Bus bar assembly and battery module including the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bus bar assembly and a battery module comprising the same, the bus bar assembly having a shape that is easily changed to be connected to a secondary battery comprising various types of electrode leads so as to be applied to battery modules of various shapes, and being fixed without separate additional members, therefore, the efficiency of the manufacturing process is improved. According to the present invention, a bus bar assembly may comprise: a pair of bus bars crossing each other; a shaft that hingedly connects the pair of bus bars by being provided at a position where the pair of bus bars intersect each other; and an elastic member connected between the pair of bus bars.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0181897, filed on December 22, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0186183, filed on December 19, 2023, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. Technical Field

[0004] The present invention relates to a bus bar assembly and a battery module including the same, and more particularly, to a bus bar assembly through which chargeable and dischargeable secondary batteries are electrically connected to each other and a battery module including the same. Background Art

[0005] In recent years, energy prices have risen due to the depletion of fossil fuels, concerns about environmental pollution have increased, and the demand for environmentally friendly alternative energy is becoming an indispensable factor in future life. Therefore, research on various power generation technologies such as solar energy, wind energy, and tidal energy is underway, and power storage devices such as batteries that can more efficiently use the generated electrical energy are also receiving great attention.

[0006] Furthermore, as technology develops and demand for electronic mobile devices and electric vehicles using batteries increases, demand for batteries as energy sources is rapidly increasing. Consequently, much research has been conducted on batteries that can meet various demands.

[0007] Batteries that store electrical energy can generally be divided into primary batteries and secondary batteries. Primary batteries are disposable, consumable batteries. Secondary batteries, on the other hand, are rechargeable batteries made from materials that undergo a repeated redox reaction between an electric current and the material. In other words, when an electric current is passed through the material to perform a reduction reaction, the battery is charged. When an electric current is passed through the material to perform an oxidation reaction, the battery is discharged. This repeated charging and discharging process generates electricity.

[0008] Secondary batteries can be divided into cylindrical battery cells, soft-pack battery cells and square battery cells according to their shapes. Among them, the soft-pack battery cell may include an electrode assembly in which a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator are stacked in a soft pack.

[0009] The plurality of secondary batteries described above may be housed in a frame to constitute a battery module. Here, the battery module may include bus bars connected to electrode leads of the secondary batteries so as to electrically connect the plurality of secondary batteries to each other.

[0010] Recently, various types of battery modules have been developed, and secondary batteries including various types of electrode leads are being developed to be disposed within the frames of the battery modules. In this regard, since bus bars have a fixed shape that is difficult to deform, there is a problem that the bus bars cannot be applied to various types of battery modules by being connected to secondary batteries including various types of electrode leads.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need for a bus bar assembly applicable to various types of battery modules by being connected to secondary batteries including various types of electrode leads, and a battery module including the same. Summary of the Invention

[0012] Technical issues

[0013] An object of the present invention is to provide a bus bar assembly that is easily modified to be applicable to various types of battery modules, and a battery module including the bus bar assembly.

[0014] Technical Solution

[0015] The bus bar assembly according to the present invention may include: a pair of bus bars crossing each other; a shaft provided at positions where the pair of bus bars cross each other to hinge-connect the pair of bus bars; and an elastic member connected between the pair of bus bars.

[0016] Each of the pair of bus bars may include a connection hole formed at a position where the pair of bus bars cross each other and penetrates from one surface to the other surface, wherein the shaft may be inserted into the connection hole to connect the pair of bus bars to each other.

[0017] The shaft may include a polymer having a lower melting point than the bus bar.

[0018] The pair of bus bars may include: a first bus bar; and a second bus bar having a width smaller than that of the first bus bar, wherein the first bus bar may be disposed at a position intersecting the second bus bar and include an insertion hole penetrating therethrough in a manner enabling the second bus bar to be inserted.

[0019] The first bus bar may include a first connection hole formed on each of both sides of the insertion hole and having a shape extending from one surface to the other surface, and the second bus bar may include a second connection hole formed at a position intersecting the first bus bar and having a shape extending from one surface to the other surface, wherein the shaft may be inserted into the first connection hole and the second connection hole to connect the first bus bar and the second bus bar to each other.

[0020] The battery module according to the present invention includes: a battery cell stack, the battery cell stack including a first battery cell and a second battery cell; and a bus bar assembly, the bus bar assembly being configured to electrically connect the first battery cell and the second battery cell to each other, wherein the bus bar assembly includes: a pair of bus bars, the pair of bus bars being in contact with the first battery cell and the second battery cell, respectively; and an elastic member, the elastic member being configured to provide a force toward the first battery cell and the second battery cell to the pair of bus bars so that the pair of bus bars are in contact with the first battery cell and the second battery cell.

