Battery module

Abstract

The invention provides a battery module. The battery module comprises a plurality of battery cells; side plates on side surfaces of the plurality of battery cells; a holder on the plurality of battery cells; a bus bar on the holder and connecting the plurality of battery cells to each other; an end plate connected to the side plate and supporting the plurality of battery cells; a first spacer between two adjacent battery cells of the plurality of battery cells; and a second spacer between two adjacent other battery cells of the plurality of battery cells. The second spacer includes a raised portion. At least a portion of the raised portion of the second spacer passes through the side plate and is supported on an outer surface of the side plate.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0117640 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on September 5, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Technical Field

[0002] Aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a battery module. Background Art

[0003] Unlike primary batteries that are not designed to be recharged, secondary batteries refer to batteries that are designed to be charged and discharged. Secondary batteries are used as energy sources for mobile devices, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, electric bicycles, and uninterruptible power supplies. Depending on the type of external device to which the secondary battery is applied (or connected), the secondary battery may be used in the form of a single battery or in the form of a module or group in which a plurality of batteries are connected together and bundled into one unit.

[0004] In addition, applications using secondary batteries require increasingly larger capacities, and therefore, battery cells with increased energy density have been developed. Specifically, as the number and size of battery cells included in a battery module increase, the overall size and weight of the battery module increase. Large-sized battery modules are easily bent in the length direction and are easily damaged by external impacts.

[0005] The above-mentioned background is technical information owned by the inventor for deriving the present disclosure or technical information acquired in the process of deriving the present disclosure, and therefore, before submitting the application of the present disclosure, the background may not be referred to as known technology known to the general public. Summary of the invention

[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a battery module that can prevent bending or damage by distributing a load caused by an external load, impact, or the battery module's own weight.

[0007] However, these aspects and features are illustrative, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0008] Additional aspects and features will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments of the disclosure.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery module includes: a plurality of battery cells; a side plate on the side of the plurality of battery cells; a retainer on the plurality of battery cells; a bus bar on the retainer and connecting the plurality of battery cells to each other; an end plate connected to the side plate and supporting the plurality of battery cells; a first spacer between two adjacent battery cells among the plurality of battery cells; and a second spacer between two adjacent other battery cells among the plurality of battery cells. The second spacer includes a raised portion. At least a portion of the raised portion of the second spacer passes through the side plate and is supported on an outer surface of the side plate.

[0010] At least a portion of the raised portion passing through the side plate may be bent toward an outer surface of the side plate and may be fixed to the outer surface of the side plate.

[0011] The second spacer may be located at the center of the battery module in the length direction of the battery module.

[0012] The second spacer may include a plurality of second spacers. A first second spacer among the second spacers may be located at the center of the battery module in the length direction of the battery module, and a second second spacer among the second spacers may be located between the end plate and the first second spacer among the second spacers.

[0013] The second spacer may further include a plurality of sheets, and may have an edge portion at an edge of at least one of the plurality of sheets. Another portion of the raised portion may be inserted into the edge portion or connected to the edge portion.

[0014] The raised portion may include a protrusion and a groove, and the protrusion may be inserted into the combining slit in the side plate and bent toward an outer surface of the side plate.

[0015] The protrusion may include a plurality of protrusions separated from each other in one direction, and the groove may include a plurality of grooves respectively between adjacent protrusions among the plurality of protrusions.

[0016] The plurality of protrusions may be arranged in parallel in a height direction of the battery module.

[0017] The plurality of protrusions may be bent in the same direction after being respectively inserted into the plurality of combining slits.

[0018] At least some of the plurality of protrusions may be bent in a direction different from a direction in which other protrusions of the protrusions are bent after passing through the plurality of combining slits.

[0019] The protrusion may extend in a height direction of the battery module and may be formed as one piece.

[0020] The width of the protrusion may be smaller than the width of the combining slit and smaller than a space between the protrusion and the combining slit.

[0021] The height of the protrusion may be greater than the height of the groove.

[0022] The raised portion may include a protrusion and a groove. The raised portion may also include a body, at least a portion of which may be inserted into or connected to the edge portion, and the protrusion and the groove are formed on the body. The length of the protrusion may be longer than the length from the end of the edge portion to the end of the body.

[0023] The side panel may include an outer panel and an inner panel, the outer panel having a coupling slit into which at least a portion of the protrusion is inserted, the inner panel being on an inner surface of the outer panel and having a heat dissipation slit, and at least a portion of the protrusion passing through the coupling slit may be fixed to an outer surface of the outer panel.

[0024] The heat dissipation slit may include a plurality of heat dissipation slits, and the bonding slit may be aligned with one or more of the plurality of heat dissipation slits.

[0025] The heat dissipation slit may include a plurality of heat dissipation slits, and the coupling slit may include a plurality of coupling slits respectively disposed between two heat dissipation slits adjacent in one direction.

[0026] Aspects and features other than those described above will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and / or drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The above and other aspects and features of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent through the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 It is an exploded perspective view of the battery module; Figure 2 A plurality of battery cells, a first spacer, and a second spacer are shown; Figure 3 One surface of a side panel is shown; Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV'; Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a first spacer; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a second spacer; Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of the second spacer; Figure 8 and Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of a second spacer inserted into the side panel; Fig.10 is an enlarged view of a second spacer inserted into the side panel; and Fig.11 is an enlarged view of the second spacer inserted into the side panel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments presented may have different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the descriptions set forth herein. Therefore, the embodiments are described below only by reference to the drawings to explain aspects and features of the present specification.

[0029] By referring to the detailed description and the accompanying drawings of the embodiments, some embodiments of the present disclosure and the methods according thereto can be understood. The described embodiments may have various modifications and may be implemented in different forms, so the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In addition, some or all of the features of the various embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined with each other. The various embodiments may be implemented independently or in relation to each other. The described embodiments are provided as examples to ensure that the present disclosure is complete and the concept of the present disclosure is fully transferred to the technicians in the field to which the present disclosure belongs. The present disclosure includes all modifications, equivalents and substitutes within the scope of the thought and technology of the present disclosure. Therefore, it may not be described or may only be briefly described for those skilled in the art in order to fully understand the embodiments of the present disclosure but not necessary processes, elements and techniques.

[0030] Unless otherwise described throughout the drawings and the specification, the same reference numerals, symbols, or combinations thereof denote the same components, and thus, redundant descriptions thereof are omitted. In addition, components irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present disclosure.

[0031] For the sake of clarity, the relative sizes of elements, layers, and regions in the drawings may be exaggerated. The use of hatching and / or shading in the drawings is generally used to make the boundaries between adjacent elements clear. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the presence or absence of hatching or shading does not indicate a specific form or requirement for a particular material, material property, size, ratio, commonality between the elements shown, and / or other characteristics, properties, attributes, etc. of the elements.

[0032] Various embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional examples that are schematic illustrations of embodiments and / or intermediate structures. Therefore, the shapes in the drawings may vary due to manufacturing (e.g., technology and / or tolerances). In addition, the specific structural or functional descriptions disclosed in this disclosure are merely examples of embodiments according to the present disclosure. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in this disclosure should not be interpreted as limited to the shapes of the regions shown, and include shape changes caused by, for example, manufacturing.

