Battery module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9269944-B2
Application number	US-201313840170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Nov 7, 2012
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

A battery module is provided, including: a plurality of battery packs teach being provided with an anode terminal and a cathode terminal; a plurality of coupling units each having ends coupled to the anode terminal and the cathode terminal of an adjacent battery pack, respectively, to couple the plurality of battery packs in series; an operation unit that is provided on one end of the coupling unit and ascends in accordance with an increasing internal pressure of the battery pack to open a coupling between the one end of the coupling unit and the terminals of the battery pack by raising the one end of the coupling unit; and a bypass unit having one end disposed over the one end of the coupling unit and the other end coupled to the other end of an adjacent coupling unit to maintain the other battery packs coupled in series, except for the battery packs the internal pressures of which have increased, when the one end of the coupling unit ascends by the operation unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery module comprising;
a plurality of battery packs, each battery back being provided with an anode terminal and a cathode terminal;
a plurality of coupling units each having ends coupled to the anode terminal and the cathode terminal of an adjacent battery pack, respectively, to couple the plurality of battery packs in series;
an operation unit that is provided on one end of the coupling unit and ascends in accordance with an internal pressure increasing in the battery pack to open a coupling between the one end of the coupling unit and the terminals of the battery pack by raising the one end of the coupling unit; and
a bypass unit having one end disposed over the one end of the coupling unit and the other end of which is coupled to the other end of an adjacent coupling unit to maintain the other battery packs coupled in series, except for the battery packs the internal pressures of which have increased, when the one end of the coupling unit ascends by the operation unit,
wherein the one end of the coupling unit ascends or descends as a free end and the other end of the coupling unit is coupled to the anode terminal or the cathode terminal of the battery pack.

2. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the anode terminal and the cathode terminal of each of the plurality of battery packs are disposed adjacently in a same direction.

3. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the operation unit forms a shield space together with an outer skin of the battery pack and further comprises:
a shielding film that is pushed outward in accordance with the internal pressure increasing of the battery pack; and
a pressing unit that is fixed to the shielding film and raises the one end of the coupling unit.

4. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the operation unit is provided at the cathode terminal of the battery pack, and the one end of the coupling unit is coupled to the cathode terminal of the battery pack.

5. The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein the bypass unit has one end disposed over the one end of the coupling unit and the other end coupled to the anode terminal of the battery pack.

6. The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein a connection device is provided on the anode terminal of the battery pack to couple the anode terminal, the other end of the coupling unit, and the other end of the bypass unit together.

7. A battery module comprising;
a plurality of battery packs, each battery back being provided with an anode terminal and a cathode terminal;
a plurality of coupling units each having ends coupled to the anode terminal and the cathode terminal of an adjacent battery pack, respectively, to couple the plurality of battery packs in series;
an operation unit that is provided on one end of the coupling unit and ascends in accordance with an internal pressure increasing in the battery pack to open a coupling between the one end of the coupling unit and the terminals of the battery pack by raising the one end of the coupling unit; and
a bypass unit having one end disposed over the one end of the coupling unit and the other end of which is coupled to the other end of an adjacent coupling unit to maintain the other battery packs coupled in series, except for the battery packs the internal pressures of which have increased, when the one end of the coupling unit ascends by the operation unit,
wherein the operation unit is provided at the cathode terminal of the battery pack, and the one end of the coupling unit is coupled to the cathode terminal of the battery pack, and
the bypass unit has one end disposed over the one end of the coupling unit and the other end coupled to the anode terminal of the battery pack.

8. The battery module according to claim 7 , wherein a connection device is provided on the anode terminal of the battery pack to couple the anode terminal, the other end of the coupling unit, and the other end of the bypass unit together.

9. A battery module comprising;
a plurality of battery packs, each battery back being provided with an anode terminal and a cathode terminal;
a plurality of coupling units each having ends coupled to the anode terminal and the cathode terminal of an adjacent battery pack, respectively, to couple the plurality of battery packs in series;
an operation unit that is provided on one end of the coupling unit and ascends in accordance with an internal pressure increasing in the battery pack to open a coupling between the one end of the coupling unit and the terminals of the battery pack by raising the one end of the coupling unit; and
a bypass unit having one end disposed over the one end of the coupling unit and the other end of which is coupled to the other end of an adjacent coupling unit to maintain the other battery packs coupled in series, except for the battery packs the internal pressures of which have increased, when the one end of the coupling unit ascends by the operation unit,
wherein the operation unit is provided at the cathode terminal of the battery pack, and the one end of the coupling unit is coupled to the cathode terminal of the battery pack, and
a connection device is provided on the anode terminal of the battery pack to couple the anode terminal, the other end of the coupling unit, and the other end of the bypass unit together.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Min Hong Seok

Classifications

• H01M50/51

  Connection only in series · CPC title

• H01M50/578 Primary

  in response to pressure · CPC title

• H01M2/206

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01M2/345 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title