Battery module, battery pack, electric vehicle, and method of installing a battery module

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a battery module comprising: a plurality of secondary battery cells, at least one positive current collector structure, and at least one negative current collector structure; wherein each secondary battery cell includes an electrode assembly, a positive terminal electrically connected to a positive electrode, a negative terminal electrically connected to a negative electrode, and a housing accommodating the electrode assembly; wherein the housing includes a groove arranged along the circumference of the housing, and the groove includes at least a portion of the negative terminal of the secondary battery cell; and wherein the at least one negative current collector structure includes at least one flat negative current busbar protruding into the groove of the housing of each of the at least two secondary battery cells to connect to the negative terminals of the at least two secondary battery cells.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a battery module for use in an electric vehicle. This disclosure also relates to a battery pack including the battery module, an electric vehicle including the battery pack, and a method of mounting the battery module. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, vehicles using electricity as a power source for transporting goods and people have been developed. These electric vehicles are automobiles propelled by electric motors, using energy stored in rechargeable batteries. Electric vehicles can be powered solely by batteries, or they can be hybrid vehicles powered by, for example, gasoline generators. Furthermore, vehicles can include a combination of electric motors and conventional internal combustion engines. Typically, electric vehicle batteries (EVBs) or traction batteries are used to power battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Electric vehicle batteries differ from starter batteries, lighting batteries, and ignition batteries because they are designed to provide power for a continuous period of time. Rechargeable batteries, or secondary batteries, differ from primary batteries in that they can be repeatedly charged and discharged, while primary batteries only provide the irreversible conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy. Low-capacity rechargeable batteries are used as power sources for small electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, and cameras, while high-capacity rechargeable batteries are used as power sources for electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles.

[0003] Typically, a rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator inserted between the positive and negative electrodes; a casing, also called a can, housing the electrode assembly; and electrode terminals electrically connected to the electrode assembly. An electrolyte solution is injected into the casing to enable the battery to be charged and discharged through electrochemical reactions between the positive and negative electrodes and the electrolyte solution. The shape of the casing, such as cylindrical or rectangular, depends on the intended purpose of the battery. Lithium-ion (and similar lithium polymer) batteries, widely known for their application in laptops and consumer electronics, dominate the development of newly developed electric vehicles.

[0004] Rechargeable batteries can be used as battery modules formed by multiple unit battery cells connected in series and / or parallel, thereby providing high energy content, especially for electric motor drives in hybrid vehicles. That is, battery modules are formed by interconnecting the electrode terminals of multiple unit battery cells, depending on the required power and in order to achieve a high-power rechargeable battery.

[0005] Battery modules can be constructed in a block design or a modular design. In a block design, each battery cell is connected to a common current collector structure and a common battery management system, and its units are arranged in a housing. In a modular design, multiple battery cells are connected to form submodules, and several submodules are connected to form a battery module. In automotive applications, battery systems typically consist of multiple battery modules connected in series to provide a desired voltage. A battery module may include submodules with multiple stacked battery cells, each stack comprising either battery cells connected in parallel (XpYs) or battery cells connected in series (XsYp).

[0006] A battery pack is a group of any number (preferably identical) battery modules. They can be configured in series, parallel, or a combination of both to provide the desired voltage, capacity, or power density. The components of a battery pack include individual battery modules and interconnections that provide conductivity between them.

[0007] The mechanical integration of such battery modules requires appropriate mechanical connections between the components of, for example, secondary battery cells and between them and the negative current collector structure. These connections must remain functional and durable throughout the average lifespan of the battery system. Furthermore, installation space requirements must be met, especially in mobile applications. The electrical connections between the components of the battery module (e.g., secondary battery cells) and between them and the negative current collector structure require reliability, low transition resistance, and cost-effective installability.

[0008] CN108666466A discloses a battery module including a positive electrode bus structure having a positive electrode contact, a negative electrode plate, and an insulating reinforcing plate located between them. The negative electrode plate includes a negative electrode through-hole with battery clamping structures, each battery clamping structure including multiple elastic claws. A cylindrical battery cell connected to the positive electrode bus structure and the negative electrode plate includes a recessed annular groove in which the multiple elastic claws are clamped. Battery clamping structures are clamped onto the annular groove of the negative electrode of each cylindrical battery cell to attach the cell. The elastic claws of the negative electrode plate extend toward the positive electrode bus structure.