[0033] The regions shown in the drawings are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to be illustrative or limit the actual shape of a region of a device. Furthermore, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, the described embodiments may be modified in various ways without departing from the concept or scope of the present disclosure.

[0034] Many specific details are set forth in the specification to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments. However, various embodiments may be performed without or including one or more of the details. In another example, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagrams to avoid unnecessarily obscuring various embodiments.

[0035] Spatial relative terms such as "below ... ", "above ... ", "lower portion" and "upper portion" may be used to describe the relationship between one element or feature and another element or feature as shown in the drawings. In addition to the directions shown in the drawings, spatial relative terms are intended to include various directions of the device in use or operation. For example, when the device in the drawings is turned over, other elements or features described as "below ... " or "lower portion" face the "above" of the other elements or features. Therefore, as illustrative terms, "below ... " and "lower portion" may include both the upper direction and the lower direction. The device can be oriented in different directions (for example, rotated 90 degrees or in another direction), and the spatial relative description used here should be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, when the first part is described as being arranged "on" the second part, this means that the first part is arranged above or below the second part.

[0036] In addition, the expression "observation from a plane" refers to the situation of observing an object from above, and the expression "in a schematic cross-sectional view" refers to the situation of observing a schematic cross-section intercepted by vertically cutting an object from the side. The term "observation from the side" means that the first object can be above, below or on the side of the second object, and vice versa. In addition, the term "superposition" or "synthesis" may include layers, stacks, surfaces, extensions, covers, partial covers or any other suitable terms understood and understandable by those skilled in the art. The expression "non-superposition" may include meanings such as "spaced apart from..." or "separated from..." and any other suitable equivalents recognized and understood by those skilled in the art. The terms "surface" and "front surface" may mean that the first object may directly or indirectly face the second object. When there is a third object between the first object and the second object, the first object faces the second object, but it can be understood to be indirectly relative to each other.

[0037] When an element, layer, region or assembly is described as being "formed", "connected" or "bonded" to another device, the device may be directly formed in an element, layer, region or assembly, may be formed in another element, layer, region or assembly, may be directly formed in another element, layer, region or assembly, directly connected to or directly bonded to another element, layer, region or assembly. In addition, the connection of one or more elements, layers, regions or assemblies may collectively refer to the direct or indirect bonding or connection of an element, layer, region or assembly and the bonding or connection of an integral or non-integrated assembly. For example, when an element, layer, region or assembly is referred to as being "electrically connected" or "electrically bonded" to another element, layer, region or assembly, this means that the element, layer, region or assembly may be directly electrically connected or electrically bonded to another element, layer, region or assembly, or other elements, layers, regions or assemblies may be present. However, "direct connection" or "direct bonding" means that a component is directly connected or directly bonded to another component without an intermediate component, or is located on another component. In addition, in this specification, when a part of a layer, film, region, guide plate, etc. is formed on another part, the formation direction is not limited to the upper direction, and includes the part being formed on the side or bottom part. In contrast, when a part of a layer, film, region, guide plate, etc. is formed "below" another part, not only is the part "right below" the other part, but also another part between the part and the other part is included therein. In addition, other expressions such as "between...", "directly between...", "adjacent to..." and "directly adjacent to..." that describe the relationship between components can be interpreted similarly. In addition, when an element or layer is referred to as "between" two elements or layers, this can mean that the element or layer is the only element between the two elements or layers, or another element can exist between them.

[0038] For the purpose of this specification, expressions such as "at least one of..." or "any of..." do not limit the order of the individual elements. For example, "at least one of X, Y, and Z", "at least one of X, Y, or Z", and "at least one selected from the group including X, Y, and Z" may include only X, only Y, only Z, and any combination of two or more of X, Y, and Z. Similarly, expressions such as "at least one of A and B" and "at least one of A or B" may include A, B, or A and B. As used herein, the term "and / or" generally includes any combination of one or more of the relevant listed items. For example, expressions such as "A and / or B" may include A, B, or A and B.

[0039] Although the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. can be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections, the elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections are not limited by the terms. The terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Therefore, without departing from the concept and scope of the present disclosure, the first element, first component, first region, first layer or first section described below may be referred to as the second element, second component, second region, second layer or second section. Describing an element as a "first" element may not require or imply the presence of a second element or another element. Terms such as "first", "second", etc. can be used herein to distinguish different categories or groups of elements. For clarity of description, terms such as "first", "second", etc. can refer to "first category (or first group)", "second category (or second group)", etc., respectively.

[0040] The terms used in this application are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, singular terms may include plural terms, and plural terms may also include singular terms. The terms "include", "comprises" and "have" used herein mean to indicate that there are specific features, integers or operations. Statements do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other functions, steps, operations, components and / or their groups.

[0041] When one or more embodiments can be implemented differently, a specific process order can be performed differently from the described order. For example, two processes described in succession can be performed substantially simultaneously or in a reverse order.

[0042] The terms "substantially", "about" and "approximately" and similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than as terms of degree, and are intended to describe the inherent deviations of measured or calculated values. As used herein, the terms "substantially", "about", "approximately" and similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than as terms of degree, and are intended to explain the inherent deviations of measured or calculated values ​​that will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art. Taking into account the measurement in question and the errors associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system), as used herein, "about" or "approximately" includes the stated value and means within an acceptable deviation range of a particular value as determined by those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, "about" can mean within one or more standard deviations, or within ±30%, ±20%, ±10%, ±5% of the stated value. In addition, when describing embodiments of the present disclosure, the use of "may" refers to "one or more embodiments of the present disclosure".

[0043] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical or scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. Terms (such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries) should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the relevant art and / or this specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0044] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module 10, Figure 2 A plurality of battery cells C, a first spacer 500 and a second spacer 600 are shown. Figure 3 shows a surface of the side plate 100 of the battery module 10, Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV' in FIG. Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the first spacer 500, Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the second spacer 600, Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of the second spacer 600, and Figure 8 and Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the second spacer 600 inserted into the side plate 100 .

[0045] The battery module 10 is a battery assembly in which a plurality of battery cells C are grouped into a group to protect the plurality of battery cells C from external impact, heat, vibration, and the like. The battery module 10 may include a battery cell having a prismatic shape, a pouch shape, or a cylindrical shape. Hereinafter, the description will focus on an embodiment in which the battery module 10 includes a battery cell having a prismatic shape, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The battery module 10 may be applied to large applications such as energy storage systems (ESS) or small applications such as power tools. For example, the battery module 10 may be applied to electric vehicles. The battery module 10 may be used alone, or may be electrically connected to another battery module to form a battery pack.

[0046] The battery module 10 may include a plurality of battery cells C, a side plate 100, a retainer 200, a bus bar 300, an end plate 400, a first spacer 500, and a second spacer 600. The first spacer 500 may include a plurality of first spacers 500, and the second spacer 600 may include a plurality of second spacers 600. For example, the battery module 10 may include: a side plate 100 on a side (e.g., a short side) of a plurality of battery cells C; a retainer 200 on an upper portion of the plurality of battery cells C; a bus bar 300 supported by the retainer 200 and connecting the plurality of battery cells C to each other; an end plate 400 connected to the side plate 100 and supporting the plurality of battery cells C; a first spacer 500 between adjacent battery cells among the plurality of battery cells C; and a second spacer 600 between adjacent battery cells among the plurality of battery cells C and including a convex portion 640. At least a portion of the raised portion 640 may pass through the side plate 100 to be supported at (or on) an outer surface of the side plate 100 .

