Battery pack including connection plate, electronic device and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12015172-B2
Application number	US-202017279343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2020
Priority date	Jul 2, 2019
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

A battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules disposed in a front and rear direction. Each of the battery modules includes a plurality of battery cells; a module housing; and a connection plate including a contact portion at an upper or lower portion of the plurality of battery cells and having a plurality of connection terminals in a portion thereof and respectively electrically contacted and connected to the electrode terminals at the plurality of battery cells, and a connection portion bent at least once from one end of the contact portion to extend in at least one direction among an upper direction, a lower direction, a front direction and a rear direction so that the bent and extending region of the connection portion is on a left or right outer wall of the module housing to contact a part of a connection plate of another battery module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery pack, comprising:
a plurality of battery modules disposed in a front-to-rear direction, wherein each of the plurality of battery modules includes:
a plurality of battery cells arranged in a horizontal direction and having electrode terminals respectively at upper and lower portions thereof;
a module housing configured to have an inner space in which the battery cells are accommodated; and
a connection plate including a contact portion at an upper or lower portion of the plurality of battery cells and having a plurality of connection terminals formed in a portion thereof and respectively electrically contacted and connected to the electrode terminals at the plurality of battery cells, and a connection portion bent at least once from one end of the contact portion to extend in at least one direction among an upper direction, a lower direction, the front-to-rear direction so that the bent and extending region of the connection portion is on a left or right outer wall of the module housing to contact a part of a connection plate of another battery module,

wherein each module housing includes a protection portion at the left or right outer wall thereof to have a plane so that the connection portion is placed thereon in an overlapping state, and
wherein the protection portion of each module housing has an air hole at an inner side thereof to be opened to an outside.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein each connection plate of each respective battery module includes:
a first connection plate having a plate shape and located at the upper portion of the plurality of battery cells, the first connection plate including a first contact portion having the connection terminal electrically contacted and connected to the electrode terminal at the upper portion of the battery cell, and a first connection portion bent from a front or rear end of the first contact portion to extend in the lower direction and bent from a left or right end of the bent and extending region to extend in the front-to-rear direction; and
a second connection plate having a plate shape and located at the lower portion of the plurality of battery cells, the second connection plate including a second contact portion having the connection terminal electrically contacted and connected to the electrode terminal at the lower portion of the battery cell, and a second connection portion bent from a left or right end of the second contact portion to extend in the upper direction so that the bent and extending region is contacted and connected to a portion of the first connection portion of the first connection plate of an adjacent battery module.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein each module housing includes ribs at the left and right outer walls thereof to protrude in the horizontal direction and continuously extend linearly.

4. The battery pack according to claim 2 , wherein each module housing of each respective battery module has a guide protrusion at the left or right outer wall thereof to protrude in an outer direction, and
wherein a part of the guide protrusion is configured to face the first connection portion of the first connection plate or the second connection portion of the second connection plate of a respective battery module.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4 , wherein the guide protrusion of each module housing of each respective battery module has a hook structure configured to press a portion of the first connection portion or the second connection portion of a respective battery module so that the first connection portion of the first connection plate or the second connection portion of the second connection plate is fixed onto the outer wall of the module housing.

6. The battery pack according to claim 2 , wherein each module housing includes a coupling protrusion on a front outer wall thereof to protrude forward and a guide groove at a rear outer wall thereof to be recessed inward.

7. The battery pack according to claim 2 , wherein each module housing includes:
fixing holes at left and right outer sides thereof; and
fixing tubes configured to extend in the upper direction to be inserted into the fixing holes.

8. The battery pack according to claim 7 , wherein the first connection portion and second connection portion of each respective module housing partially face left and right outer sides of respective fixing tubes.

9. The battery pack according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a tray including a body portion having a plate shape so that the plurality of battery modules are mounted thereon, a front cover portion provided at a front end of the body portion and configured to cover a foremost side of the plurality of battery modules, and a rear cover portion provided at a rear end of the body portion and configured to cover a rearmost side of the plurality of battery modules;
an upper cover configured to cover an upper portion of the plurality of battery modules; and
an electric equipment configured to control a charging/discharging current of the plurality of battery modules.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9 , wherein the electric equipment is mounted to an outer side of the front cover portion or the rear cover portion.

11. The battery pack according to claim 9 , wherein each of the body portion of the tray and the upper cover includes a fixing member configured such that a first part of the fixing member is fixed to the body portion and a second part of the fixing member protrudes toward a respective battery module, and
wherein the second part of the fixing member is inserted into a respective fixing tube of the respective battery module and fixed thereto.

12. An electronic device, comprising the battery pack as defined in claim 1 .

13. A vehicle, comprising the battery pack as defined in claim 1 .

14. A battery pack, comprising:
a plurality of battery modules disposed in a front-to-rear direction, wherein each of the plurality of battery modules includes:
a plurality of battery cells arranged in a horizontal direction and having electrode terminals respectively at upper and lower portions thereof;
a module housing configured to have an inner space in which the battery cells are accommodated; and
a connection plate including a contact portion at an upper or lower portion of the plurality of battery cells and having a plurality of connection terminals formed in a portion thereof and respectively electrically contacted and connected to the electrode terminals at the plurality of battery cells, and a connection portion bent at least once from one end of the contact portion to extend in at least one direction among an upper direction, a lower direction, the front-to-rear direction so that the bent and extending region of the connection portion is on a left or right outer wall of the module housing to contact a part of a connection plate of another battery module,

wherein each connection plate of each respective battery module includes:
a first connection plate having a plate shape and located at the upper portion of the plurality of battery cells, the first connection plate including a first contact portion having the connection terminal electrically contacted and connected to the electrode terminal at the upper portion of the battery cell, and a first connection portion bent from a front or rear end of the first contact portion to extend in the lower direction and bent from a left or right end of the bent and extending region to extend in the front-to-rear direction; and
a second connection plate having a plate shape and located at the lower portion of the plurality of

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd
• Lg Energy Solution Ltd

Inventors

• Yang Jin-Oh
• Son Young-Su

Classifications

• H01M50/262

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

• H01M50/258

  Modular batteries; Casings provided with means for assembling · CPC title

• H01M10/643

  Cylindrical cells · CPC title

• H01M10/613

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title