[0009] According to CN108666466A, the electrical connection between the negative bus board and the cells is achieved through elastic claws extending toward the positive electrode bus structure. Therefore, the manufacturing of the negative bus board and the arrangement of the fixtures thereon are highly specific relative to the arrangement of the cells, which complicates the manufacturing of the negative bus board because, for example, the metal sheet needs to be precisely stamped to achieve precise cell arrangement and precise orientation of the elastic claws. Furthermore, the elasticity of the elastic claws decreases over time due to thermal, chemical, and / or mechanical effects. This decrease in elasticity leads to a reduction in the electrical and / or mechanical connection between the cells and the negative bus board.

[0010] Therefore, one object of this disclosure is to overcome or reduce at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide an alternative battery module that can be manufactured efficiently and cost-effectively without requiring threaded connections, joints or welds to connect one or more current collector structures to one or more units. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The embodiments of this disclosure seek to at least partially address at least one problem existing in the prior art. Specifically, a battery module is provided, comprising: a plurality of secondary battery cells, at least one positive current collector structure, and at least one negative current collector structure; wherein each secondary battery cell includes an electrode assembly, a positive terminal electrically connected to a positive electrode, a negative terminal electrically connected to a negative electrode, and a housing housing the electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator inserted between the positive and negative electrodes; wherein the at least one positive current collector structure is arranged to interconnect at least two positive terminals of the plurality of secondary battery cells with each other, and the at least one negative current collector structure is arranged to interconnect at least two negative terminals of the plurality of secondary battery cells with each other; wherein the housing of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells includes a recess arranged along the circumference of the housing, and the recess includes at least a portion of the negative terminal of the secondary battery cell. This disclosure also relates to battery packs, electric vehicles, and methods of mounting battery modules.

[0012] According to the present invention, the at least one negative current collector structure includes at least one flat negative current collector strip arranged in a plane circumferentially aligned with the housing of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells, wherein the at least one flat negative current collector strip protrudes into a recess in the housing of each of the at least two secondary battery cells to connect the negative current collector structure and the negative terminals of the at least two secondary battery cells to each other.

[0013] In other words, the negative current collector strip and the recesses of the at least two secondary battery cells are aligned on the same plane, allowing the negative current collector strip to easily protrude into the recesses to establish a mechanical and electrical connection between the negative current collector structure and the secondary battery cells. The recesses function as slots into which the at least one negative current collector strip is inserted to achieve a reliable mechanical and electrical connection. This avoids the need for joining, welding, and / or threading connections to interconnect the negative current collector structure and the secondary battery cells, thus facilitating the manufacture of the battery module. The negative current collector strip is flat, meaning the negative current collector structure includes a planar portion forming the negative current collector strip, wherein the dimensions of the negative current collector strip are smaller in the direction perpendicular to the circumferential plane of the at least two secondary battery cells than in other directions. The at least one negative current collector structure includes at least one flat negative busbar arranged in a plane circumferentially aligned with the housing of each of the at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells. This also means that the at least one flat negative busbar is arranged in a plane aligned with a recess in the housing of each of the at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells. This is advantageous for battery module manufacturing because the negative busbar can easily protrude into the recess of the secondary battery cell. By mounting the secondary battery cell to the negative busbar at its recess, the protrusion of the negative busbar into the recess of the secondary battery cell improves the mechanical integration of the secondary battery cell within the battery module. Low electrical transition resistance can be achieved by directly contacting the negative current collector structure with the negative terminal included in the recess via the negative busbar.

[0014] Compared to the prior art described above, the manufacturing of the battery module is improved by avoiding the need to manufacture elastic claws extending into planes aligned with the circumference of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells, since the negative electrode busbar is circumferentially aligned with the at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells. The negative electrode busbar according to the present invention does not require elastic elements, thereby improving the reliability of the connection between the negative electrode current collector structure and the secondary battery cells.

[0015] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack comprising a battery module as defined above is provided. Because the battery module includes reliable mechanical and electrical connections and can be efficiently installed, the improved connection between the cell and the one or more current collector structures enhances the reliability of the battery pack's mechanical and electrical connections and the efficiency of battery pack installation.