[0021] Each of the first battery cell and the second battery cell may include: an exterior in which a hole is formed; and an electrode lead, the electrode lead being disposed on an inner side of the exterior and exposed to the outer side of the exterior through the hole, and each bus bar being disposed to enter the inner side of the exterior through the hole so as to be elastically movable between a first position electrically connected to the electrode lead and a second position disposed on the outside of the exterior.

[0022] The bus bar may have a contact surface parallel to one surface of the electrode lead at one end thereof in contact with the electrode lead.

[0023] The contact surface may be surface treated in a manner that increases friction with the electrode lead.

[0024] The bus bar may include a plurality of protrusions connected to one end of the bus bar contacting the electrode lead to be fixed to a surface of the electrode lead.

[0025] The busbar may include: an axis, which is arranged at a position where the pair of busbars intersect each other to hinge the pair of busbars to each other; a contact portion, which is arranged on one side of the axis and contacts the electrode lead; and an extension portion, which is arranged on the other side of the axis and extends in a direction away from the axis, wherein the elastic member may be arranged between the pair of extension portions, and one end and the other end of the elastic member are respectively connected to the pair of extension portions.

[0026] The pair of extension portions may include: a first extension member, one end of which is connected to the contact portion and extends along the length direction of the contact portion; and a second extension member, which is connected to the other end of the first extension member and extends in the length direction of the first battery cell and the second battery cell.

[0027] The elastic member may be disposed between the pair of second extension members, and one end and the other end of the elastic member may be connected to the pair of second extension members, respectively.

[0028] Each of the first battery cell and the second battery cell may include: an exterior configured to accommodate an electrode assembly internally; and an electrode lead configured to protrude to the outside of the exterior, the bus bar assembly may include: a first bus bar configured to be movable between a 1-1 position electrically connected to the electrode lead of the first battery cell and a 1-2 position not electrically connected to the electrode lead of the first battery cell; and a second bus bar configured to be movable between a 2-1 position electrically connected to the electrode lead of the second battery cell and a 2-2 position not electrically connected to the electrode lead of the second battery cell, wherein the elastic member may be configured to provide an elastic force so that the first bus bar moves to the 1-1 position and the second bus bar moves to the 2-1 position.

[0029] A portion of the bus bar assembly may be disposed between the outer case of the first battery cell and the outer case of the second battery cell.

[0030] Beneficial effects

[0031] The bus bar assembly according to the present invention may include a pair of bus bars crossing each other, a shaft provided at positions where the pair of bus bars cross each other to hinge-connect the pair of bus bars, and an elastic member connected between the pair of bus bars.

[0032] Therefore, since the bus bar is easily electrically connected to the secondary batteries including various types of electrode leads, the usability of the bus bar assembly can be improved.

[0033] In addition, the bus bar assembly may be fixed to the electrode lead by a force applied by the elastic member without an additional connecting process, thereby improving the efficiency of the manufacturing process.

[0034] Additionally, when the temperature rises excessively, the shaft can melt to prevent current from flowing through the busbars, thereby improving the stability of the battery module.

[0035] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the aforementioned description, and thus more varied effects are involved in this specification. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a bus bar assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 is a schematic front view of a bus bar assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 3 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a bus bar assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a bus bar assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of a bus bar assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 6 is a schematic front view of a bus bar assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 7 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which a bus bar assembly is connected to an electrode lead according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 8 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which a bus bar assembly is connected to an electrode lead according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 9 1 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which an improved bus bar assembly is connected to an electrode lead according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in several different forms and is not limited or restricted by the following examples.

[0046] In order to clearly illustrate the present invention, parts that are not relevant to the description or detailed descriptions of related known technologies that may unnecessarily obscure the main points of the present invention have been omitted, and in this specification, reference numerals are added to the components in the various drawings. In this case, the same or similar reference numerals are assigned to the same or similar elements throughout the specification.

[0047] Furthermore, the terms or words used in this specification and the claims should not be restrictively interpreted as ordinary meanings or dictionary-based meanings, but should be interpreted as meanings and concepts consistent with the scope of the present invention based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concepts of the terms to best describe and interpret his invention.

[0048] Busbar Assemblies

[0049] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a bus bar assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 1 is a schematic front view of the bus bar assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the bus bar assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] The bus bar assembly 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a bus bar 100 , a shaft 200 , and an elastic member 300 .

