Battery module and manufacturing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12176505-B2
Application number	US-201816232823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2018
Priority date	Dec 26, 2017
Publication date	Dec 24, 2024
Grant date	Dec 24, 2024

Abstract

The present invention provides a battery module, which includes: a battery group formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells, each of which includes electrode tabs; a cooling housing including a cooling plate located corresponding to one side of sides of the battery group, in which the electrode tabs are not extended, and side plates located on both sides of the battery group perpendicular to the one side of the sides, thus to house the battery group; a cover plate located on the other side of the battery group; and a front cover part and a rear cover part, which are located at outermost front and rear of the battery group on both sides in a direction in which the electrode tabs are extended.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery module comprising:
a battery group including a plurality of battery cells, each of which includes electrode tabs;
a sensing module assembly which is fastened to an upper portion of the battery group,
and
a housing extending rearward from a front end of the housing, the housing accommodating the battery group and including:
a cooling plate positioned under the battery group;
side plates extending upward from a first side edge and a second side edge of the cooling plate respectively, each of the side plates including a front stepped part formed depressed from an outer surface thereof at a front end portion thereof and an upper stepped part formed depressed from the outer surface thereof at an upper end portion thereof;
a front cover part including front vertical parts, each of the front vertical parts being coupled to the front stepped part of each of the side plates respectively, each of the front vertical parts covering an outer surface of the front stepped part of each of the side plates respectively; and
a cover plate positioned over the battery group, the cover plate including upper vertical parts, each of the upper vertical parts being coupled to the upper stepped part of each of the side plates respectively, each of the upper vertical parts covering an outer surface of the upper stepped part of each of the side plates respectively,
wherein the plurality of battery cells are arranged from the first side edge towards the second side edge, and
wherein the sensing module assembly includes:
a sensing module member positioned below the cover plate, the sensing module member having a sensing plate having a shape of a plate and a plurality of protruding grooves protruding towards the cooling plate from the sensing plate, each of the plurality of protruding grooves extending alongside a boundary between two adjacent battery cells of the plurality of battery cells; and
an elastic pad positioned below the sensing module member, the elastic pad pressing the battery group toward the cooling plate.

2. The battery module according to claim 1 , further comprising a heat transfer member,
wherein the heat transfer member is located in a thin film form between the cooling plate and the battery group.

3. The battery module according to claim 2 , the heat transfer member fills an empty space between the cooling plate and the plurality of battery cells.

4. The battery module according to claim 2 ,
wherein each of the plurality of battery cells includes:
a sealing part and a non-sealing part formed on a pouch housing an electrode assembly,
wherein the sealing part is formed on three sides among four sides of circumferences of the battery cell, and the non-sealing part is formed on the other side of the battery cell, and
wherein the non-sealing parts of the plurality of battery cells are disposed on the cooling plate and configured to transfer heat to the cooling plate,
wherein the cooling plate closely comes into contact with the non-sealing part of the plurality of battery cells through the heat transfer member.

5. The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein the cooling plate has a plurality of protrusions formed thereon, and
each of the protrusions is disposed across the non-sealing parts of adjacent battery cells.

6. The battery module according to claim 5 , wherein each of the protrusions has a curved surface corresponding to a shape of a portion of the non-sealing part.

7. The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein a portion of the sealing part adjacent to the non-sealing part has an extension part extending in a direction perpendicular to the non-sealing part.

8. The battery module according to claim 7 , wherein the cooling plate has a plurality of recesses formed therein to receive the extension part.

9. The battery module according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of recesses are formed in the cooling plate at positions corresponding to the extension parts.

10. The battery module according to claim 7 , wherein the cooling plate has a plurality of accommodating grooves formed therein to receive the extension parts of one or more battery cells adjacent to each other of the plurality of battery cells, respectively.

11. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling plate and the side plates are formed as a single piece, and wherein the cooling plate dissipates heat generated in the battery group.

12. The battery module according to claim 1 ,
further comprising: bus bar assemblies which are connected to the electrode tabs to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells to each other.

13. The battery module according to claim 12 , further comprising: a sensing board located at one side of the bus bar assemblies to detect a voltage of the plurality of battery cells,
wherein the sensing module assembly electrically connects a remaining one of the bus bar assemblies to the sensing board.

14. The battery module according to claim 12 , wherein the bus bar assemblies include a front bus bar assembly positioned between the front cover part and at least a portion of the battery group.

15. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the battery group includes elastic members disposed between at least two bundles of the plurality of battery cells.

16. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the front vertical parts face the front stepped parts, and wherein the upper vertical parts face the upper stepped parts.

17. The battery module according to claim 16 , wherein the front stepped parts and the front vertical parts are bonded by irradiating a laser beam on a verge of each of the front vertical parts, and wherein the upper stepped parts and the upper vertical parts are bonded by irradiating the laser beam on a verge of each of the upper vertical parts.

Assignees

• Sk Innovation Co Ltd
• Sk On Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Yang Kyu
• Son Sol San
• Lim Dong Hun
• Ju Seung Hoon

Classifications

• H01M50/209

  adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/655

  Solid structures for heat exchange or heat conduction · CPC title

• H01M10/6551

  Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings · CPC title

• H01M10/48

  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

• H01M50/211

  adapted for pouch cells · CPC title