Battery module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11626630-B2
Application number	US-201916656324-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2019
Priority date	Oct 19, 2018
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

A battery module includes: a cell stack including a plurality of unit cells arranged in a first direction; and an insulating member around the plurality of unit cells; a plurality of module housings, each of the module housings including a plurality of receiving parts and receiving the cell stack; and a coupling part, and each of the receiving parts includes a fixing wall around the cell stack and having at least a portion which is in contact with the cell stack, and the fixing wall includes end walls at respective sides of each of the receiving parts in the first direction to engage end surfaces of respective sides of the cell stack in the first direction, and the coupling part is configured to be coupled to the coupling part of an adjacent battery module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery module comprising:
a cell stack comprising:
a plurality of unit cells arranged in a first direction; and
an insulating member around the plurality of unit cells;

a plurality of module housings, each of the module housings comprising a plurality of receiving parts and receiving the cell stack and each of the module housings having a bottom surface;
a plurality of module covers, each module cover coupled to one of the module housings at a surface opposite to the bottom surface; and
a coupling part,
wherein each of the receiving parts comprises a fixing wall around the cell stack, at least a portion of the fixing wall contacting the cell stack,
wherein the fixing wall comprises end walls at respective sides of each of the receiving parts in the first direction to engage end surfaces of respective sides of the cell stack in the first direction,
wherein the coupling part of a first module housing from among the plurality of module housings is configured to be coupled to the coupling part of a second module housing from among the plurality of module housings that is adjacent to the first module housing,
wherein the coupling part is at a first wall and a second wall around an inner space of the respective module housing, the first wall and the second wall arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
wherein the coupling part at the second wall of the first module housing is configured to be coupled to the coupling part at the first wall of the second module housing in the second direction,
wherein the coupling part of the second module housing further comprises a connection tube that defines a connection tunnel at the first wall, and protruding in the second direction, the connection tunnel having a hollow in which a bus bar is led from the inside of the second module housing, and the connection tunnel being located between the module cover of the second module housing and the bottom surface of the second module housing, and
wherein the coupling part of the first module housing further comprises a tube receiving opening on the second wall and configured to receive the connection tube of the second module housing and the bus bar.

2. The battery module of claim 1 ,
wherein the coupling part comprises fastening parts at the first wall and the second wall, respectively, and
wherein the fastening part of the first wall of the second module housing is configured to be fastened to the fastening part on the second wall of the first module housing through a fastening member.

3. The battery module of claim 2 , wherein the coupling part of the second module housing comprises
guide pins on the first wall and protruding in the second direction,
and wherein the coupling part of the first module housing comprises guide grooves on the second wall and configured to receive the guide pins of the second module housing.

4. The battery module of claim 2 ,
wherein the fastening parts are at opposite end portions of the first wall and the second wall in the first direction,
wherein the connection tube and the tube receiving opening are at central portions of the first wall or the second wall,
wherein a guide pin is between the fastening part and the connection tube, and
wherein a guide groove is between the fastening part and the tube receiving opening.

5. The battery module of claim 1 ,
wherein the module housing further comprises a separation wall extending in the first direction and partitioning the inner space around an outer wall of the module housing to form adjacent ones of the plurality of receiving parts, and
wherein the separation wall corresponds to a part of the fixing wall of each of the receiving parts along the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and
wherein the separation wall contacts a side surface of the cell stack received in the respective receiving part.

6. The battery module of claim 5 ,
wherein the end walls comprise a first end wall and a second end wall, and
wherein the first end wall faces the outer wall of the module housing and is spaced apart from the outer wall along the first direction, defining a first impact absorbing space between the first end wall and the outer wall.

7. The battery module of claim 6 ,
wherein a first receiving part and a second receiving part from among the plurality of receiving parts are arranged along the first direction at the inner space of the module housing, and
wherein the second end walls of the first receiving part and the second receiving part are spaced apart from each other and face each other, defining a second impact absorbing space between the second end walls of the first and second receiving parts.

8. The battery module of claim 6 , wherein the cell stack further comprises a pair of end supports at opposite end portions thereof in the first direction and having outer side surfaces corresponding to the end surfaces.

9. The battery module of claim 8 , wherein the end walls are curved outwardly such that central portions thereof are located further from the end surfaces than other portions of the end walls, and the end surfaces are recessed inwardly such that central portions thereof are away from the end walls facing each other, defining a third space.

10. The battery module of claim 9 , wherein the end wall comprises a plurality of first ribs, the plurality of first ribs protruding to an outer side surface in the first direction, being spaced apart from each other in the second direction, and extending in a third direction.

11. The battery module of claim 10 , wherein the at least one of the pair of end supports comprises a plurality of second ribs, the plurality of second ribs protruding to the end wall at the end surface, and being spaced apart from each other in the second direction and the third direction in a lattice shape.

12. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the module housing comprises a cooling channel under the bottom surface of the module housing, the cooling channel configured to accommodate a flow of coolant.

13. The battery module of claim 12 , wherein a side wall of the cooling channel is integral with the bottom surface of the module housing.

14. A battery module comprising:
a cell stack comprising:
a plurality of unit cells arranged in a first direction; and
an insulating member around the plurality of unit cells;
a plurality of module housings, each of the module housings comprising a plurality of receiving parts and receiving the cell stack and each of the module housings having a bottom surface;
a plurality of module covers, each module cover coupled to one of the module housings at a surface opposite to the bottom surface; and
a coupling part,
wherein each of the receiving parts comprises a fixing wall around the cell stack, at least a portion of the fixing wall contacting the cell stack,
wherein the fixing wall comprises end walls at respective sides of each of the receiving parts in the first direction to engage end surfaces of respective sides of the cell stack in the first direction,
wherein the coupling part of a first module housing from among the plurality of module housings is configured to be coupled to the coupling part of a second module housing from among the plurality of module housings that is adjacent to the first module housing,
wherein the coupling part is at a first wall and a second wall around an inner space of the respective module housing, the first wall and the second wall arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
wherein the coupling part at the second wall of the first module housing i

Assignees

• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Junhyung
• Kim Sungyong
• Kim Jaeho
• Moon Soodeok
• Park Daeyeop
• Bae Jangwoong
• Lim Dooyong
• LIM Jisoon
• Heo Eungi

Classifications

• H01M50/262

  with fastening means, e.g. locks · CPC title

• H01M50/505

  comprising a single busbar · CPC title

• H01M50/20 Primary

  Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders (structural combination of accumulators with charging apparatus H01M10/46) · CPC title

• H01M50/103

  prismatic or rectangular (H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/613 Primary

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title