Holder and secondary battery having the same

Abstract

There is provided a secondary battery including: a case having an opening formed at least at one end thereof; an electrode assembly accommodated in the case; a current collector electrically connected to the electrode assembly; a cover plate in the opening of the housing; a holder between the electrode assembly and the case; and a pressing member configured to apply pressure from the holder to the housing.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0164583 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on November 23, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

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

[0003] Unlike primary batteries, which are not designed to be charged, secondary batteries are designed to be discharged and recharged. Low-capacity secondary batteries are used in small portable electronic devices such as smart phones, feature phones, notebook computers, digital cameras, and video cameras, while large-capacity secondary batteries are widely used as power sources for driving motors such as hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles, and for power storage.

[0004] Generally, a secondary battery includes an electrode assembly consisting of a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a case accommodating the electrode assembly, an electrode terminal connected to the electrode assembly, an exhaust port for exhausting gas generated inside the case, etc. An insulator is inserted to electrically insulate the case from the electrode assembly. The insulator is also called a retainer.

[0005] Recently, the size of prismatic batteries has become larger, such as large batteries, tall batteries, and long batteries. In particular, with large batteries (e.g., battery cells; measured in terms of height, width, and length), ensuring mechanical rigidity is becoming a new challenge. Since the weight of the electrode assembly of a large battery having a plurality of stacked large-area electrode plates is significantly increased compared to existing batteries, the large battery has a structure that is susceptible to stress concentrated on the weld joint or shaking and vibration during logistics movement.

[0006] The above information disclosed in this Background section is for enhancement of understanding of the background of the present disclosure and therefore it may contain information that does not constitute related (or prior) art. Summary of the invention

[0007] Aspects of some embodiments relate to a secondary battery configured to ensure mechanical rigidity in a width direction of the battery and further in length and height directions of the battery by using a retainer within the secondary battery.

[0008] According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a secondary battery is provided, comprising: a shell having an opening formed at at least one end thereof; an electrode assembly accommodated in the shell; a current collector electrically connected to the electrode assembly; a cover plate in the opening of the shell; a retainer between the electrode assembly and the shell; and a pressing member configured to apply pressure from the retainer to the shell.

[0009] In some embodiments, the secondary battery also includes an insulator located between the electrode assembly and the cover plate, wherein the retainer is at least one of a side retainer or a bottom retainer, the side retainer is between one side of the electrode assembly and the opposite surface of the shell and connected to one of the cover plate and the insulator, and the bottom retainer is between the lower surface of the electrode assembly and the opposite surface of the shell.

[0010] In some embodiments, the pressing member is positioned where the retainer contacts an inner corner of the housing.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pressing member is at a location other than where the retainer contacts an inner corner of the housing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the pressing member is an elastic movable body including: a fixed end fixedly coupled to the holder; and a pressing end configured to be pressed toward the housing by moving relative to the fixed end.

[0013] In some embodiments, the housing includes a lower protrusion protruding upward from an inner surface of a bottom of the housing; and the retainer has a groove matching the lower protrusion.

[0014] In some embodiments, the pressing member includes: a pressing portion configured to be pressed toward an opposite surface of the housing; and an elastic support configured to elastically support the pressing portion toward the holder.

[0015] In some embodiments, the pressing member includes: a fixed portion fixedly coupled to the holder; and an elastically movable portion configured to be pressed toward the housing by elastically moving relative to the fixed portion.

[0016] In some embodiments, the pressing member is integrally formed with the retainer.

[0017] In some embodiments, the pressing member is separate from the retainer.

[0018] According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a retainer for a secondary battery is provided, the secondary battery comprising: a shell having an opening formed at least at one end of the shell; an electrode assembly accommodated in the shell; a current collector electrically connected to the electrode assembly; and a cover plate installed in the opening of the shell, the retainer comprising a pressing member between the electrode assembly and the shell to apply pressure to the shell.

[0019] In some embodiments, the secondary battery also includes an insulator located between the electrode assembly and the cover plate, and the retainer is at least one of a side retainer or a bottom retainer, the side retainer is between one side of the electrode assembly and the opposite surface of the shell and connected to one of the cover plate and the insulator, and the bottom retainer is between the lower surface of the electrode assembly and the opposite surface of the shell.

[0020] In some embodiments, the pressing member is an elastic movable body including: a fixed end fixedly coupled to the holder; and a pressing end configured to be pressed toward the housing by moving relative to the fixed end.

[0021] In some embodiments, the pressing member is integrally formed with the retainer.

[0022] In some embodiments, the pressing member is separate from the retainer.

[0023] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above problems, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other problems not mentioned here and aspects and features of the present disclosure that will solve these problems from the following description of the present disclosure.

[0024] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, by adding a pressing member to the side retainer and / or the bottom retainer among the retainers of the secondary battery, the pressing member acts as a buffer in the space between the housing and the electrode assembly therein, thereby ensuring the mechanical rigidity of the battery in the horizontal direction (i.e., width direction) and / or vertical direction (i.e., height direction). Specifically, by ensuring the mechanical rigidity in the width direction of the battery, defects in the vertical direction or lateral direction of the weld formed during laser welding can be compensated to a large extent.

