6to facilitate injection of the resin L into the module case200.

The busbar frame assembly300may be slidably inserted into the module case200to support the plurality of battery cells100.

The busbar frame assembly300may include a front frame310, a rear frame320, a top frame330, and a plurality of busbars350.

The front and rear frames310and320may include the plurality of busbars350. The top frame330may connect the front frame310to the rear frame320.

Specifically, the front, rear, and top frames310,320, and330may cover and have sizes corresponding to a front surface, a rear surface, and a top surface of the battery cells100, respectively.

Herein, the front and rear frames310and320are provided to be rotatable about the top frame330in order to facilitate assembly of the battery cells100and the busbar frame assembly300.

In this regard, the front and rear frames310and320may be rotatably hinge-coupled to the top frame330. That is, the front and rear frames310and320may be hinge-coupled to an end and the other end of the top frame330, respectively.

The top frame330may include anti-interference grooves335.

A plurality of anti-interference grooves335may be provided. The plurality of anti-interference grooves335may be provided at four side regions of the top frame330. The plurality of anti-interference grooves335may prevent interference with the plurality of fixing jig holes500to be described below, when the front and rear frames310and320are hinge-coupled to the top frame330.

The plurality of busbars350may be provided on the front and rear frames310and320and be electrically connected to the electrode leads150of the plurality of battery cells100.

In this regard, the plurality of busbars350may be electrically connected to the electrode leads150of the plurality of battery cells100through, for example, welding.

The voltage sensing unit400may serve to sense, for example, voltage information of the battery cells100and include a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) member410, connector members420, temperature sensors430, and sensing terminals440and450.

The FPCB member410may extend between the top frame330and the top surface of the battery cells100along a length direction of the battery cells100. The FPCB member410may be configured as a flexible printed circuit board.

The connector members420may be electrically connected to the FPCB member410and transmit, for example, data obtained from the temperature sensors430and the sensing terminals440and450, to a battery management system (BMS).

The temperature sensors430may be provided on the FPCB member410and be located near both sides of the battery cells100. Because the battery cells100generally have the highest temperature near the electrode leads150, the temperature sensors430may be located at the both sides of the battery cells100.

The sensing terminals440and450may include first sensing terminals440respectively attached to the busbars350located on the front frame310, and second sensing terminals450respectively attached to the busbars350located on the rear frame320, and sense voltage values at the busbars350.

The plurality of fixing jig holes500may be provided in top and bottom surfaces of the busbar frame assembly300, and into which welding jigs G for fixing the busbar frame assembly300are inserted in a welding process for electrically connecting the electrode leads150of the plurality of battery cells100to the plurality of busbars350.

The plurality of fixing jig holes500may be provided in top and bottom surfaces of the front and rear frames310and320and include base jig holes510and top jig holes520.

The base jig holes510may be provided in the bottom surface of the busbar frame assembly300, and into which the welding jigs G are inserted from below in the welding process.

The base jig holes510may include edge jig holes512and auxiliary jig holes514.

The edge jig holes512may be provided at bottom edges of the busbar frame assembly300. Specifically, the edge jig holes512may be provided at bottom edges of the front and rear frames310and320of the busbar frame assembly300.

The auxiliary jig holes514may be provided between the edge jig holes512and be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along a width direction of the busbar frame assembly300, and more specifically, along a width direction of the front and rear frames310and320of the busbar frame assembly300.

The top jig holes520may be provided in the top surface of the busbar frame assembly300, and into which the welding jigs G are inserted from above in the welding process.

The top jig holes520may include edge jig holes provided at top edges of the busbar frame assembly300. Specifically, the top jig holes520may be provided at top edges of the front and rear frames310and320of the busbar frame assembly300.

In the current embodiment, through the plurality of fixing jig holes500, the welding jigs G may be inserted into the busbar frame assembly300from above and below to fix the busbar frame assembly300in a welding process for electrically connecting the electrode leads150of the plurality of battery cells100to the plurality of busbars350.

As such, in the current embodiment, both vertical and horizontal motions of the busbar frame assembly300may be effectively prevented to minimize motion, e.g., shaking, of the busbar frame assembly300in the welding process.

Therefore, in the current embodiment, through the plurality of fixing jig holes500, the accuracy and quality of welding may be remarkably improved in the welding process and the quality of connection between the electrode leads150and the busbars350may also be greatly improved.

FIG.12is a view for describing a battery pack1according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG.13is a view for describing a vehicle V according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIGS.12and13, the battery pack1may include at least one battery module10according to the previous embodiment, and a pack case50configured to package the at least one battery module10.

The battery pack1may be included in the vehicle V as an energy source of the vehicle V. For example, the battery pack1may be included in the vehicle V, e.g., an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or any other vehicle capable of using the battery pack1as an energy source.

In addition to the vehicle V, the battery pack1may also be included in any system, apparatus, or equipment using secondary batteries, e.g., an energy storage system (ESS).

Because the battery pack1according to the current embodiment and the system, apparatus, or equipment including the battery pack1, e.g., the vehicle V, include the above-described battery module10, the battery pack1having all advantages of the above-described battery module10and the system, apparatus, or equipment including the battery pack1, e.g., the vehicle V, may be implemented.

According to the afore-described various embodiments, the battery module10capable of preventing motion of the busbar frame assembly300in a welding process between the electrode leads150of the battery cells100and the busbars350of the busbar frame assembly300, the battery pack1including the battery module10, and the vehicle V including the battery pack1may be provided.

While the present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the following claims and their equivalents.