[0016] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an electric vehicle comprising a battery module as defined above is provided. Because the battery module includes reliable mechanical and electrical connections and can be efficiently installed, the improved connection between the cell and the one or more current collector structures enhances the reliability of the mechanical and electrical connections of the electric vehicle and the installation efficiency of the electric vehicle.

[0017] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a method for installing a battery module is provided.

[0018] The method for installing a battery module includes the following steps: providing a plurality of secondary battery cells, at least one positive current collector structure, and at least one negative current collector structure; wherein each secondary battery cell includes an electrode assembly, a positive terminal electrically connected to a positive electrode, a negative terminal electrically connected to a negative electrode, and a housing accommodating the electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator inserted between the positive and negative electrodes; wherein the at least one positive current collector structure is arranged to interconnect the positive terminals of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells with each other, and the at least one negative current collector structure is arranged to interconnect the negative terminals of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells with each other; wherein The housing of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells includes a recess arranged along the circumference of the housing and including at least a portion of the negative terminal of the secondary battery cell; and wherein the at least one negative current collector structure includes at least one flat negative current busbar; the at least one negative current busbar is arranged in a plane aligned with the circumference of the housing of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells; and the negative current collector structure and the negative terminals of the at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells are connected to each other by arranging the at least one flat negative current busbar to protrude into the recess of the housing of each of the at least two secondary battery cells.

[0019] In other words, at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells are arranged such that the plane in which their respective circumferences and therefore their recesses are arranged coincides. Within this plane, the at least one negative electrode busbar is aligned to facilitate the manufacture of the battery module.

[0020] Further aspects of this disclosure may be learned from the dependent claims or the following description.

[0021] Preferably, the at least one negative busbar has a thickness, and the groove of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells has a width, wherein the thickness of the at least one negative busbar is greater than the width of the groove, so that the negative busbar is oversized relative to the groove. That is, the negative busbar is pressed into the groove to achieve a particularly reliable mechanical and electrical connection between the negative busbar and the secondary battery cell. The thickness of the negative busbar is a measure of its dimension in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the negative busbar is arranged (i.e., perpendicular to the circumference and / or groove of the at least two secondary battery cells). The width of the groove is the dimension of the groove perpendicular to the circumference of the at least two secondary battery cells.

[0022] Optionally, the recess of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells includes a base and a side surface, wherein the side surface includes a protrusion arranged to mechanically secure the negative electrode busbar within the recess, thereby further improving the mechanical connection between the negative electrode busbar and the secondary battery cell. In this embodiment, the protrusion (i.e., the shoulder) provides a reduction in the recess width, which can improve the force applied between the side surface of the recess and the negative electrode busbar in the installed state.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the negative busbar and / or groove of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells is adapted to plastically deform the negative busbar when it is inserted into the groove. The plastic deformation of the negative busbar and, alternatively or additionally, the groove ensures a reliable connection, preferably based on adhesion of the surfaces and / or surface sections of the negative busbar and the groove. This results in reliable mechanical contact and good electrical contact with low contact resistance. The plastic deformation provides an irreversible connection, i.e., the connection cannot be released without leaving the negative busbar in a state where a subsequent connection cannot be achieved due to the plastic deformation of the negative busbar and / or the groove (i.e., the housing).

[0024] Optionally, the housing of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells has a cylindrical shape defining an axis, and the recesses and negative terminals of the housing are arranged along the circumference of the housing. In this embodiment, the housing has an axis defined by the cylindrical shape and a circumference extending along the surface of the housing in a plane orthogonal to the axis. That is, in this embodiment, the recesses are circular recesses. The circumferential arrangement of the recesses and negative terminals ensures that the cells can be mounted in any orientation with respect to rotation about the axis of the housing of each cell, resulting in efficient and reliable mounting of the cells without requiring orientation of the cells about their axes. This simplifies the method of mounting such a battery module by reducing the number of method steps and reduces the complexity of the method by avoiding orientation of the cells about their axes.

[0025] Preferably, the at least one negative current collector structure is made of a metal sheet to provide a cost-effective implementation that provides adequate rigidity to form the negative current collector strip and mechanically connect the negative current collector structure to the secondary battery cell.

[0026] Optionally, the battery module includes two negative current collector structures, each including a negative current bus bar, wherein the two negative current collector structures and / or the two negative current bus bars are arranged on opposite side surface sections of the housing of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells to facilitate efficient assembly of the battery module and achieve improved mechanical integration of the battery cells within the battery module.