[0025] However, aspects and features of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described aspects and features, and other aspects and features not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the detailed description described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The accompanying drawings attached to this specification illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the detailed description of the present disclosure, further describe aspects and features of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1A is a top perspective view of a prismatic secondary battery according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 1B According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 1A A cross-sectional view taken along line II'; Figure 1C is an exploded perspective view of a prismatic secondary battery according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a prismatic secondary battery according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 3A is a view showing the construction of a side retainer according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 3Bare views showing the construction of a side retainer according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 4 shows one possible example of a pressing member according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 5A and Figure 5B Some other embodiments of the present disclosure are used to explain Figure 2 A view showing the position and function of a pressing member in a secondary battery shown in FIG. Fig. 6A According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 5A An enlarged view of a portion A of the side retainer for illustrating the role of a pressing member located in the middle of the side retainer; Figure 6B According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 5A An enlarged view of a portion B of the side retainer for illustrating the role of the pressing member located at the bottom of the side retainer; Fig. 7A shows an exemplary pressing member according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 7B Another exemplary pressing member according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 8 Some other embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Figure 4 Modification example of the pressing member in; Fig. 9 Some other embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Figure 4 The pressing member and Figure 8 An example of a combination of pressing members in; Fig.10 shows yet another exemplary pressing member according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig.11A shows yet another exemplary pressing member according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 11B Some other embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Fig.11A Modification example of the pressing member in; Fig.12 is an exemplary view of a secondary battery module in which a secondary battery is arranged according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig.13 Some other embodiments according to the present disclosure include Fig.12 An exemplary view of a secondary battery pack of a secondary battery module shown in FIG. 1 ; and Fig.14 is a diagram showing some other embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig.13 Conceptual diagram of a vehicle with a secondary battery pack shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical terms and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventive concept belongs. It will also be understood that terms (such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries) should be interpreted as having the same meaning as they have in the context of the prior art and / or this specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless explicitly defined as such herein.

[0028] The embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the accompanying drawings are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and do not represent all technical spirits, aspects and features of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that when submitting this application, there may be various equivalents and modifications that can replace or modify the embodiments described herein.

[0029] It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, the element or layer may be directly on, directly connected to, or directly coupled to the other element or layer, or one or more intervening elements or layers may also be present. When an element or layer is referred to as being "directly on," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers. For example, when a first element is described as being "coupled to" or "coupled to" a second element, the first element may be directly coupled or coupled to the second element, or the first element may be indirectly coupled or coupled to the second element via one or more intervening elements.

[0030] In the accompanying drawings, for clear illustration, the sizes of various elements, layers, etc. may be exaggerated. The same reference numerals represent the same elements. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any combination and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items. In addition, when describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, the use of "may" relates to "one or more embodiments of the present disclosure". When expressions such as "at least one (kind / person) in ... " and "any one (kind / person) in ... " are placed after a column of elements, they modify the entire column of elements, rather than modifying the individual elements in the column. When phrases such as "at least one (kind / person) in A, B, and C", "at least one (kind / person) in A, B, or C", "at least one (kind / person) selected from the group of A, B, and C" or "at least one (kind / person) selected from A, B, and C" are used to represent a column of elements A, B, and C, the phrase may refer to any suitable combination (or subset) and all suitable combinations (or subsets) of A, B, and C, such as A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. As used herein, the term "use" and variations thereof may be considered synonymous with the term "utilize" and variations thereof, respectively. As used herein, the terms "substantially," "about," and similar terms are used as terms of approximation rather than as terms of degree, and are intended to account for the inherent deviations in measurements or calculations that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize.

[0031] It will be understood that, although the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or part from another element, component, region, layer or part. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments, the first element, first component, first region, first layer or first part discussed below may be named as the second element, second component, second region, second layer or second part.

[0032] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "under", "below", "below", "above", "on", etc. may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or features as shown in the figure. It will be understood that, in addition to the orientation depicted in the figure, the spatially relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figure is turned over, the elements described as "under" or "below" other elements or features will then be oriented to be "above" or "on" the other elements or features. Therefore, the term "under" can cover both above and below. The device can be oriented otherwise (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

[0033] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing the embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, as used herein, the singular forms "one" and "a (kind / person)" are also intended to include plural forms. It will also be understood that when the terms "include", "comprise" and / or its variations are used in this specification, the stated features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components are indicated, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or their groups are not excluded.

[0034] In addition, any numerical range disclosed and / or described herein is intended to include all sub-ranges of the same numerical precision contained in the described range. For example, the range of "1.0 to 10.0" is intended to include all sub-ranges between the described minimum value 1.0 and the described maximum value 10.0 (and including the described minimum value 1.0 and the described maximum value 10.0), that is, a minimum value equal to or greater than 1.0 and a maximum value equal to or less than 10.0, such as 2.4 to 7.6. Any maximum numerical limit described herein is intended to include all lower numerical limits contained therein, and any minimum numerical limit described in this specification is intended to include all higher numerical limits contained therein. Therefore, the applicant reserves the right to amend this specification (including claims) to explicitly describe any sub-range contained in the scope explicitly described here. All these ranges are intended to be inherently described in this specification so that the modification of any such sub-range explicitly described will meet the requirements of patent registration.

[0035] Referring to two compared elements, features, etc. as "the same" may mean that they are "substantially the same." Thus, the phrase "substantially the same" may include situations with deviations that are considered low in the art (e.g., 5% or less). Additionally, when a parameter is referred to as being uniform in a given area, this may mean that it is uniform with respect to an average value.

[0036] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise specified, each element may be in the singular or in the plural.

[0037] Disposing an arbitrary element “on (or under)” or “on (or under)” another element may mean that the arbitrary element may be disposed in contact with the upper (or lower) surface of the element, and may mean that other elements may also be interposed between the element and the arbitrary element disposed on (or under) the element.