[0047] The number and arrangement of multiple battery cells C may vary according to the specifications and design objectives of the battery module 10. For example, 14 battery cells C may be arranged in a horizontal direction (e.g., in the length direction of the battery module 10, in the X-axis direction in the drawing). The number and arrangement of multiple battery cells C are not limited thereto and may be changed in various ways. For example, multiple battery cells C may be arranged in one or more rows and may be connected in series and / or in parallel to each other. Multiple battery cells C may each include two electrodes E and a vent BH. For example, the vent BH may be near (or at) the upper center of the battery cell C. When the battery cell C is damaged or operates abnormally and gas is generated inside the battery cell C, the vent BH may allow the generated gas to be discharged to the outside of the battery cell C. The two electrodes E are on the upper surface of the battery cell C and may face each other, and the vent BH is between the two electrodes E. The two electrodes E may be a negative electrode and a positive electrode, respectively. The two electrodes E of each of the multiple battery cells C may be connected to each other by a bus bar 300.

[0048] The side plate 100 forms the outer frame of the battery module 10 and may be on at least one side of the plurality of battery cells C. For example, two side plates 100 may be on both sides (e.g., in the Y-axis direction) of the plurality of battery cells C, respectively. The side plate 100 may separate the space for accommodating the plurality of battery cells C together with the end plate 400. The side plate 100 may be in contact with the side of the plurality of battery cells C, or may be separated (or spaced apart) from the side of the plurality of battery cells C. The side plate 100 may have a long plate shape in the length direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the battery module 10, and both ends of the side plate 100 may be connected to the end plate 400, respectively.

[0049] The side plate 100 may include an outer plate 110 and an inner plate 120. For example, the side plate 100 may include an outer plate 110 having a coupling slit 113 into which at least a portion of the protrusion 640 is inserted, and an inner plate 120 on the inner side of the outer plate 110 and having a heat dissipation slit 121. At least a portion of the protrusion 640 may pass through the coupling slit 113 to be fixed on the outer surface of the outer plate 110.

[0050] The outer plate 110 may be on the outer side of the side plate 100 (i.e., opposite to the plurality of battery cells C), and may support the inner plate 120 on the inner side (i.e., the side facing the plurality of battery cells C). The outer plate 110 has coupling portions 111 at both ends in the length direction, and the coupling portions 111 may be respectively connected to the end plate 400. The outer plate 110 may be connected to the end plate 400 through the coupling portions 111 by welding or screwing. The outer plate 110 may have an area larger than that of the inner plate 120, and a portion of the outer plate 110 may protrude or bend toward the plurality of battery cells C. For example, as Figure 4 As shown in , the outer plate 110 may have a bent portion 112 at which the upper edge is bent toward the plurality of battery cells C. The bent portion 112 may be connected to another portion of the battery module 10. For example, the bent portion 112 of the outer plate 110 may be connected to a corner of the holder 200. The bent portion 112 may have a first portion 1121 extending toward the plurality of battery cells C and a second portion 1122 extending downward from the first portion 1121. The first portion 1121 may extend from the upper edge of the outer plate 110 in the width direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) of the battery module 10, and the second portion 1122 may extend downward from the end of the first portion 1121 in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the battery module 10. At least a portion of the second portion 1122 may be inserted into or fastened to the corner of the holder 200 corresponding to the long side to connect the side plate 100 to the holder 200.

[0051] The outer plate 110 may have a bonding slit 113. One or more bonding slits 113 may be formed in the outer plate 110 so that the raised portion 640 of the second spacer 600 can be inserted into the bonding slit 113. The bonding slit 113 may be substantially near the center portion of the outer plate 110 or the side plate 100 in the length direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the battery module 10. For example, the bonding slit 113 may be within ±10% or ±20% of the center of the outer plate 110 in the length direction. Therefore, by inserting the raised portion 640 into the bonding slit 113, it is possible to support against or prevent the center of the battery module 10 from bending or deforming downward due to the weight of the battery module 10. The bonding slit 113 may have a width and a height greater than the width and height of the raised portion 640. The bonding slit 113 may include a plurality of bonding slits 113. For example, as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown in , a plurality of (e.g., four) bonding slits 113 may be separated from each other in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the battery module 10. The plurality of bonding slits 113 may be arranged in a line. The plurality of bonding slits 113 may each correspond to a heat dissipation slit 121 in the inner plate 120. The heat dissipation slit 121 may include a plurality of heat dissipation slits 121, and as shown in Figure 3 As shown in , the plurality of bonding slits 113 may be inside the plurality of heat dissipation slits 121 (or may be aligned with the plurality of heat dissipation slits 121). Therefore, the protruding portion 640 of the second spacer 600 may be inserted into the heat dissipation slits 121 and the bonding slits 113 to be exposed to the outside of the side plate 100. The height of the bonding slit 113 may be equal to or less than the height of the heat dissipation slit 121. The protruding portion 640 protruding from the side plate 100 (e.g., protruding beyond the side plate 100) through the bonding slit 113 may be bent toward the outer surface of the side plate 100. In another embodiment, the plurality of bonding slits 113 may each be outside the plurality of heat dissipation slits 121. For example, the plurality of bonding slits 113 may each be between two heat dissipation slits 121 adjacent to each other in one direction (e.g., the X-axis direction).

[0052] The inner panel 120 may be inside the side panel 100 , and may be supported on the outer panel 110 . Figure 3 The side plate 100 is shown as viewed from the battery cell C, and the inner surface of the side plate 100 is shown. Figure 3As shown in , the inner plate 120 may be on the inner surface of the outer plate 110 and may have an area smaller than that of the outer plate 110. The inner plate 120 may enhance the rigidity of the outer plate 110 and transfer the heat generated from the plurality of battery cells C to the outer plate 110. The outer plate 110 may be formed of the same material or a different material as the inner plate 120. For example, both the outer plate 110 and the inner plate 120 may be formed of metal and / or plastic. The inner plate 120 may be formed of a material having a higher rigidity than that of the material of the outer plate 110. In addition, the outer plate 110 may have a higher thermal conductivity than that of the inner plate 120. However, in other embodiments, the inner plate 120 may have a higher thermal conductivity than that of the outer plate 110, and the outer plate 110 may also be formed of a material having a higher rigidity than that of the material of the inner plate 120.