[0027] Preferably, the battery module includes two negative current collector structures, each including a negative current bus bar, wherein the plurality of secondary battery cells are arranged between the two negative current collector structures and / or between the two negative current bus bars to facilitate efficient assembly of the battery module and achieve improved mechanical integration of the battery cells within the battery module.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of secondary battery cells are linearly arranged, and each of the two negative current collector structures and / or each of the negative current busbars extends parallel to the linearly arranged secondary battery cells to further improve the mechanical integration of the battery cells within the battery module. This embodiment is particularly space-saving and results in a compact battery module.

[0029] Optionally, the recesses of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells and each of the negative current collector structures and / or negative busbars are arranged in the same plane aligned with the circumference of the housing of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells. In this embodiment, each recess and each negative current collector structure and / or each negative busbar is aligned with each other. This results in a space-saving battery module and improved installability.

[0030] Preferably, the positive terminals of the at least one positive current collector structure and at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells are mechanically and electrically connected to each other by pressing them against each other. In this embodiment, the at least one negative current collector strip and groove of each of the at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells are arranged to position the battery cell in the installed state such that the positive terminal is pressed against the at least one positive current collector structure, i.e., the distance between the positive terminal and the groove is the same as the distance between the negative current collector strip and the positive current collector structure.

[0031] Preferably, in the method according to the invention, the at least two flat negative busbars are arranged to protrude into a recess in the housing of the at least two secondary battery cells by moving the at least two secondary battery cells and the at least one flat negative busbar relative to each other and in a plane aligned with the circumference of the housing. For example, in this embodiment, the battery module is installed by moving the battery cells along the negative busbars. The negative busbars serve as guides for the secondary battery cells, which move and / or slide along the negative busbars by engaging with corresponding recesses in the cells. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Features will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0033] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an electric vehicle is shown;

[0034] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; and

[0035] Figure 3 A perspective view of one embodiment of the battery module is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an electric vehicle 300 is shown. The electric vehicle 300 is propelled by an electric motor 310 using energy stored in rechargeable batteries arranged in a battery pack 10. The battery pack 10 is a group of any number of battery modules 12. Rechargeable batteries are used as battery modules 12 formed by multiple secondary battery cells 20. The components of the battery pack 10 include individual battery modules 12 and interconnections 301 that provide conductivity between the battery modules 12. For simplicity, in this schematic diagram, each battery module 12 is connected to a common positive current collector structure 28 and a common negative current collector structure 29a; that is, in each battery pack 10, the battery modules 12 are electrically connected to each other through the common positive current collector structure 28 and the common negative current collector structure 29a.

[0037] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a battery module 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0038] The battery module 12 includes multiple secondary battery cells 20, a positive current collector structure 28, and two negative current collector structures 29a and 29b. Only one secondary battery cell 20 is shown in this cross-sectional view.

[0039] The secondary battery cell 20 includes an electrode assembly 41 comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator disposed between the positive and negative electrodes. A negative terminal 23 is electrically connected to the negative electrode, and a top cover serving as a positive terminal 25 is electrically connected to the positive electrode. A housing 27 accommodates the electrode assembly 41. The secondary battery cell 20 further includes a cover assembly 21 having a positive temperature coefficient fuse 22. An isolator 24 is disposed between the negative terminal 23 and the positive terminal 25.

[0040] The housing 27 is adapted to form the negative terminal 23, that is, the housing 27 is preferably made of metal, and the entire housing 27 can be used as the negative terminal 23.

[0041] The housing 27 includes a recess 30, also called a notch, arranged along the circumference of the housing 27, and the recess 30 includes a portion of the negative terminal 23, that is, at least a portion of the negative terminal 23 is arranged in the recess 30. The housing 27 has a cylindrical shape defining an axis L, and the recess 30 is a circular recess. The recess 30 and the negative terminal 23 of the housing 27 are arranged perpendicular to the axis L.

[0042] Each of the two negative current collector structures 29a, 29b connects the negative terminals 23 of at least two secondary battery cells 20 to each other. To interconnect the negative terminals 23 of the secondary battery cells 20, each of the two negative current collector structures 29a, 29b includes negative busbars 42a, 42b. Each negative busbar 42a, 42b protrudes into a recess 30 in the housing 27 of at least two of the secondary battery cells 20 to electrically connect the negative current collector structures 29a, 29b and the negative terminals 23 (see also...). Figure 3 The mechanical connection between each negative electrode busbar 42a, 42b and the groove 30 is achieved by pressing the negative electrode busbars 42a, 42b into the groove 30 of the secondary battery cell 20.