[0038] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise stated, when "A and / or B" is stated, it means A, B, or A and B. That is, "and / or" includes any combination or all combinations of the listed multiple items. Unless otherwise stated, when "C to D" is stated, it means C or greater and D or less.

[0039] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 1A is a top perspective view of a prismatic secondary battery according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 1B According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 1A A cross-sectional view taken along line II'.

[0041] First, we will describe Figure 1A Appearance of a prismatic secondary battery shown in FIG.

[0042] The case 51 defines the overall appearance of the prismatic secondary battery and may be made of a conductive metal such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or nickel-plated steel. In addition, the case 51 may provide a space therein for accommodating an electrode assembly.

[0043] The cap assembly 60 may include a cap plate 61 covering an opening of the housing 51. In some examples, the housing 51 and the cap plate 61 may be made of a conductive material. Here, the first terminal 62 and the second terminal 63 may be electrically connected to the corresponding positive electrode and negative electrode (or negative electrode and positive electrode) inside the housing through a connecting member 67, and may be installed to protrude outward through the cap plate 61.

[0044] The cap plate 61 may be provided with an electrolyte injection port 64 formed to mount a sealing plug (or sealing pin) and a vent 66 formed with a notch 65. The vent 66 is for exhausting gas generated inside the secondary battery.

[0045] Reference Figure 1B , the internal structure of the prismatic secondary battery and the coupling structure with the cap assembly 60 will be further described.

[0046] like Figure 1B As shown in , a prismatic secondary battery may include an electrode assembly 40 , a first current collector 41 , a first terminal 62 , a second current collector 42 , a second terminal 63 , a case 51 , and a cap assembly 60 .

[0047] The electrode assembly 40 can be formed by winding or stacking a stack of a first electrode plate, a separator, and a second electrode plate formed into a thin plate or a film. When the electrode assembly 40 is a wound stack, the winding axis can be parallel to the length direction of the shell 51. In some other embodiments, the electrode assembly 40 is a stacked type rather than a wound type, and the shape of the electrode assembly 40 is not limited in the present disclosure. In addition, the electrode assembly 40 can be a Z stacked electrode assembly, in which the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate are inserted into both sides of the separator bent into the Z stack. In addition, one or more electrode assemblies can be stacked so that the long sides of the electrode assembly are adjacent to each other and accommodated in the shell, and the number of electrode assemblies in the shell is not limited in the present disclosure. The first electrode plate of the electrode assembly can be used as a negative electrode, and the second electrode plate can be used as a positive electrode. Of course, the opposite is also possible.

[0048] The first electrode plate may be formed by applying a first electrode active material such as graphite, carbon, etc. to a first electrode current collector formed of a metal foil such as copper, copper alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, etc. The first electrode plate may include a first electrode terminal tab 43 (e.g., a first uncoated portion) as an area where the first electrode active material is not applied. The first electrode terminal tab 43 may serve as a current flow path between the first electrode plate and the first current collector 41. In some embodiments, the first electrode terminal tab 43 is formed by being pre-cut when manufacturing the first electrode plate to protrude to one side of the electrode assembly 40, or the first electrode terminal tab 43 protrudes to one side of the electrode assembly 40 to exceed (e.g., far from or beyond) the separator without requiring separate cutting.

[0049] The second electrode plate may be formed by coating a second electrode active material such as a transition metal oxide on a second electrode current collector formed of a metal foil such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The second electrode plate may include a second electrode terminal tab 44 (e.g., a second uncoated portion) as an area where the second electrode active material is not coated. The second electrode terminal tab 44 may serve as a current flow path between the second electrode plate and the second current collector 42. In some embodiments, the second electrode terminal tab 44 may be formed by being pre-cut when manufacturing the second electrode plate to protrude to the other side (e.g., the opposite side) of the electrode assembly, or the second electrode plate may protrude to the other side of the electrode assembly to exceed (e.g., far from or beyond) the separator without the need for separate cutting.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first electrode tab 43 is located on the right side of the electrode assembly 40, and the second electrode tab 44 may be located on the left side of the electrode assembly 40. In some other embodiments, the first electrode tab 43 and the second electrode tab 44 are located on one side of the electrode assembly 40 in the same direction. Figure 1BThe left side and the right side are defined by the secondary battery oriented therein, and the positions of the left side and the right side may change when the secondary battery is rotated left to right or up to down.

[0051] The separator prevents or substantially reduces short circuits between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate while allowing lithium ions to move between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate. The separator may be composed of, for example, a polyethylene film, a polypropylene film, a polyethylene-polypropylene film, or the like.

[0052] The first electrode tab 43 of the first electrode plate and the second electrode tab 44 of the second electrode plate may be positioned at both ends (e.g., opposite ends) of the electrode assembly 40. In some embodiments, the electrode assembly 40 is housed in the case 51 together with the electrolyte. In addition, in the electrode assembly 40, the first current collector 41 and the second current collector 42 may be welded and connected to the first electrode tab 43 of the first electrode plate and the second electrode tab 44 of the second electrode plate exposed on both sides, respectively, and then positioned at the first electrode tab 43 of the first electrode plate and the second electrode tab 44 of the second electrode plate, respectively.