[0053] The inner plate 120 may have a plurality of heat dissipation slits 121. Figure 3 As shown in , a plurality of heat dissipation slits 121 may be formed in the inner plate 120. For example, the bonding slit 113 may be formed inside one or more of the plurality of heat dissipation slits 121 (e.g., may be aligned with one or more of the plurality of heat dissipation slits 121). In another embodiment, the bonding slit 113 may include one or more bonding slits 113 between two heat dissipation slits 121 adjacent in one direction among the plurality of heat dissipation slits 121. The plurality of heat dissipation slits 121 may be arranged in a plurality of columns and rows in the length direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the battery module 10 and in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the battery module 10. The plurality of heat dissipation slits 121 may each have a long hole shape (e.g., an elliptical shape) in one direction (e.g., X-axis direction). Therefore, the inner plate 120 may enhance the rigidity of the outer plate 110, and at the same time may allow the heat generated from the plurality of battery cells C to be directly transferred to the outer plate 110 through the plurality of heat dissipation slits 121. Therefore, the heat generated from the plurality of battery cells C may be effectively discharged to the outside of the battery module 10. The number and arrangement of the plurality of heat dissipation slits 121 are not limited and may be changed according to the specification and size of the battery module 10 and the number, capacity, etc. of the plurality of battery cells C.

[0054] The holder 200 may be provided in the battery module 10 to support a plurality of battery cells C and a bus bar 300. The holder 200 may be located on the plurality of battery cells C and may have a plurality of openings 210 to respectively expose a plurality of electrodes E included in the plurality of battery cells C. The plurality of openings 210 may be formed at positions corresponding to the plurality of electrodes E. The corners of the holder 200 may be connected to the side plate 100 and the end plate 400. For example, the holder 200 may have a rectangular shape having two long sides and two short sides, and the corners of the holder corresponding to the two long sides may be respectively connected to the bent portions 112 of the two side plates 100. In addition, the corners of the holder 200 corresponding to the two short sides may be connected to the two end plates 400. The holder 200 may be connected to the side plate 100 and the end plate 400 by welding, threading, etc. In a state where the holder 200 is located on the plurality of battery cells C, the bus bar 300 may be supported on the holder 200.

[0055] The bus bar 300 may include a plurality of connection portions 320 corresponding to the plurality of openings 210 to connect the plurality of battery cells C to each other. The bus bar 300 may include a plurality of main bodies 310 and a plurality of connection portions 320 extending from the plurality of main bodies 310. The plurality of main bodies 310 may each have a rod shape elongated in the length direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the battery module 10, and the plurality of connection portions 320 may extend from the plurality of main bodies 310. While the plurality of main bodies 310 are supported on the holder 200, the plurality of connection portions 320 extend to the plurality of openings 210, respectively, and may be connected to the plurality of electrodes E of the plurality of battery cells C exposed through the plurality of openings 210, respectively. The plurality of connection portions 320 may be electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes E, respectively, by welding or mechanical members (e.g., screws). Therefore, the plurality of battery cells C may be electrically connected to each other by the bus bar 300. The bus bar 300 may also include an external terminal 330. The external terminal 330 may include a plurality of external terminals. For example, the external terminal 330 may be formed at an end of one of the plurality of bodies 310 and may protrude to the outside of the holder 200. When the battery module 10 is combined with another battery module to form a battery pack, the external terminal 330 may electrically connect the battery module 10 to the other battery module. In some cases, the external terminal 330 may be connected to a battery management system (BMS) of the battery pack.

[0056] The end plate 400 may include a plurality of end plates 400 disposed on the battery module 10 to protect the plurality of battery cells C from external impact or foreign matter. For example, the two end plates 400 may be respectively at the two ends of the battery module 10 in the length direction. The two end plates 400 may be respectively connected to the coupling portions 111 of the two side plates 100. In addition, the two end plates 400 may be connected to the retainer 200. The two end plates 400 may provide a compressive force toward the center of the battery module 10 so that the plurality of battery cells C, the plurality of first spacers 500, and the plurality of second spacers 600 are in close contact with each other, so that the plurality of battery cells C, the plurality of first spacers 500, and the plurality of second spacers 600 can be maintained at the designed position without deviating from the designed position.

[0057] The first spacer 500 may be inserted between two battery cells C among the plurality of battery cells C. In some cases, the first spacer 500 may be between the end plate 400 and the battery cell C at the end of the battery module 10 among the plurality of battery cells C. For example, the plurality of battery cells C and the plurality of first spacers 500 may be arranged alternately. The first spacer 500 may have a thin plate shape, and may insulate adjacent battery cells C from each other by preventing adjacent battery cells C from contacting each other. In addition, the first spacer 500 may prevent adjacent battery cells C from being damaged or deformed due to direct contact or pressing against each other. In addition, the first spacer 500 may maintain the interval between adjacent battery cells C to form a channel for external air, and therefore, the plurality of battery cells C may be effectively cooled and a moving path for a fire extinguishing agent may be provided. In addition, at least a portion of the first spacer 500 may include a flame retardant material and / or an insulating material, or may include an additional member formed of a flame retardant material and / or an insulating material, and therefore, a fire occurring in one battery cell C may be prevented from spreading to another battery cell C. The first spacer 500 may have a width corresponding to the battery cell C, and may have a height less than or equal to the height of the battery cell C. The first spacer 500 may be separated from the battery cell C. For example, the first spacer 500 may be separated from two adjacent battery cells C by a certain distance (e.g., a preset or predetermined distance). The first spacer 500 may be separated from the battery cell C by a distance in the range of about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm. In another embodiment, the first spacer 500 may be separated from the battery cell C by a distance in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 8 mm. In another embodiment, the first spacer 500 may be separated from the battery cell C by a distance in the range of about 1 mm to about 5 mm. In some embodiments, the separation distance may be the thickness of the adhesive member 530 described below, and may be the spacing between the battery cell C and the second sheet 520.

[0058] The first spacer 500 may include a first sheet 510 , a second sheet 520 , and an adhesive member 530 .

[0059] The first spacer 500 may include a plurality of first sheets 510 formed of an insulating material and / or a heat-insulating material. The first sheet 510 may have the same or similar size and shape as the first spacer 500. For example, the first sheet 510 may have a rectangular shape that is elongated in the width direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) of the battery module 10. The first spacer 500 may include a plurality of first sheets 510. For example, Figure 5 As shown in , two first sheets 510 may be on one side and the other side of the second sheet 520, respectively, and therefore, a total of two first sheets 510 may be included in one first spacer 500. In another embodiment, one first sheet 510 may be on one side or the other side of the second sheet 520, or two or more first sheets 510 may be on one side and the other side of the second sheet 520. The first sheet 510 may be formed of a material having excellent thermal insulation properties. For example, the first sheet 510 may be mica or ceramic paper. In addition, the first sheet 510 may include (or may further include) aerogel. The aerogel particle content may be greater than about 80%, and the remainder may be formed by a binder. The aerogel particle content may be in the range of about 80% to about 90%. When the aerogel particle content is less than about 80%, the heat propagation between adjacent battery cells C may not be fully blocked, and when the aerogel particle content is greater than about 90%, the binder content is relatively small, and therefore, the first sheet 510 may not be formed. The size of the aerogel particles can be in the range of about 10 mm to about 100 mm, and more than about 90% of the aerogel particles can have nano-sized pores. The first sheet 510 can have a fine pore structure formed by a nano-sized composite structure connected with a SiO2 structure, and air can be contained in the fine pore structure. The air contained in the fine pore structure can form an air layer. The air layer is maintained in the pores of the SiO2 composite, and the air has excellent insulating properties to be used as an insulating material. In another embodiment, the first sheet 510 can be formed of a flame retardant material. For example, the first sheet 510 can be a ceramic paper of a refractory insulator including fibers. In another embodiment, the first sheet 510 can be a biosoluble fiber ceramic paper (e.g., ceramic fiber) including alkaline earth metals and can be an eco-friendly high-temperature refractory insulator that is harmless to the human body.

