Battery module comprising bus bar plate, battery pack comprising same, and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12206131-B2
Application number	US-202017625182-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2020
Priority date	Sep 24, 2019
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

A battery module according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of cylindrical battery cells including a gas vent configured to discharge an internal gas and a busbar plate including a negative electrode connection terminal extending from an edge of a connection opening and having the extended part in contact with a negative electrode terminal to electrically connect the plurality of cylindrical battery cells wherein among a positive electrode connection terminal and the negative electrode connection terminal, the connection terminal in contact with a positive electrode terminal or a negative electrode terminal that is not opened by the gas vent includes a fuse portion configured to blow when a predetermined current or above flows from the cylindrical battery cell, the fuse portion having a bent structure that is bent in a horizontal direction at least once.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery module, comprising:
a plurality of cylindrical battery cells arranged in a horizontal direction, the plurality of cylindrical battery cells including first cylindrical battery cells each having a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal respectively at a top and a bottom thereof, second cylindrical battery cells each having a negative electrode terminal and a positive electrode terminal respectively at a top and a bottom thereof, and each of the plurality of cylindrical battery cells including a gas vent through which the positive electrode terminal or the negative electrode terminal is opened to discharge an internal gas when an internal pressure is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure; and
a busbar plate disposed on or below the plurality of cylindrical battery cells, and having a plate shape extending in the horizontal direction to cover the plurality of cylindrical battery cells, the busbar plate including:
a plurality of connection openings each of which is open in a vertical direction in an area in contact with a respective one of the positive or negative electrode terminals,
positive electrode connection terminals such that each positive electrode connection terminal extends from an edge of a respective connection opening and having the extended part in contact with a respective positive electrode terminal to electrically connect the plurality of cylindrical battery cells, and
negative electrode connection terminals such that each negative electrode connection terminal extends from the edge of a respective connection opening and having the extended part in contact with each negative electrode terminal to electrically connect the plurality of cylindrical battery cells,

wherein the positive electrode connection terminal and the negative electrode connection terminal that are not in contact with the positive electrode terminal or the negative electrode terminal with the gas vent includes a fuse portion configured to blow when a current equal to or above a predetermined current flows from the cylindrical battery cell, the fuse portion having a bent structure that is bent in the horizontal direction at least once,
wherein the busbar plate further includes an electrically insulating second fixing member having one side connected to the edge of a respective connection opening and the other side connected to part of the respective fuse portion to fix the fuse portion, and
wherein at least part of a portion of the second fixing member extending from the edge of the connection opening to the part of the fuse portion has elasticity to pull the fuse portion by elastic recovery when the fuse portion blows.

2. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein each positive and negative connection terminal further includes a connection portion in direct contact with the respective positive electrode terminal or the negative electrode terminal of the cylindrical battery cell, and
each fuse portion extends in the horizontal direction from the inner edge of the connection opening and an end in the extended direction is connected to one end of the connection portion.

3. The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the busbar plate further includes an electrically insulating first fixing member having one side connected to the inner edge of a respective connection opening and the other side connected to part of the connection portion to fix the connection portion.

4. The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the busbar plate further includes a thermal insulation member around an outer surface of each fuse portion.

5. The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein the thermal insulation member is separated into at least two.

6. The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein the thermal insulation member includes a discharge hole configured to discharge a melted part of the fuse portion.

7. The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the busbar plate further includes an electrically insulating reinforcement member around an outer surface of each fuse portion and is configured to melt at a predetermined temperature or above.

8. The battery module according to claim 7 , wherein at least part of the fuse portion having the reinforcement member is bent in an arch shape.

9. The battery module according to claim 7 , wherein the battery module further includes a module housing having receiving portions with a plurality of hollows to receive the plurality of cylindrical battery cells arranged in rows and columns in the horizontal direction, and
among the plurality of cylindrical battery cells arranged in rows and columns, the fuse portion of the connection terminal in contact with the positive electrode terminal or the negative electrode terminal of the cylindrical battery cell disposed at an inner position in the horizontal direction has a larger width than the fuse portion of the connection terminal in contact with the positive electrode terminal or the negative electrode terminal of the cylindrical battery cell disposed at an outer position in the horizontal direction.

10. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the bent structure is bent in opposite directions at least twice.

11. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the bus bar plate further includes an external terminal electrically connected to the plurality of cylindrical battery cells at least in an area in which the connection opening is not formed.

12. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein each positive and negative connection terminal having the fuse portion includes at least two fuse portions, and the at least two fuse portions are spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, and
the at least two fuse portions have different horizontal widths.

13. A battery pack comprising at least one battery module according claim 1 .

14. An electronic device comprising the battery pack according to claim 13 .

Assignees

• Lg Energy Solution Ltd

Inventors

• Jeong Han-Yong
• Lee Suk-Hoon
• Son Young-Su

Classifications

• H01M50/30

  Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases · CPC title

• H01M50/581 Primary

  in response to temperature · CPC title

• H01M50/583 Primary

  in response to current, e.g. fuses · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title