[0053] Figure 1C is a schematic exploded perspective view of a prismatic secondary battery according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0054] exist Figure 1B The electrode assembly 40 inserted into the case 51 and the cap plate 61 covering the top of the case 51 are shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. Figure 1C Also shown are disassembled first and second current collectors 41 and 42. As described above, first and second current collectors 41 and 42 may electrically connect first and second electrode tabs 43 and 44 exposed to both sides of electrode assembly 40 to first and second terminals 62 and 63, respectively.

[0055] In the prismatic secondary battery, an insulator may be disposed on upper and lower surfaces and left and right side surfaces of the electrode assembly 40 to electrically insulate the electrode assembly 40 from the cap plate 61 and the case 51 .

[0056] For example, the upper insulator 53 may be placed between the upper surface of the electrode assembly 40 and the cap plate 61, and the lower insulator may be placed between the lower surface of the electrode assembly 40 and the inner lower side of the case 51. The upper insulator 53 is responsible for insulation between the electrode assembly 40 and the cap plate 61. The lower insulator may be manufactured in the form of a plate or sheet, and may be placed between the lower surface of the electrode assembly 40 and the inner lower side of the case 51 facing the lower surface of the electrode assembly 40.

[0057] In addition, side insulators, ie, the right side insulator 52 a and the left side insulator 52 b , may be interposed between right and left side surfaces of the electrode assembly 40 and inner opposing surfaces of the case 51 , respectively.

[0058] The side insulators and the lower insulator are also referred to as retainers because they also serve as supports between the case 51 and the electrode assembly 40. Hereinafter, the side insulators 52a, 52b are referred to as side retainers, and the lower insulator is referred to as a bottom retainer.

[0059] The side retainers 52a, 52b may be attached to cover the first current collector 41 and the second current collector 42 joined to both sides of the electrode assembly 40. The shape and attachment method of the side retainers 52a, 52b may be implemented in various suitable ways according to the shape and configuration of the secondary battery. For example, the side retainers 52a, 52b may attach the upper ends to both ends of the upper insulator 53 by hooking or protruding insertion. As another example, the side retainers 52a, 52b may attach the upper ends to both ends of the cap plate 61 by hooking or protruding insertion.

[0060] According to an example of a conventional secondary battery, the side retainers 52 a , 52 b may each have a thickness of about 0.2 mm.

[0061] Figure 1C A prismatic secondary battery having a height of about 100 mm, a width of about 200 mm, and a depth of about 30 mm is shown. Recently, the size of prismatic batteries has become larger, manifested as large batteries, tall batteries, and long batteries. In particular, as large prismatic batteries (battery cells) are fully enlarged in height, width, and length (e.g., 245×250×63 mm), ensuring mechanical rigidity is becoming a new challenge.

[0062] An insertion gap may be set between each side retainer 52a, 52b and the opposing surface inside the case 51 to facilitate inserting the electrode assembly 40 into the case 51 when manufacturing the secondary battery (see, for example, Fig. 6A and Figure 6B ). For example, the insertion gap may be set to about 0.6 mm.

[0063] Figure 2 A prismatic secondary battery having another structure to which the present disclosure is applicable is shown, which is an example of the above-mentioned large prismatic battery. Figure 1B and Figure 1C different, Figure 2 2 shows a structure in which the first electrode tab 210 and the second electrode tab 220 are located at the top of the electrode assembly 200 (so-called top tab structure). The first current collector 230 and the second current collector 240 may be joined to the first electrode tab 210 and the second electrode tab 220 by laser plate welding (LPW) or any other suitable method. For reference, the above Figure 1B and Figure 1CA so-called side tab structure is shown, in which a first electrode tab 43 and a second electrode tab 44 are located at both sides of the electrode assembly 40 .

[0064] Figure 2 The large prismatic secondary battery shown in FIG. 1 may include an electrode assembly 200 inserted into a case 100, a cap assembly 300 including a cap plate 310 located on the top of the electrode assembly 200 and joined to the case 100, an upper insulator 410 for insulating between the top of the electrode assembly 200 and the cap plate 310, a lower insulator (or bottom retainer) 420 for insulating between the bottom of the electrode assembly 200 and the case 100, and side insulators (or side retainers) 430a, 430b for insulating between both sides of the electrode assembly 200 and the case 100. The cap assembly 300 may include a first terminal 320a and a second terminal 320b assembled to the cap plate 310, a vent 330, other electrolyte injection ports, and the like.

[0065] Here, the electrode assembly 200 may be in the form of a pole core, but is not limited thereto, and may also be in the form of a stack, for example. In the sense that the electrode assembly 200 is placed in a space defined by the upper insulator 410, the bottom retainer 420, and the side retainers 430a, 430b, the upper insulator 410, the bottom retainer 420, and the side retainers 430a, 430b are also referred to as an insulator box (hereinafter, the reference numerals 430a and 430b of the right retainer and the left retainer will be collectively referred to as 430).

[0066] Even in Figure 2 In the case of the secondary battery shown in , the side retainers 430a, 430b may have upper ends attached to both ends of the upper insulator 410 or the cap plate 310 by hooking or protruding insertion. The side retainers 430a, 430b may have lower ends attached to both ends of the lower insulator 420 by hooking or protruding insertion.

[0067] In the structure of this large battery, the weight of the electrode assembly 200 having a plurality of stacked large-area electrode plates is significantly increased (e.g., 6 times) compared to the existing battery. Therefore, when the current collectors are joined to each other by the existing joining method LPW, stress is concentrated on the weld bead of LPW (e.g., stress is concentrated in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the weld bead is formed), which deteriorates the strength of the welded joint. In addition, the electrode assembly 200 may be misaligned or tilted in the housing 100 due to shaking or falling of the battery during logistics movement.