[0060] The first spacer 500 may include a plurality of second sheets 520 formed of an insulating material and / or a heat-insulating material. The second sheet 520 may have the same or similar size and shape as the first spacer 500. For example, the second sheet 520 may have a rectangular shape having a long side in the width direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) of the battery module 10. The second sheet 520 may be between two first sheets 510 among the plurality of first sheets 510. For example, Figure 5 As shown in , one second sheet 520 may be between two first sheets 510. In another embodiment, a plurality of second sheets 520 may be between a plurality of first sheets 510, or a plurality of second sheets 520 may be arranged alternately with a plurality of first sheets 510. The second sheet 520 may be formed of a material having excellent thermal insulation properties. For example, the second sheet 520 may be mica or ceramic paper. In addition, the second sheet 520 may include (or may further include) aerogel. The aerogel particle content is greater than about 80%, and the remainder may be formed by a binder. The aerogel particle content may be in the range of about 80% to about 90%. When the aerogel particle content is less than about 80%, the heat propagation between adjacent battery cells C may not be fully blocked, and when the aerogel particle content is greater than about 90%, the binder content is relatively small, and therefore, the second sheet 520 may not be formed. The size of the aerogel particles may be in the range of about 10 mm to about 100 mm, and more than about 90% of the aerogel particles may have nano-sized pores. The second sheet 520 may have a pore structure formed by a nano-sized composite structure connected with a SiO2 structure, and air may be contained in the pore structure. The air contained in the pore structure may form an air layer. The air layer is maintained in the pores of the SiO2 composite, and the air has excellent insulating properties to be used as an insulating material. In another embodiment, the second sheet 520 may be formed of a flame retardant material. For example, the second sheet 520 may be a ceramic paper of a refractory insulator including fibers. In another embodiment, the second sheet 520 may be a biosoluble fiber ceramic paper (e.g., ceramic fiber) including alkaline earth metals and may be an eco-friendly high-temperature refractory insulator that is harmless to the human body.

[0061] The second sheet 520 may be formed of a material different from that of the first sheet 510. For example, the first sheet 510 may be formed of a flame retardant material or a non-combustible material, and the second sheet 520 may be formed of an insulating material. Therefore, the first spacer 500 may include a stack of a plurality of first sheets 510 and a plurality of second sheets 520 formed of a flame retardant material and an insulating material, and therefore, when the temperature of the battery cell C rises and if a fire occurs, heat or fire from the battery cell C can be prevented from being transferred to an adjacent battery cell C. The first sheet 510 may have substantially the same size and shape as the second sheet 520. The first sheet 510 may be bonded to the second sheet 520 by an adhesive material applied to at least one of the first sheet 510 and the second sheet 520, a mechanical force, or welding.

[0062] The adhesive member 530 may include a plurality of adhesive members 530 and may be on the first sheet 510 to attach the adjacent battery cells C to the first spacer 500. The plurality of adhesive members 530 may be on a surface of the first sheet 510 facing the battery cells C and may be separated from each other. Figure 5As shown in , two adhesive members 530 may be at the edge (or corner) near the short side of the first sheet 510, respectively. The adhesive member 530 including the adhesive material may be on one side facing the first sheet 510 and on the other side opposite to the first sheet 510, respectively. The first spacer 500 may be attached to the battery cell C and supported on the battery cell C by the adhesive member 530. The adhesive member 530 may form an exposed area in which at least a portion of the first sheet 510 is exposed toward the battery cell C. For example, the adhesive member 530 may be only in a partial area of ​​the first sheet 510 in which at least a portion is exposed, without covering the entire surface of the first sheet 510. The portion with the adhesive member 530 may be bonded to the battery cell C, and the exposed area may form a free space (e.g., a gap or an open space) that allows volume expansion due to the expansion of the battery cell C. Therefore, the internal stress caused by the expansion of the battery cell C can be reduced, and the durability problem of the constraint mechanism (e.g., the end plate 400) caused by the accumulation of internal stress can be solved. For example, the adhesive member 530 may adhere the first spacer 500 to the battery cell C, and also have a thickness for forming a gap between the battery cell C and the first spacer 500 .

[0063] The second spacer 600 may be inserted between adjacent battery cells C. In some cases, the second spacer 600 may be between the end plate 400 and the battery cell C at the end of the battery module 10 among the plurality of battery cells C. For example, a plurality of battery cells C and a plurality of second spacers 600 may be arranged alternately. The second spacer 600 may have a thin plate shape, and may insulate adjacent battery cells C from each other to prevent adjacent battery cells C from contacting each other. In addition, the second spacer 600 may prevent adjacent battery cells C from being damaged or deformed due to direct contact or pressing against each other. In addition, the second spacer 600 may maintain the interval between adjacent battery cells C, and may form a channel for external air. Therefore, a plurality of battery cells C may be effectively cooled, and a moving path for a fire extinguishing agent may be provided. In addition, at least a portion of the second spacer 600 may include a flame retardant material and / or an insulating material, or may include an additional member formed of a flame retardant material and / or an insulating material, and therefore, a fire occurring in one battery cell C may be prevented from spreading to another battery cell C. The second spacer 600 may have a width corresponding to the battery cell C, and may have a height less than or equal to the height of the battery cell C. The second spacer 600 may be separated from the battery cell C. For example, the second spacer 600 may be separated from two adjacent battery cells C by a certain distance (e.g., a preset or predetermined distance). The second spacer 600 may be separated from the battery cell C by a distance in the range of about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm. In another embodiment, the second spacer 600 may be separated from the battery cell C by a distance in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 8 mm. In another embodiment, the second spacer 600 may be separated from the battery cell C by a distance in the range of about 1 mm to about 5 mm. In another embodiment, the separation distance may be the thickness of the adhesive member 630 described below, and may be the interval between the battery cell C and the second sheet 620. The second spacer 600 may be one of a plurality of first spacers 500. In another embodiment, the second spacer 600 may be separated from the first spacer 500. The second spacer 600 may be a first spacer 500 located at the center of the battery module 10 in the length direction (eg, X-axis direction) among the plurality of first spacers 500 .

[0064] The second spacer 600 may include a first sheet 610, a second sheet 620, an adhesive member 630, and a convex portion 640. For example, the plurality of first sheets 610 and the plurality of second sheets 620 may each include an edge portion in (or at) at least one corner (or edge), and at least a portion of the convex portion 640 may be inserted into or coupled to the edge portion 621.