[0043] The negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b are flat, meaning that their dimensions are smaller in the direction perpendicular to the circumference of the secondary battery cell 20 (i.e., in the direction of axis L) than in other directions. The negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b are arranged in a plane aligned with the circumference of the housing 27 of the secondary battery cell 20, that is, the negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b are aligned with the groove 30 of the secondary battery cell 20 to protrude into the groove 30.

[0044] Each secondary battery cell 20 has a recess 30 including a base 33 and a side surface 34. To improve the connection between the negative busbars 42a, 42b and the secondary battery cell 20, the side surface 34 includes a protrusion 35, which mechanically secures the negative busbars 42a, 42b within the recess 30. This protrusion 35 reduces the width W of the recess 30, which increases the force applied between the negative busbars 42a, 42b and the side surface 34 during the installed state and during the manufacturing process of the battery module 12 when the negative busbars 42a, 42b are pressed into the recess 30. The protrusion 35 is located on a section of the side surface 34 away from the base 33. That is, referring to the cylindrical shell 27 and its axis L, the protrusion 35 is arranged radially outward, such that the cross-section of the groove 30 changes non-monotonicly from a small cross-section near the base 33 to a larger cross-section between the base 33 and the protrusion 35, to a smaller cross-section at the protrusion 35, and to a larger cross-section section on the side surface 34 away from the base 33. The two negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b each have a thickness T, and the width W of the groove 30 in each of the plurality of secondary battery cells 20 is less than the thickness T of the negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b, so that the busbars 42a and 42b are too large, allowing the busbars 42a and 42b to reliably engage with the groove 30.

[0045] The negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b and the groove 30 are adapted to plastically deform the negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b when they are inserted into the groove 30. Additionally or alternatively, the groove 30, i.e., the housing 27, may deform when each negative electrode busbar 42a and 42b is inserted into the groove 30. The connection between the negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b and the groove 30 is formed by pressing the negative electrode connecting busbars 42a and 42b into the groove 30. Therefore, the negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b are plastically deformed due to the forces between the negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b and the side surfaces 34 and / or protrusions 35. This connection reliably and irreversibly links the negative electrode busbars 42a and 42b to the groove 30.

[0046] The negative current collector structures 29a and 29b and the negative current busbars 42a and 42b are made of metal sheets.

[0047] Two negative current collector structures 29a, 29b and two negative current busbars 42a, 42b are arranged on opposite side surface sections 39a, 39b of the housing 27 of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells 20. That is, one negative current busbar 42a is arranged radially opposite to the other negative current busbar 42b, where the term radial refers to the diameter of the cylindrical housing 27. Specifically, the opposite side surface sections 39a, 39b are surface sections of the housing 27 that do not have any circumferential overlap. The plurality of secondary battery cells 20 are arranged between the two negative current collector structures 29a, 29b and the two negative current busbars 42a, 42b (see also...). Figure 3 ).

[0048] The positive current collector structure 28 interconnects the positive terminals 25 of the secondary battery cell 20.

[0049] Figure 3 A perspective view of one embodiment of the battery module 12 is shown.

[0050] In this illustration, an exemplary embodiment of the battery module 12 includes four secondary battery cells 20, each secondary battery cell as shown in reference. Figure 2 As described.

[0051] In order to interconnect the positive terminal 25 of the secondary battery cell 20, the positive current collector structure 28 includes a positive current bus bar 43.

[0052] The positive current collector structure 28 having its positive current collector bar 43, the negative current collector structures 29a and 29b having their negative current collector bars 42a and 42b, and the secondary battery cell 20 are held by the retainer 44.

[0053] The plurality of secondary battery cells 20 are arranged linearly, and each of the two negative current collector structures 29a, 29b and each of the two negative current collector bars 42a, 42b extend parallel to the linearly arranged secondary battery cells 20.