[0068] In order to solve this problem, a holder structure and a secondary battery including the holder structure are provided to ensure mechanical rigidity in the width direction of the battery and further in the length direction and height direction of the battery.

[0069] Figure 3A and Figure 3B is a view showing a configuration of a side retainer according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0070] A pressing member 432 is added to each side retainer 430, and the pressing member 432 is configured to press the housing 100 (see, e.g. Figure 2 ) to apply pressure to the inner surface of the housing to provide a cushioning effect in the space between the side retainer 430 and the inner opposing surface of the housing.

[0071] Figure 3A An example is shown in which one of the pressing members 432 is located at a substantially midpoint of the side retainer 430 . Figure 3B An example is shown in which one pressing member 432 is located at the midpoint of the side retainer 430 and the other pressing member 432 is located at the bottom of the side retainer 430 .

[0072] although Figure 3A and Figure 3B The side retainer 430 in which the pressing member 432 is added to the retainer is shown, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the pressing member 433 (see, for example, Figure 5B ) can also be added to the bottom retainer 420 (see e.g. Figure 2 ). The pressing member 433 added to the bottom retainer 420 may serve as a buffer between the bottom of the electrode assembly 200 and the lower side of the case 100 facing the bottom of the electrode assembly 200, thereby ensuring vertical rigidity of the battery.

[0073] In this way, by adding pressing members 432 and / or 433 to the side retainer 430 and / or the bottom retainer 420, the pressing members 432 and / or 433 can be used as buffers in the space between the shell 100 and the electrode assembly 200, thereby ensuring the mechanical rigidity of the battery in the horizontal direction (i.e., width direction) and / or vertical direction (i.e., height direction).

[0074] In order to add the pressing members 432 , 433 and ensure the buffering effect of the pressing members 432 , 433 , the thickness and / or width of the side retainer 430 or the bottom retainer 420 may preferably be further increased from the conventional thickness level of about 0.2 mm.

[0075] Figure 4 One possible example of a pressing member 432 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4 The pressing member 432 shown in the example of FIG. 4 is in the form of a hook and is configured to move elastically.

[0076] For example, the pressing member 432 (or 433) may include a cutout portion 434 formed by cutting a portion of the side retainer 430 (or the bottom retainer 420) to form an empty space, and an elastic movable body 440 having one end as a fixed end 436 fixedly coupled to (e.g., fixed / attached to) the cutout portion 434 and the other end as a pressing end 438 that moves in the cutout portion 434 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the side retainer 430 (or the bottom retainer 420). Figure 4 The pressing member 432 shown in FIG. 4 may be defined as an upper fixed / lower movable type.

[0077] Figure 5A and Figure 5B It is used to explain some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 A diagram showing the position and function of a pressing member in a secondary battery shown in FIG.

[0078] The pressing member 432 (or 433) may be selectively installed at various suitable positions. The pressing member 432 (or 433) may be positioned at a position where the side retainer 430 (or the bottom retainer 420) contacts the inner corner of the housing 100, and / or the pressing member 432 (or 433) may be positioned at a position other than the position where the side retainer 430 (or the bottom retainer 420) contacts the inner corner of the housing 100. Figure 5A In the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the pressing member 432 is shown to be installed in the middle and lower corners of each side retainer 430 . However, in some other embodiments, the pressing member 432 is installed in the top corner, the middle and the lower corner of each side retainer 430 .

[0079] In some other embodiments, such as Figure 5B As shown in FIG. 4 , the pressing member 433 is added to the bottom retainer 420 together with the side retainer 430 or independently of the side retainer 430. This may provide a buffering effect against vertical (ie, height) movement of the electrode assembly 200 within the case 100.

[0080] Fig. 6A According to some embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 5A 4 is an enlarged view of a portion A of the side retainer 430 for illustrating the function of the pressing member 432 located in the middle of the side retainer 430. Fig. 6A It is shown that the elastic repulsive force generated by inserting the side retainer 430 into the housing 100 and pressing the apex of the pressing end 438 on the inner surface of the housing 100 applies pressure to the inner surface of the housing 100. As a result, the insertion gap G set between the side retainer and the opposing surface of the housing as described above is offset by the pressing end 438, so that the mechanical rigidity in the width direction of the battery can be ensured or it is very easy to ensure and the buffer effect can be obtained.

[0081] Figure 6B According to some embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 5A The enlarged view of part B is used to illustrate the role of the pressing member 432 located at the bottom of the side retainer 430. Figure 6B , it is shown that the elastic repulsive force generated by pressing the vertex of the pressing end 438 against the inner surface of the corner 110 where the side and bottom of the housing 100 meet applies pressure to the inner surface of the corner 110 of the housing 100. As a result, the insertion gap G is offset by the pressing end 438, so that in addition to the width direction of the battery, mechanical rigidity in the vertical direction can be ensured and a buffering effect can be obtained.

[0082] exist Figure 6B , reference numeral 112 denotes a protrusion produced at the bottom of the housing 100 during the manufacture of the housing 100, which protrudes upward from the inner surface of the bottom of the housing 100. In some embodiments, the bottom retainer 420 has a groove 421 formed on the bottom thereof to match the above-mentioned lower protrusion 112. By coupling the lower protrusion 112 to the groove 421, the bottom retainer 420 can be securely placed on the lower side of the housing 100. In some other embodiments, the side retainer 430 has a groove 431 formed on the bottom thereof to match the above-mentioned lower protrusion 112. By coupling the lower protrusion 112 to the groove 431, the side retainer 430 can be securely placed on the corner 110 of the housing 100.