[0065] The second spacer 600 may include a plurality of first sheets 610 formed of an insulating and / or heat-insulating material. The first sheet 610 may have the same or similar size and shape as the second spacer 600. For example, the first sheet 610 may have a rectangular shape that is elongated in the width direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) of the battery module 10. The second spacer 600 may include a plurality of first sheets 610. For example, Figure 6 As shown in , two first sheets 610 may be on one side and the other side of the second sheet 620, respectively, and therefore, a total of two first sheets 610 may be included in one second spacer 600. In another embodiment, one first sheet 610 may be on one side or the other side of the second sheet 620, or two or more first sheets 610 may be on one side and the other side of the second sheet 620. The first sheet 610 may be formed of a material having excellent thermal insulation properties. For example, the first sheet 610 may be mica or ceramic paper. In addition, the first sheet 610 may include (or may further include) aerogel. The aerogel particle content is greater than about 80%, and the remainder may be formed by a binder. The aerogel particle content may be in the range of about 80% to about 90%. When the aerogel particle content is less than about 80%, the heat propagation between adjacent battery cells C may not be fully blocked, and when the aerogel particle content is greater than about 90%, the binder content is relatively small, and therefore, the first sheet 610 may not be formed. The size of the aerogel particles can be in the range of about 10 mm to about 100 mm, and more than about 90% of the aerogel particles can have nano-sized pores. The first sheet 610 can have a fine pore structure formed by a nano-sized composite structure connected with a SiO2 structure, and air can be contained in the fine pore structure. The air contained in the fine pore structure can form an air layer. The air layer is maintained in the pores of the SiO2 composite, and the air has excellent insulating properties to be used as an insulating material. In another embodiment, the first sheet 610 can be formed of a flame retardant material. For example, the first sheet 610 can be a ceramic paper of a refractory insulator including fibers. In another embodiment, the first sheet 610 can be a biosoluble fiber ceramic paper (e.g., ceramic fiber) including alkaline earth metals and can be an eco-friendly high-temperature refractory insulator that is harmless to the human body.

[0066] The second spacer 600 may include a plurality of second sheets 620 formed of an insulating and / or heat-insulating material. The second sheet 620 may have the same or similar size and shape as the second spacer 600. For example, the second sheet 620 may have a rectangular shape having a long side in the width direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) of the battery module 10. The second sheet 620 may be between two of the plurality of first sheets 610. For example, Figure 6As shown in , one second sheet 620 may be between two first sheets 610. In another embodiment, a plurality of second sheets 620 may be between a plurality of first sheets 610, or a plurality of second sheets 620 may be arranged alternately with a plurality of first sheets 610. The second sheet 620 may be formed of a material having excellent thermal insulation properties. For example, the second sheet 620 may be mica or ceramic paper. In addition, the second sheet 620 may include (or may further include) aerogel. The aerogel particle content is greater than about 80%, and the remainder may be composed of a binder. The aerogel particle content may be in the range of about 80% to about 90%. When the aerogel particle content is less than about 80%, the heat propagation between adjacent battery cells C may not be fully blocked, and when the aerogel particle content is greater than about 90%, the binder content is relatively small, and therefore, the second sheet 620 may not be formed. The size of the aerogel particles may be in the range of about 10 mm to about 100 mm, and more than about 90% of the aerogel particles may have nano-sized pores. The second sheet 620 may have a pore structure formed by a nano-sized composite structure connected with a SiO2 structure, and air may be contained in the pore structure. The air contained in the pore structure may form an air layer. The air layer is maintained in the pores of the SiO2 composite, and the air having excellent insulating properties may be used as an insulating material. In another embodiment, the second sheet 620 may be formed of a flame retardant material. For example, the second sheet 620 may be a ceramic paper of a refractory insulator including fibers. In another embodiment, the second sheet 620 may be a biosoluble fiber ceramic paper (e.g., ceramic fiber) including alkaline earth metals and may be an eco-friendly high-temperature refractory insulator that is harmless to the human body.

[0067] The second sheet 620 may be formed of a material different from that of the first sheet 610. For example, the first sheet 610 may be formed of a flame retardant material or a non-combustible material, and the second sheet 620 may be formed of a heat insulating material. Therefore, the second spacer 600 may include a stack of a plurality of first sheets 610 and a plurality of second sheets 620 formed of a flame retardant material and an insulating material, so that when the temperature of the battery cell C rises and if a fire occurs, the heat or fire from the battery cell C can be prevented from being transferred to the adjacent battery cell C. The first sheet 610 may have substantially the same size and shape as the second sheet 620. The first sheet 610 may be bonded to the second sheet 620 by an adhesive material applied to at least one of the first sheet 610 and the second sheet 620, a mechanical force, or welding.

[0068] The second sheet 620 may have an edge portion 621. The edge portion 621 may be formed continuously or discontinuously at one or more corners of the second sheet 620. For example, the edge portion 621 may be formed continuously across the entire edge of the second sheet 620 and may protrude in the length direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the battery module 10. The edge portion 621 may be formed of a plastic material and may be bonded to the edge of the second sheet 620 by insert injection (e.g., insert injection molding) to maintain the shape of the second sheet 620. For example, the edge portion 621 may be formed of polyethylene or polypropylene. The width of the edge portion 621 may be in the range of about 3 mm to about 6 mm. When the width of the edge portion 621 is less than about 3 mm, the second sheet 620 may not be easily fixed, and when the width of the edge portion 621 exceeds about 6 mm, the edge portion 621 formed of plastic may be burned.

[0069] The adhesive member 630 may include a plurality of adhesive members 630 and may be on the first sheet 610 to attach adjacent battery cells C to the second spacer 600. The plurality of adhesive members 630 may be on a surface of the first sheet 610 facing the battery cells C and separated from each other. Figure 6 As shown in , two adhesive members 630 may be at the edge (or corner) near the short side of the first sheet 610, respectively. The adhesive member 630 including the adhesive material may be on one side facing the first sheet 610 and on the other side opposite to the first sheet 610, respectively. The second spacer 600 may be attached to the battery cell C and supported on the battery cell C by the adhesive member 630. The adhesive member 630 may form an exposed area in which at least a portion of the first sheet 610 is exposed toward the battery cell C. For example, the adhesive member 630 may be only in a partial area of ​​the first sheet 610 in which at least a portion is exposed, without covering the entire surface of the first sheet 610. The portion with the adhesive member 630 may be bonded to the battery cell C, and the exposed area may form a free space (e.g., a gap) that allows volume expansion due to the expansion of the battery cell C. Therefore, the internal stress caused by the expansion of the battery cell C can be reduced, and the durability problem of the constraint mechanism (e.g., the end plate 400) caused by the accumulation of internal stress can be alleviated or solved.

[0070] The second sheet 620 may include a raised portion 640, and the raised portion 640 may include a plurality of raised portions 640. For example, the plurality of raised portions 640 may be at both ends of the battery module 10 in the width direction (e.g., Y-axis direction), and in such an embodiment, two raised portions 640 may be at both ends of the battery module 10, respectively. At least a portion of the raised portion 640 may be inserted into or coupled to the edge portion 621, and another portion may extend in the width direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) of the battery module 10. The raised portion 640 may be inserted into the coupling slit 113 to fix the second spacer 600 to the side plate 100 and prevent the center of the battery module 10 from bending due to the weight of the battery module 10. At least a portion of the raised portion 640 may pass through the side plate 100 and be bent toward the outer surface of the side plate 100 to be fixed to the outer surface of the side plate 100. The raised portion 640 may be formed of a material having excellent machinability, corrosion resistance, high temperature strength, and weldability. For example, the raised portion 640 may be formed of stainless steel such as martensite, ferrite, or austenite. Therefore, the raised portion 640 may be easily bent after being inserted into the side plate 100, may be welded to the side plate 100, and may not be easily corroded even when exposed to the outside of the side plate 100.