[0054] To interconnect the positive terminal 25 and the positive current collector structure 28, the positive terminal 25 of each secondary battery cell 20 is pressed against the positive current collector structure 28. This is achieved by arranging the recess 30 of the secondary battery cell 20 and the positive terminal 25 relative to the negative busbars 42a, 42b and the positive current collector structure 28. The positioning of the secondary battery cell 20, particularly relative to its axis L, is determined by pressing the negative busbars 42a, 42b into the recess 30. The retainer 44, the negative busbars 42a, 42b, and the positive busbar 43 are arranged such that, in the installed state, the positive terminal 25 is pressed against the positive current collector structure 28 to achieve mechanical and electrical contact between the positive terminal 25 and the positive current collector structure 28. That is, along the axis L of the housing 27 of the secondary battery unit 20, the distance between the negative electrode busbars 42a, 42b and the positive electrode busbar 43 matches the distance between the groove 30 and the positive terminal 25 of the secondary battery unit 20.

[0055] In an embodiment not shown, a section of housing 27 can be used as the negative terminal 23. Specifically, this section of housing 27 including the recess 30, the recess 30, and / or a portion of the recess 30 (such as the side surface 34 and / or the base 33) can be adapted to serve as the negative terminal 23. This ensures that the negative busbars 42a, 42b can be reliably connected to the negative terminal 23, while the rest of housing 27 can be electrically isolated.

[0056] Reference symbol

[0057] 10 battery packs

[0058] 12 Battery Modules

[0059] 20 secondary battery units

[0060] 21 Cover Components

[0061] 22 Positive Temperature Coefficient Fuses

[0062] 23 Negative extremes

[0063] 24 Isolators

[0064] 25 Positive extremes

[0065] 27. Casing

[0066] 28 Positive current collector structure

[0067] 29a and 29b negative current collector structures

[0068] 30 grooves

[0069] 33 Base

[0070] 34 side surfaces

[0071] 35 protrusions

[0072] 39a, 39 side surface sections

[0073] 41 Electrode Assembly

[0074] 42a, 42b Negative busbars

[0075] 43 Positive busbar

[0076] 44 Retainer

[0077] 300 electric vehicles

[0078] 301 Interconnect

[0079] 310 electric motor

[0080] L-axis

[0081] T thickness

[0082] W width

Claims

1. A battery module (12), comprising: A plurality of secondary battery cells (20), at least one positive current collector structure (28), at least one negative current collector structure (29a, 29b), and a retainer for holding the plurality of secondary battery cells (20), the at least one positive current collector structure (28), and the at least one negative current collector structure (29a, 29b); in Each of the secondary battery cells (20) includes: an electrode assembly (41) including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator inserted between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; The electrode assembly (21) includes a positive terminal (25) electrically connected to the positive electrode; a negative terminal (23) electrically connected to the negative electrode; and a housing (27) accommodating the electrode assembly (21). The at least one positive current collector structure (28) is arranged to interconnect the positive terminals (25) of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) with each other, and the at least one negative current collector structure (29a, 29b) is arranged to interconnect the negative terminals (23) of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) with each other; wherein The housing (27) of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) includes a recess (30), wherein the recess (30) is arranged along the circumference of the housing (27), and the recess (30) includes at least a portion of the negative terminal (23) of the secondary battery cell (20); and wherein The at least one negative current collector structure (29a, 29b) includes at least one flat negative current busbar (42a, 42b) arranged in a plane circumferentially aligned with the housing (27) of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20), wherein the at least one flat negative current busbar (42a, 42b) protrudes into the recess (30) of the housing (27) of each of the at least two secondary battery cells (20) to connect the negative current collector structure (29a, 29b) and the negative terminals (23) of the at least two secondary battery cells (20) to each other.

2. The battery module (12) according to claim 1, wherein The at least one negative electrode busbar (42a, 42b) has a thickness (T), and the groove (30) of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) has a width (W), wherein the thickness (T) of the negative electrode busbar (42a, 42b) is greater than the width (W) of the groove (30).

3. The battery module (12) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The groove (30) of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) includes a base (33) and a side surface (34), wherein the side surface (34) includes a protrusion (35) arranged to mechanically secure the negative electrode busbars (42a, 42b) within the groove (30).

4. The battery module (12) according to claim 1, wherein The groove (30) of the negative electrode busbar (42a, 42b) and / or each of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) is adapted to plastically deform the negative electrode busbar (42a, 42b) when the negative electrode busbar (42a, 42b) is inserted into the groove (30).