[0083] Various exemplary pressing members will now be described.

[0084] according to Fig. 7A and Figure 7B In the example shown in , the first pressing member 432a and the second pressing member 432b may be arranged laterally on one side retainer 430 (and / or the bottom retainer 420) to increase the pressing force. Fig. 7A It is shown that two pressing members are arranged, but the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and more than two pressing members may be arranged laterally.

[0085] Fig. 7A is corresponding to Figure 3A 4 and illustrates that a pair of first pressing members 432 a and second pressing members 432 b are located at approximately the midpoint of the side retainer 430 . Figure 7B is corresponding to Figure 3B 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a view of an embodiment of the present invention, and shows that a pair of first pressing members 432a and second pressing members 432b are located at each of the midpoint and the bottom of the side retainer 430.

[0086] Figure 8 Some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown Figure 4A modified example of the upper fixed / lower movable pressing member 432 in FIG. Figure 4 In contrast to the shape shown in Figure 8 , it is shown that the lower fixed / upper movable pressing member 432 ′ is installed on the holder 430.

[0087] According to another example, it is possible to use Figure 4 and Figure 8 Combination of two pressing members 432, 432' of the type in. For example, Fig. 9 As shown in Figure 8 The lower fixed / upper movable pressing member 432' shown in FIG. 4 can be applied at the midpoint of the side retainer 430, and as shown in FIG. Figure 4 The upper fixed / lower movable pressing member 432 shown in FIG. 4 may be applied to the bottom of the side retainer 430 .

[0088] Fig.10 Yet another exemplary pressing member 432 is shown according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig.10 4 is a cross-sectional view of a pressing member 432 formed on a side retainer 430 (and / or a bottom retainer 420). The pressing member 432 according to this example has a structure in which an approximately hemispherical pressing portion 442 can be supported by elastic supports 444 on both sides thereof to elastically move approximately perpendicularly or transversely to the surface of the retainer 430.

[0089] Fig.11A Still another exemplary pressing member 432 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In this example, the pressing member 432 is in the form of a leaf spring. In the previous examples, the pressing member 432 has been described as being integral with the retainer 430, 420. However, in Fig.11A (and e.g. Fig. 11B ), the pressing member 432 will be described as being separated from the retainers 430 , 420 .

[0090] A cutout portion 446 may be formed in the side retainer 430 (and / or the bottom retainer 420), and an elastically movable body in the form of a leaf spring may be movably installed in the cutout portion 446 approximately perpendicularly or transversely to the surface of the retainer. The pressing member 432 in the form of a leaf spring may include a fixed portion 450 fixedly coupled to (e.g., fixed / attached to) the retainer 430, a fastener 452 for fixedly coupling the fixed portion 450 to (e.g., fixed / attached to) the retainer 430, and an elastically movable portion 448, which is freely movable relative to the fixed portion 450 within the cutout portion 446 due to elasticity to press against the inner surface of the housing 100.

[0091] Fig. 11B A modified example of a pressing member 432 in the form of a leaf spring according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The pressing member 432 according to this example may include a fixing portion 450 fixedly coupled to (e.g., fixed / attached to) a holder 430, a through hole 454 formed in the fixing portion 450, and an elastic movable portion 448, which freely moves relative to the fixing portion 450 within the cutout portion 446 due to elasticity to press against the inner surface of the housing 100. The through hole 454 is coupled to a protrusion 447 formed in the holder 430 by heat welding, ultrasonic welding, or any other suitable method to stabilize the fixing portion 450.

[0092] exist Fig.11A and Fig. 11B In the example of , the elastically movable portion 448 can be made of at least a non-conductive material. However, depending on the design of the retainer, the elastically movable portion 448 can also be made of a conductive material.

[0093] A method of manufacturing the secondary battery having the above-described structure will be described.

[0094] The method of manufacturing a secondary battery according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes: manufacturing an electrode assembly 200; manufacturing a shell 100 embedded with the electrode assembly 200; manufacturing a retainer (i.e., the above-mentioned side retainer 430 and bottom retainer 420) located between the electrode assembly 200 and the shell 100 when the electrode assembly 200 is embedded in the shell 100; and manufacturing a pressing member 432 for applying pressure to the shell 100 from the side retainer 430 and / or the bottom retainer 420 when the electrode assembly 200 is embedded in the shell 100.

[0095] Here, as described above, in manufacturing the retainer, the retainer may be a side retainer 430 located between the side of the electrode assembly 200 and the side of the case 100. Additionally or alternatively, the retainer may be a bottom retainer 420 located between the lower surface of the electrode assembly 200 and the case 100.

[0096] In describing the manufacture of the pressing member, since the pressing member 432 may be the same or substantially the same as the above-described pressing member, a detailed description of the pressing member may not be repeated.

[0097] In some embodiments, the pressing member 432 is integrally manufactured with the retainer 430 (see, for example, Figure 3A , Figure 3B , Figure 4 , Fig. 7A , Figure 7B , Figure 8 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10). Examples of the integrated manufacturing method may include parallel (eg, simultaneous) injection or insert injection using a single mold or a plurality of molds, or parallel (eg, simultaneous) molding using a 3D printer.