[0071] The raised portion 640 may include a body 641, a protrusion 642, and a groove 643. For example, the protrusion 642 may include a plurality of protrusions 642 separated from each other in one direction (e.g., in the height direction or Z-axis direction of the battery module 10), and the groove 643 may include a plurality of grooves 643 between adjacent protrusions 642.

[0072] The body 641 may connect the protrusion 640 to the second sheet 620, for example, to the edge portion 621 of the second sheet 620. At least a portion of the body 641 may be inserted into the edge portion 621, or may be connected to the edge of the edge portion 621. For example, the edge portion 621 may have a slit at the end, the body 641 may be inserted into the slit or the body 641 may be removed from the slit, and the body 641 may be inserted into the slit to be fixed to the slit. In another embodiment, the edge portion 621 may be combined to a portion of the body 641 by insertion injection. A portion of the body 641 may be exposed to the outside of the edge portion 621, and the protrusion 642 and the groove 643 may be formed on the body 641. The length of the body 641 exposed to the outside of the edge portion 621, that is, the length from the end of the edge portion 621 to the end of the body 641 is referred to as L2, and the length L2 may be less than the length L1 of the protrusion 642. By reducing the length L2 of the body 641 exposed to the outside of the edge portion 621, the portion of the body 641 inserted into the edge portion 621 may be enlarged, and deformation and damage of the body 641 due to external impact may be reduced.

[0073] The protrusion 642 may extend from the body 641 in one direction (e.g., outward in the width direction of the battery module 10). The protrusion 642 may have various shapes, for example, a rectangular shape having a width W in the length direction of the battery module 10 (e.g., the X-axis direction). The protrusion 642 may be inserted into the coupling slit 113 so that at least a portion of the protrusion 642 is exposed to the outside of the side plate 100. In this state, the protrusion 642 may be bent toward the outer surface of the side plate 100 to be fixed to the side plate 100 by welding or screwing. The width W of the protrusion 642 may be smaller than the width of the coupling slit 113. Figure 8 As shown in , when the coupling slit 113 has a width G1, the width W of the protrusion 642 may be smaller than the width G1. In addition, the width W of the protrusion 642 may be larger than the interval G2 between the protrusion 642 and the coupling slit 113. Therefore, the protrusion 642 may be smoothly inserted into the coupling slit 113, and the gap between the protrusion 642 and the coupling slit 113 may be reduced, whereby the protrusion 642 inserted into the coupling slit 113 may not be easily separated from the coupling slit 113. A plurality of protrusions 642 may be arranged in parallel in the height direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) of the battery module 10.

[0074] A plurality of grooves 643 may be arranged alternately with a plurality of protrusions 642. For example, a plurality of protrusions 642 may be arranged in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the battery module 10, and a plurality of grooves 643 may each be between two adjacent protrusions 642. In a state where the protrusion 642 is inserted into the coupling slit 113, the protrusion 642 may be supported on the inner surface of the side plate 100, for example, on the inner plate 120. When the protrusion 642 passes through the heat dissipation slit 121 formed in the inner plate 120 to be inserted into the coupling slit 113, the groove 643 may be supported between two heat dissipation slits 121 adjacent to each other in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the battery module 10. When the protrusion 642 passes through the heat dissipation slit 121 to be inserted into the combining slit 113, the flow of the protrusion portion 640 and the weight of the battery module 10 transmitted through the protrusion portion 640 can be evenly distributed to the outer plate 110 and the inner plate 120, and therefore, the damage and deformation of the side plate 100 can be further reduced. The height H2 of the groove 643 can be smaller than the height H1 of the protrusion 642. Therefore, the area of ​​the portion of the protrusion 642 inserted into the combining slit 113 can be relatively increased. The number of protrusions 642 and grooves 643 can vary according to the size and weight of the battery module 10. For example, in Figure 7 In the embodiment shown in , the raised portion 640 may include four protrusions 642 and three grooves 643 between the four protrusions 642. However, in other embodiments, the number of protrusions 642 may be four or less or more, and the number of grooves 643 may vary according to the number of protrusions 642.

[0075] Next, a process of inserting the protruding portion 640 into the coupling slit 113 is described. For ease of description, Figure 8 Only the side plate 100 and the second spacer 600 are shown, and the opposite side of the second spacer 600 may also be coupled to the opposite side plate 100 in the same manner. When the convex portion 640 of the second spacer 600 is inserted into the coupling slit 113 of the side plate 100, the protrusion 642 may protrude to the outside of the coupling slit 113. In this state, the protrusion 642 may pass through the heat dissipation slit 121 to be inserted into the coupling slit 113, and the groove 643 may contact the inner surface of the inner plate 120 between two heat dissipation slits 121 adjacent to each other in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the battery module 10. In another embodiment, the protrusion 642 may pass between two heat dissipation slits 121 adjacent in the length direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the battery module 10 to be inserted into the coupling slit 113, and the groove 643 may contact the inner surface of the inner plate 120.

[0076] Next, the plurality of protrusions 642 may be bent toward the outer surface of the side panel 100 (eg, the outer panel 110). At least some of the plurality of protrusions 642 may be in contact with the outer panel 110. For example, Fig. 9 As shown in the enlarged view in , at least a portion of the surface of each of the plurality of protrusions 642 facing the outer surface of the outer plate 110 may be in contact with the outer surface of the outer plate 110. In this state, the plurality of protrusions 642 may be fixed to the outer plate 110 by welding, threading, adhesive, etc. For example, the plurality of protrusions 642 may be fixed to the outer plate 110 by spot welding. When the protrusions 642 are inserted into the side plate 100 and fixed to the side plate 100 in this manner, the protrusions 642 may resist bending or deformation of the center of the battery module 10 due to the weight of the battery module 10 or external impact. For example, when a force is applied to the center of the battery module 10, the second spacer 600 at the center of the battery module 10 distributes the load to the side plate 100, and therefore, the rigidity and durability of the battery module 10 may be increased.

[0077] Although one second spacer 600 is shown in the drawings, the second spacer 600 may include a plurality of second spacers 600. For example, the second spacer 600 may include a plurality of second spacers 600, one of the plurality of second spacers 600 may be located at the center of the battery module 10 in the length direction (e.g., the X-axis direction), and the other second spacers 600 of the second spacers 600 may be between two battery cells among the plurality of battery cells C between the second spacer 600 located at the center and the two end plates 400. The second spacer 600 may include a convex portion 640, and the convex portion 640 may be coupled to the side plate 100 in the above manner, and thus, the load of the battery module 10 or the external load may be further distributed to the side plate 100.

