Battery module, battery pack, device using battery module as power source, and method of manufacturing battery module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12002996-B2
Application number	US-202117167967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2021
Priority date	May 7, 2020
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A battery module, a battery pack, a device using a battery module as a power source, and a method of manufacturing a battery module are provided. The battery module includes: at least two battery cells; a connecting piece configured to electrically connect two battery cells of at least two battery cells; and a protective layer including a first protective portion configured to cover the connecting piece. A melting point of the first protective portion is greater than that of the connecting piece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery module, comprising:
at least two battery cells;
a connecting piece configured to electrically connect two battery cells of the at least two battery cells;
a circuit board with a sampling functionality electrically connected to the at least two battery cells; and
a protective layer comprising a first protective portion configured to cover the connecting piece and a second protective portion configured to cover the circuit board and connected to the first protective portion, the second protective portion and the first protective portion being made from the same material,
wherein a melting point of the first protective portion is greater than that of the connecting piece,
wherein the first protective portion comprises a first side protective portion configured to cover an outer side of the connecting piece, and
wherein the second protective portion comprises:
a second upper protective portion configured to cover an upper surface of the circuit board away from the at least two battery cells; and
a second lower protective portion arranged opposite to the second upper protective portion and configured to cover a lower surface of the circuit board facing to the at least two battery cells.

2. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective portion comprises:
a first upper protective portion configured to cover an upper surface of the connecting piece away from the at least two battery cells; and
a first lower protective portion arranged opposite to the first upper protective portion and configured to cover a lower surface of the connecting piece facing to the at least two battery cells.

3. The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the first side protective portion is arranged between the upper surface and the lower surface of the connecting piece.

4. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the first side protective portion is connected to the first upper protective portion and/or the first lower protective portion.

5. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective portion is attached or adhered to the connecting piece.

6. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective portion is made from an insulating material with a melting point greater than or equal to 660° C.

7. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the battery module further comprises an output electrode configured to output electrical energy of the battery module,
wherein a first end of the output electrode is configured to electrically connect to the at least two battery cells, and
wherein the protective layer further comprises a third protective portion configured to cover the first end of the output electrode.

8. The battery module according to claim 7 , wherein the third protective portion and the first protective portion are made from the same material.

9. The battery module according to claim 7 , wherein the third protective portion is connected to the first protective portion.

10. The battery module according to claim 7 , wherein the third protective portion comprises:
a third upper protective portion configured to cover an upper surface of the first end of the output electrode away from the at least two battery cells; and
a third lower protective portion arranged opposite to the third upper protective portion and configured to cover a lower surface of the first end of the output electrode facing to the at least two battery cells.

11. The battery module according to claim 10 , wherein the third protective portion further comprises a second side protective portion configured to cover an outer side of the first end of the output electrode arranged between the upper surface and the lower surface of the first end of the output electrode.

12. The battery module according to claim 1 , further comprising a fixing layer arranged outside the protective layer and the connecting piece to fix the protective layer and the connecting piece as a whole.

13. The battery module according to claim 12 , wherein the fixing layer comprises:
an upper fixing layer arranged above the connecting piece and the protective layer; and
a lower fixing layer arranged below the connecting piece and the protective layer.

14. The battery module according to claim 13 , wherein the upper fixing layer is hermetically connected to the lower fixing layer.

15. A battery pack comprising a plurality of battery modules, each battery module comprising:
at least two battery cells;
a connecting piece configured to electrically connect two battery cells of the at least two battery cells;
a circuit board with a sampling functionality electrically connected to the at least two battery cells; and
a protective layer comprising a first protective portion configured to cover the connecting piece and a second protective portion configured to cover the circuit board and connected to the first protective portion, the second protective portion and the first protective portion being made from the same material;
wherein a melting point of the first protective portion is greater than that of the connecting piece,
wherein the first protective portion comprises a first side protective portion configured to cover an outer side of the connecting piece, and
wherein the second protective portion comprises:
a second upper protective portion configured to cover an upper surface of the circuit board away from the at least two battery cells; and
a second lower protective portion arranged opposite to the second upper protective portion and configured to cover a lower surface of the circuit board facing to the at least two battery cells.

16. A device comprising:
a power source comprising a battery module,
wherein the battery module comprises:
at least two battery cells;
a connecting piece configured to electrically connect two battery cells of the at least two battery cells;
a circuit board with a sampling functionality electrically connected to the at least two battery cells; and
a protective layer comprising a first protective portion configured to cover the connecting piece and a second protective portion configured to cover the circuit board and connected to the first protective portion, the second protective portion and the first protective portion being made from the same material;
wherein a melting point of the first protective portion is greater than that of the connecting piece,
wherein the first protective portion comprises a first side protective portion configured to cover an outer side of the connecting piece, and
wherein the second protective portion comprises:
a second upper protective portion configured to cover an upper surface of the circuit board away from the at least two battery cells; and
a second lower protective portion arranged opposite to the second upper protective portion and configured to cover a lower surface of the circuit board facing to the at least two battery cells.

Assignees

• Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tang Yu
• Xie Mingdi
• Sun Zhanyu
• You Kaijie
• Chen Xingdi
• Li Long

Classifications

• H01M50/519 Primary

  comprising printed circuit boards [PCB] · CPC title

• H01M50/507 Primary

  comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules · CPC title

• H01M50/526

  having a layered structure · CPC title

• H01M50/531

  Electrode connections inside a battery casing · CPC title

• H01M50/591

  Covers · CPC title