[0098] In some other embodiments, the pressing member 432 and the retainer 430 are manufactured separately (see, for example, Fig.11A and Fig. 11B ). Examples of separate manufacturing methods may include manufacturing the retainer body (by, for example, injection molding, 3D printing, etc.), manufacturing a separate pressing member (by, for example, injection molding, 3D printing, pressing, etc.), and then fastening or bonding them for assembly.

[0099] Hereinafter, any material that can be used for the secondary battery according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

[0100] As the positive electrode active material, a compound capable of reversibly inserting and extracting lithium (eg, a lithiated inserting compound) may be used. For example, at least one composite oxide of lithium and a metal selected from cobalt, manganese, nickel or a combination thereof may be used.

[0101] The composite oxide may be a lithium transition metal composite oxide, and examples thereof may include lithium nickel-based oxides, lithium cobalt-based oxides, lithium manganese-based oxides, lithium iron phosphate-based compounds, nickel manganese-based oxides not containing cobalt, or combinations thereof.

[0102] As an example, a compound represented by any one of the following formulae may be used as the composite oxide: Li a A 1- b X b O 2-c D c (0.90≤a≤1.8, 0≤b≤0.5, 0≤c≤0.05); Li a Mn 2-b X b O 4-c D c (0.90≤a≤1.8, 0≤b≤0.5, 0≤c≤0.05); Li a Ni 1-b-c Co b X c O 2-α D α (0.90≤a≤1.8, 0≤b≤0.5, 0≤c≤0.5, 0<α<2); Li a Ni 1-b-c Mn b X c O 2-α D α(0.90≤a≤1.8, 0≤b≤0.5, 0≤c≤0.5, 0<α<2); Li a Ni b Co c L 1 d G e O 2 (0.90≤a≤1.8, 0≤b≤0.9, 0≤c≤0.5, 0≤d≤0.5, 0≤e≤0.1); Li a NeG b O 2 (0.90≤a≤1.8, 0.001≤b≤0.1); Li a CoG b O 2 (0.90≤a≤1.8, 0.001≤b≤0.1); Li a Mn 1-b G b O 2 (0.90≤a≤1.8, 0.001≤b≤0.1); Li a Mn 2 G b O 4 (0.90≤a≤1.8, 0.001≤b≤0.1); Li a Mn 1-g G g PO 4 (0.90≤a≤1.8, 0≤g≤0.5); Li (3-f) Fe 2 (PO 4 ) 3 (0≤f≤2);Li a FePO 4 (0.90≤a≤1.8); etc.

[0103] In the above formula: A is Ni, Co, Mn or a combination thereof; X is Al, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, Fe, Mg, Sr, V, a rare earth element or a combination thereof; D is O, F, S, P or a combination thereof; G is Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Mg, La, Ce, Sr, V or a combination thereof; and L 1 It is Mn, Al or a combination thereof.

[0104] A positive electrode for a lithium secondary battery may include a current collector and a positive electrode active material layer formed on the current collector. The positive electrode active material layer may include a positive electrode active material, and may further include a binder and / or a conductive material.

[0105] In some examples, based on 100 wt% of the positive electrode active material layer, the content of the positive electrode active material can be in the range of about 90 wt% to about 99.5 wt%, and based on 100 wt% of the positive electrode active material layer, the contents of the binder and the conductive material can be in the range of about 0.5 wt% to about 5 wt% respectively.

[0106] The current collector can be aluminum (Al), but is not limited thereto.

[0107] The negative electrode active material can include materials capable of reversibly inserting / extracting lithium ions, lithium metal, alloys of lithium metal, materials capable of doping and dedoping lithium, transition metal oxides, etc.

[0108] The material capable of reversibly inserting / extracting lithium ions can be a carbon-based negative electrode active material, which can include, for example, crystalline carbon, amorphous carbon, or a combination thereof. Examples of crystalline carbon can include graphite such as natural graphite or artificial graphite, and examples of amorphous carbon can include soft carbon, hard carbon, pitch carbide, mesophase pitch carbide, sintered coke, etc.

[0109] Si-based negative electrode active materials or Sn-based negative electrode active materials can be used as materials capable of doping and dedoping lithium. The Si-based negative electrode active material can be silicon, a silicon-carbon composite, SiO x (0 < x < 2), Si-based alloys, or a combination thereof.

[0110] The silicon-carbon composite can be a composite of silicon and amorphous carbon. According to some embodiments, the silicon-carbon composite is in the form of silicon particles and amorphous carbon coated on the surface of the silicon particles.

[0111] The silicon-carbon composite can also include crystalline carbon. For example, the silicon-carbon composite can include a core containing crystalline carbon and silicon particles and an amorphous carbon coating on the surface of the core.

[0112] The negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery can include a current collector and a negative electrode active material layer provided on the current collector. The negative electrode active material layer can include a negative electrode active material, and can also include a binder and / or a conductive material.

[0113] For example, the negative electrode active material layer can include about 90 wt% to about 99 wt% of the negative electrode active material, about 0.5 wt% to about 5 wt% of the binder, and about 0 wt% to about 5 wt% of the conductive material.

[0114] A non-aqueous binder, an aqueous binder, a dry binder, or a combination thereof can be used as the binder. When using an aqueous binder as the negative electrode binder, a cellulose-based compound capable of imparting viscosity can also be included.

[0115] As the negative electrode current collector, one selected from copper foil, nickel foil, stainless steel foil, titanium foil, nickel foam, copper foam, a conductive metal-coated polymer substrate, or a combination thereof may be used.

[0116] The electrolyte for the lithium secondary battery may include a non-aqueous organic solvent, a lithium salt, and the like.