[0078] Fig.10A second spacer 600A is shown, in which a plurality of protrusions 642A are bent in different directions to be fixed to the side plate 100A. Similar to the second spacer 600, the second spacer 600A may include a first sheet, a second sheet, an adhesive member, and a protruding portion 640A. The protruding portion 640A may include a body, a protrusion 642A, and a groove. In addition, the side plate 100A may include an outer plate 110A and an inner plate, and a plurality of bonding slits 113A may be formed in the outer plate 110A. At least some of the plurality of protrusions 642A may be bent in different directions after being inserted into the corresponding bonding slits 113A. For example, the plurality of protrusions 642A may be bent alternately in one direction and another direction in the length direction (e.g., the X-axis direction) of the battery module 10 and fixed to the outer surface of the side plate 100A. In addition, other configurations of the side plate 100A and the second spacer 600A may be the same as the side plate 100 and the second spacer 600, respectively, and therefore, the following description focuses on the plurality of protrusions 642A. Fig.10 As shown in FIG. 6A , the uppermost protrusion 642A may be bent to one side (eg, bent to Fig.10 ), and the protrusion 642A below it can be bent to the other side (for example, bent to Fig.10 ). In addition, the plurality of protrusions 642A may be bent in different directions in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the battery module 10. In this way, the plurality of protrusions 642A may be bent in different directions and fixed to the outer surface of the side plate 100, and thus, the plurality of protrusions 642A may more firmly resist an external load applied in one direction, etc. Therefore, the plurality of protrusions 642A may be prevented from being separated from the plurality of coupling slits 113A of the side plate 100A.

[0079] Fig.11A second spacer 600B is shown in which a protrusion 642B formed integrally therein is fixed to the side plate 100B. Similar to the second spacer 600, the second spacer 600B may include a first sheet, a second sheet, an adhesive member, and a protrusion portion 640B. The protrusion portion 640B may include a body, a protrusion 642B, and a groove. In addition, the side plate 100B may include an outer plate 110B and an inner plate, and a coupling slit 113B may be formed in the outer plate 110B. In addition, other configurations of the side plate 100B and the second spacer 600B may be the same or substantially similar to the side plate 100 and the second spacer 600, respectively, and therefore, the following description focuses on the protrusion 642B. The protrusion 642B may be formed as one member (one sheet). For example, unlike the protrusion portion 640 including a plurality of protrusions 642, the protrusion portion 640B may include one protrusion 642B. In addition, the coupling slit 113B may also be one slit corresponding to the shape of the protrusion 642B. The protrusion 642B may extend in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the battery module 10, and may be inserted into the coupling slit 113B and bent to the outer surface of the side plate 100B to be fixed to the outer surface. Therefore, the contact area between the protrusion 642B and the side plate 100B may be increased, and thus, the coupling between the protrusion 642B and the side plate 100B may be more firmly maintained.

[0080] The battery module 10 may further include a bottom plate. The bottom plate may be on the bottom of the plurality of battery cells C and may be connected to the side plate 100 and the end plate 400. The bottom plate may partition a space in which the plurality of battery cells C are accommodated together with the side plate 100 and the end plate 400.

[0081] Although the present disclosure is described with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, the embodiments are merely examples. It will be fully understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and other equivalent embodiments can be made through the embodiments. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present disclosure should be determined based on the attached claims and their equivalents.

[0082] The battery module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may prevent bending or damage by distributing a load caused by an external load or impact or the weight of the battery module.

[0083] In the battery module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, at least a portion of the spacer between the battery cells protrudes from and is supported by the side plate, so the load applied to the battery module, especially the load applied to the center in the length direction of the battery module, can be distributed to the side plate.

[0084] In the battery module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the convex portion of the spacer protrudes toward the side plate and is bent to be fixed to the side plate, and thus, the spacer may be stably supported on the side plate.

[0085] It should be understood that the embodiments described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense, not for limiting purposes. The description of features or aspects within each embodiment should generally be considered to be applicable to other similar features or aspects in other embodiments. Although one or more embodiments have been described with reference to the drawings, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising: Multiple battery cells; a side plate on a side of the plurality of battery cells; a retainer on the plurality of battery cells; a bus bar on the holder and connecting the plurality of battery cells to each other; an end plate connected to the side plate and supporting the plurality of battery cells; a first spacer between two adjacent battery cells among the plurality of battery cells; as well as A second spacer is provided between other two adjacent battery cells among the plurality of battery cells, the second spacer including a protruding portion, at least a portion of the protruding portion of the second spacer passes through the side plate and is supported on an outer surface of the side plate.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The at least a portion of the raised portion passing through the side plate is bent toward the outer surface of the side plate and fixed to the outer surface of the side plate.

3. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The second spacer is located at the center of the battery module in the length direction of the battery module.

4. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The second spacer includes a plurality of second spacers, Wherein, the first second spacer among the plurality of second spacers is located at the center of the battery module in the length direction of the battery module, and the second second spacer among the plurality of second spacers is located between the end plate and the first second spacer among the plurality of second spacers.

5. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The second spacer further includes a plurality of sheets, and has an edge portion at an edge of at least one sheet among the plurality of sheets, and Wherein, another part of the raised portion is inserted into the edge portion or connected to the edge portion.

6. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The raised portion includes a protrusion and a groove, and Wherein, the protrusion is inserted into the combining slit in the side plate and is bent toward the outer surface of the side plate.

7. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein: The protrusions include a plurality of protrusions separated from each other in one direction, and Wherein, the groove includes a plurality of grooves respectively between adjacent protrusions among the plurality of protrusions.

8. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein: The plurality of protrusions are arranged in parallel in a height direction of the battery module.

9. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein: The plurality of protrusions are bent in the same direction after being respectively inserted into the plurality of combining slits.

10. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein: At least some of the plurality of protrusions are bent in a direction different from a direction in which other protrusions of the plurality of protrusions are bent after passing through the plurality of combining slits.

11. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein: The protrusion extends in the height direction of the battery module and is formed as one piece.

12. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein: The width of the protrusion is smaller than the width of the combining slit and is larger than a distance between the protrusion and the combining slit.

13. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein: The height of the protrusion is greater than the height of the groove.

14. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein: The convex part includes a convexity and a concave groove, wherein the raised portion further comprises a body, at least a portion of which is inserted into or connected to the edge portion, and the projection and the groove are formed on the body, and The protrusion has a length longer than a length from an end of the edge portion to an end of the main body.

15. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The side plate includes an outer plate and an inner plate, the outer plate having a coupling slit, the at least a portion of the protruding portion being inserted into the coupling slit, and the inner plate having a heat dissipation slit on an inner surface of the outer plate, and Wherein, the at least a portion of the protruding portion passing through the combining slit is fixed to the outer surface of the outer panel.

16. The battery module according to claim 15, wherein: The heat dissipation slits include a plurality of heat dissipation slits, and Wherein, the combining slit is aligned with one or more of the plurality of heat dissipating slits.

17. The battery module according to claim 15, wherein: The heat dissipation slits include a plurality of heat dissipation slits, and Wherein, the combining slits include a plurality of combining slits respectively arranged between two adjacent heat dissipation slits along one direction in the heat dissipation slits.

Images