Battery pack case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10026936-B2
Application number	US-201514741871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2015
Priority date	Aug 7, 2006
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a pack case constructed in a structure in which a plurality of battery cells are mounted in the pack case to electrically connect the battery cells with each other, wherein the pack case includes an upper case and a lower case constructed in a hollow structure in which the upper case and the lower case are coupled with each other while the battery cells are mounted between the upper case and the lower case, each case is integrally provided at the inner part thereof with a plurality of spacers for supporting the battery cells, and each case is provided at the outer part thereof with a plurality of ventilation openings which communicate with the interior of each case, and a battery pack including the pack case. The pack case according to the present invention has effects in that a plurality of battery cells are stably mounted in the pack case in a compact structure through a simple assembly process, heat generated from the battery cells is effectively removed during the charge and discharge of the battery cells, and an additional safety unit, such as a detection member and/or a protection circuit module, is easily mounted to the pack case.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pack case for mounting a plurality of battery cells to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells with each other, comprising:
an upper case and a lower case collectively constructed to form a housing having an interior portion for mounting the plurality of battery cells, the upper and lower case being in direct, physical contact with one another, the lower case having a bottom having a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom;
a plurality of spacers projecting from an inner surface of at least one of the upper case and the lower case toward the interior portion for supporting the plurality of battery cells; and
a metal plate including terminal contact parts for contacting electrode terminals of the plurality of battery cells and connection parts for electrically connecting the terminal contact parts with one another, each connection part having grooves extending therethrough, the protrusions extending within corresponding ones of the grooves.

2. The pack case of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of connection through-holes formed in each of the upper case and the lower case, each of the plurality of connection through-holes being aligned with an electrode terminal of one of the plurality of battery cells to expose the electrode terminal to an outside of the pack case.

3. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein the upper spacers are arranged in a first pattern and the lower spacers are arranged in a second pattern, the second pattern being aligned with the first pattern.

4. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spacers are arranged in a matrix of rows and columns.

5. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spacers is diamond-shaped.

6. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spacers includes outer edges that complement the cross-section of the plurality of battery cells.

7. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spacers has a cross-section including at least one curved edge for supporting a plurality of cylindrical battery cells.

8. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spacers has a cross-section including at least two arcs for supporting a plurality of cylindrical battery cells.

9. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality spacers is configured to support a plurality of battery cells.

10. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality spacers is configured to support at least two battery cells.

11. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality spacers is spaced from others of the plurality of spacers.

12. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spacers includes an exhaust through-hole.

13. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spacers include a first group of spacers, each spacer of the first group being spaced from others of the first group to form a cylindrical cavity defined by curved edges of each spacer of the first group of spacers.

14. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein ones of the plurality of spacers have a cross-section that is astroid-shaped.

15. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spacers are configured to support the plurality of battery cells by partially surrounding the outer circumference of four neighboring ones of the plurality of battery cells, selected ones of the plurality of spacers having exhaust through-holes at centers thereof that provide communication between the interior portion and the outside of the pack case.

16. The pack case of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spacers include lower spacers projecting from an inner surface of the lower case and upper spacers projecting from an inner surface of the upper case, the upper spacers and the lower spacers projecting from the respective inner surfaces toward one another.

17. An electric or hybrid electric vehicle comprising the pack case of claim 1 as a power source.

18. A power source comprising the pack case of claim 1 .

19. A battery pack comprising the pack case of claim 1 .

20. A power tool comprising the pack case of claim 1 as a power source.

21. A power source comprising:
a plurality of battery cells;
a pack case for mounting the plurality of battery cells to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells with each other, the pack case including:
an upper case and a lower case collectively constructed to form a housing having an interior portion for mounting the plurality of battery cells, a first surface of the upper case and a first surface of the lower case being in direct physical contact with one another, the lower case having a bottom having a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom;
a plurality of spacers projecting from an inner surface of at least one of the upper case and the lower case toward the interior portion for supporting the plurality of battery cells by, each one of the plurality of spacers having at least one concave surface in contact with one of the plurality of battery cells, and each of the plurality of battery cells being in contact with four of the plurality of spacers; and
a metal plate including terminal contact parts for contacting electrode terminals of the plurality of battery cells and connection parts for electrically connecting the terminal contact parts with one another, each connection part having grooves extending therethrough, the protrusions extending within corresponding ones of the grooves.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jongho
• Cho Yongho
• Shin Joonyoung

Classifications

• H01M10/48 Primary

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title

• H01M50/291

  characterised by their shape · CPC title

• H01M50/271

  Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings · CPC title

• H01M50/213

  adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/6562

  with free flow by convection only · CPC title