[0117] The nonaqueous organic solvent serves as a medium through which ions participating in the electrochemical reaction of the battery can move.

[0118] The non-aqueous organic solvent may be a carbonate-based solvent, an ester-based solvent, an ether-based solvent, a ketone-based solvent, an alcohol-based solvent, an aprotic solvent, and may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0119] In addition, when a carbonate-based solvent is used, a mixture of a cyclic carbonate and a chain carbonate may be used.

[0120] Depending on the type of lithium secondary battery, a separator may be present between a first electrode plate (eg, a negative electrode) and a second electrode plate (eg, a positive electrode). The separator may include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, or a multilayer film of two or more layers thereof.

[0121] The separator may include a porous substrate and a coating on one or both surfaces of the porous substrate, the coating including an organic material, an inorganic material, or a combination thereof.

[0122] The organic material may include a polyvinylidene fluoride-based polymer or a (meth)acrylic polymer.

[0123] The inorganic material may include a 2 O 3 、SiO 2 、TiO 2 SnO 2 、CeO 2 , MgO, NiO, CaO, GaO, ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 、SrTiO 3 、BaTiO 3 Mg(OH) 2 , boehmite or inorganic particles of a combination thereof, but not limited thereto.

[0124] The organic material and the inorganic material may be mixed in one coating layer, or may be in the form of a coating layer containing an organic material and a coating layer containing an inorganic material stacked on each other.

[0125] Fig.12is an exemplary view of a secondary battery module in which prismatic secondary batteries are arranged according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As the capacity of secondary batteries for driving electric vehicles and the like increases, a secondary battery module can be manufactured by arranging and connecting multiple secondary batteries horizontally and / or vertically. Multiple secondary batteries can be arranged in a space defined by a pair of facing end plates 71a, 71b and a pair of facing side plates 72a, 72b. The secondary batteries can be appropriately designed with a suitable arrangement (e.g., direction) and quantity to obtain the desired voltage and current capacity.

[0126] Fig.13 Schematically illustrates the configuration of a battery pack 80 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig.13 The battery pack 80 may include components to which individual batteries are electrically connected and a battery pack housing that accommodates the components. In the drawings, for ease of explanation, components including bus bars, cooling units, external terminals for electrically connecting batteries, etc. are not shown.

[0127] The battery pack 80 may be mounted on (or in) a vehicle. The vehicle may be, for example, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The vehicle may be a four-wheel vehicle or a two-wheel vehicle, but is not limited thereto. Fig.14 The lower body of the vehicle is shown to include Fig.13 . The vehicle V may be operated by receiving power from the battery pack 80 (eg, may be powered by receiving power from the battery pack 80 ).

[0128] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Within the spirit of the present disclosure, within the scope of the attached claims and their equivalents, those skilled in the art may make various suitable modifications and changes to the embodiments.

Claims

1. A secondary battery, comprising: a housing having an opening formed at least at one end of the housing; an electrode assembly housed in the housing; a current collector electrically connected to the electrode assembly; a cover plate in the opening of the housing; a retainer between the electrode assembly and the housing; as well as A pressing member is configured to apply pressure from the holder to the housing.

2. The secondary battery according to claim 1, further comprising an insulator between the electrode assembly and the cap plate, in, The retainer is at least one of a side retainer between one side of the electrode assembly and an opposing surface of the shell and connected to one of the cover plate and the insulator, or a bottom retainer between a lower surface of the electrode assembly and an opposing surface of the shell.

3. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein The pressing member is positioned at a position where the holder contacts an inner corner of the housing.

4. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein The pressing member is at a position other than a position where the holder contacts an inner corner of the housing.

5. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein The pressing member is an elastic movable body, and the elastic movable body includes: a fixed end fixedly coupled to the retainer; and The pressing end is configured to be pressed toward the housing by moving relative to the fixing end.

6. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein: The housing includes a lower protrusion protruding upward from an inner surface of a bottom of the housing; and The retainer has a groove matching with the lower protrusion.

7. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein The pressing member comprises: a pressing portion configured to be pressed toward an opposite surface of the housing; and An elastic support member is configured to elastically support the pressing portion toward the holder.

8. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein The pressing member comprises: a fixing portion fixedly coupled to the holder; and The elastically movable portion is configured to be pressed toward the housing by being elastically moved relative to the fixed portion.

9. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein The pressing member is formed integrally with the holder.

10. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein The pressing member is separated from the holder.

11. A holder for a secondary battery, the secondary battery comprising: a housing having an opening formed at least at one end of the housing; an electrode assembly housed in the housing; a current collector electrically connected to the electrode assembly; and a cap plate mounted in the opening of the case, the holder including a pressing member between the electrode assembly and the case to apply pressure to the case.

12. The holder according to claim 11, wherein: The secondary battery further includes an insulator between the electrode assembly and the cap plate, and Wherein, the retainer is at least one of a side retainer or a bottom retainer, the side retainer is between one side of the electrode assembly and the opposite surface of the shell and connected to one of the cover plate and the insulator, and the bottom retainer is between the lower surface of the electrode assembly and the opposite surface of the shell.

13. The holder according to claim 11, wherein: The pressing member is an elastic movable body, and the elastic movable body includes: a fixed end fixedly coupled to the retainer; and The pressing end is configured to be pressed toward the housing by moving relative to the fixing end.

14. The holder according to claim 11, wherein: The pressing member is formed integrally with the holder.

15. The holder according to claim 11, wherein: The pressing member is separated from the holder.

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