5. The battery module (12) according to claim 1, wherein The housing (27) of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) has a cylindrical shape defining an axis (L), and the groove (30) of the housing (27) and the negative terminal (23) are arranged perpendicular to the axis (L).

6. The battery module (12) according to claim 1, wherein The at least one negative current collector structure (29a, 29b) is made of a metal sheet.

7. The battery module (12) according to claim 1, wherein The battery module (12) includes two negative current collector structures (29a, 29b), each negative current collector structure including a negative current bus bar (42a, 42b), wherein the two negative current collector structures (29a, 29b) and / or the two negative current bus bars (42a, 42b) are arranged on opposite side surface sections (39a, 39b) of the housing (27) of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20).

8. The battery module (12) according to claim 1, wherein The battery module (12) includes two negative current collector structures (29a, 29b), each negative current collector structure including a negative current bus bar (42a, 42b), wherein the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) are arranged between the two negative current collector structures (29a, 29b) and / or between the two negative current bus bars (42a, 42b).

9. The battery module (12) according to any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein The plurality of secondary battery cells (20) are arranged linearly, and each of the two negative current collector structures (29a, 29b) and / or each of the two negative current busbars (42a, 42b) extends parallel to the linearly arranged secondary battery cells (20).

10. The battery module (12) according to any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein The recess (30) of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) and each of the negative current collector structures (29a, 29b) and / or each of the negative current busbars (42a, 42b) are arranged in the same plane aligned with the circumference of the housing (27) of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20).

11. The battery module (12) according to claim 1, wherein The at least one positive current collector structure (28) and the positive terminal (25) of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) are mechanically and electrically connected to each other by being pressed against each other.

12. The battery module (12) according to claim 1, wherein The grooves (30) of the housing (27) of at least one flat negative electrode busbar (42a, 42b) and each of the at least two secondary battery cells (20) are aligned on the same plane.

13. A battery pack (10), comprising: The plurality of battery modules (12) as described in any of the preceding claims and the interconnection (301) connecting the battery modules (12) to each other.

14. An electric vehicle (300) comprising a battery pack (10) according to claim 13.

15. A method for installing a battery module (12), comprising the following steps: Provided are multiple secondary battery cells (20), at least one positive current collector structure (28) and at least one negative current collector structure (29a, 29b). A retainer is provided for holding the plurality of secondary battery cells (20), the at least one positive current collector structure (28), and the at least one negative current collector structure (29a, 29b). Each of the secondary battery cells (20) includes an electrode assembly (41), a positive terminal (25) electrically connected to a positive electrode, a negative terminal (23) electrically connected to a negative electrode, and a housing (27) housing the electrode assembly (41). The electrode assembly includes the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and a partition inserted between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The at least one positive current collector structure (28) is arranged to interconnect the positive terminals (25) of at least two of the secondary battery cells (20) with each other, and the at least one negative current collector structure (29a, 29b) is arranged to interconnect the negative terminals (23) of at least two of the secondary battery cells (20) with each other. The housing (27) of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20) includes a groove (30) arranged along the circumference of the housing (27) and the groove (30) includes at least a portion of the negative terminal (23) of the secondary battery cell (20); and the at least one negative current collector structure (29a, 29b) includes at least one flat negative current collector bar (42a, 42b). The at least one flat negative electrode busbar (42a, 42b) is arranged in a plane that is circumferentially aligned with the housing (27) of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells (20); as well as The negative current collector structure (29a, 29b) and the negative terminals (23) of the at least two secondary battery cells (20) are connected to each other by arranging the at least one flat negative current collector (42a, 42b) to protrude into the recess (30) of the housing (27) of each of the at least two secondary battery cells (20).

16. The method for installing the battery module (12) according to claim 15, wherein By moving the at least two secondary battery cells (20) and the at least one flat negative electrode busbar (42a, 42b) relative to each other and in the plane aligned with the circumference of the housing (27), the at least one flat negative electrode busbar (42a, 42b) is arranged to protrude into the groove (30) of the housing (27) of the at least two secondary battery cells (20).

17. The method for installing the battery module (12) according to claim 15, wherein The grooves (30) of the housing (27) of at least one flat negative electrode busbar (42a, 42b) and each of the at least two secondary battery cells (20) are aligned on the same plane.

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