[0051] Reference Figure 1 , a pair of bus bars 100 may be provided and the pair of bus bars 100 may be arranged to cross each other. Here, the shaft 200 may be provided at a position where the pair of bus bars 100 cross each other to hinge-connect the pair of bus bars 100 to each other. Therefore, the pair of bus bars 100 can rotate relative to each other through the shaft 200. For example, the shape in which the pair of bus bars 100 are arranged to cross each other and hinge-connected through the shaft 200 may be similar to the shape in which a pair of scissors blades are rotatably connected to each other. Figure 2 The pair of bus bars 100 crossing each other may have a generally X shape when viewed from the front.

[0052] The busbar 100 may have a generally plate-like shape, and the size of the busbar 100 may vary as needed. Furthermore, the shaft 200 may have a generally cylindrical shape. Since the shaft 200 must be inserted into the interior of the busbar 100, the cross-section of the shaft 200 may have a generally circular cross-section with a diameter smaller than the thickness of the busbar 100.

[0053] As an example of a configuration in which the bus bars 100 are coupled to each other through the shaft 200, the pair of bus bars 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include connection holes 111 and 121, respectively. Figure 3 The connection holes 111 and 121 may be formed at positions where the pair of bus bars 100 intersect each other, and each of the connection holes 111 and 121 may have a shape that passes through from one surface to the other. Here, the surfaces of the bus bars 100 may be surfaces facing each other.

[0054] The pair of bus bars 100 coupled to each other by the shaft 200 may be connected to be in contact with each other.

[0055] When the pair of bus bars 100 is referred to as a first bus bar 110 and a second bus bar 120 , a first connection hole 111 may be formed in the first bus bar 110 , and a second connection hole 121 may be formed in the second bus bar 120 .

[0056] The shaft 200 can be inserted through the connection holes 111 and 121 to connect the first bus bar 110 and the second bus bar 120 to each other. Each of the connection holes 111 and 121 can be cylindrical with a generally circular cross-section to facilitate the insertion of the shaft 200, and can be formed to have a cross-section larger than that of the shaft 200.

[0057] As an example of a configuration for providing a force to rotate the pair of bus bars 100, the bus bar assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an elastic member 300. Specifically, the elastic member 300 may be provided between the pair of bus bars 100. That is, the elastic member 300 may be provided between the first bus bar 110 and the second bus bar 120.

[0058] The elastic member 300 of the bus bar assembly 10 may be connected to the first bus bar 110 at one end and to the second bus bar 120 at the other end. The elastic member 300 may provide an elastic force in a direction that causes the pair of bus bars 100 to move away from each other, thereby securing the bus bars 100 to the electrode leads 21 of the battery cells. For example, the elastic member 300 may be a spring, etc. The spring may be configured in a compressed state to provide a force in a direction that causes the pair of bus bars 100 to move away from each other.

[0059] Since the pair of bus bars 100 are arranged in a forward and backward configuration and intersecting with each other, the direction of the force provided by the elastic member 300 and the direction in which the bus bars 100 rotate can be different from each other. In this regard, the pair of bus bars 100 can be coupled to each other via the shaft 200, and movement in directions other than the one direction in which the bus bars 100 rotate can be restricted. Therefore, even if the direction of the force provided by the elastic member 300 and the direction in which the bus bars 100 rotate are different from each other, the bus bars 100 can rotate only in the direction in which the bus bars 100 move away from each other due to the force provided by the elastic member 300.

[0060] Since the bus bar assembly 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the elastic member 300 , a separate process for fixing, such as welding, etc., may be omitted. Therefore, the efficiency of the assembly process of the bus bar assembly 10 may be improved.

[0061] As described above, the bus bar assembly 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention may have a shape different from that of the bus bar assembly according to the related art. Therefore, the bus bar assembly 10 may be applied to relatively various types of battery modules, thereby improving its usability.

[0062] Hereinafter, features of the bus bar assembly 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention that provide additional effects will be described.

[0063] As an example of a configuration for effectively contacting the electrode lead 21, the bus bar 100 of the bus bar assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may have contact surfaces 114a and 114b parallel to one surface of the electrode lead 21 at one end thereof in contact with the electrode lead 21. Specifically, one end of the substantially plate-shaped bus bar 100 may have Figure 3 The contact surfaces 114a and 114b are cut parallel to the vertical direction as a reference.

[0064] More specifically, when a portion of the bus bar 100 disposed on one side of the axis 200 to contact the electrode lead 21 is referred to as a contact portion 130, a portion of the bus bar 100 disposed on the other side of the axis 200 to extend in a direction away from the axis 200 is referred to as an extension portion 140, and the contact surfaces 114a and 114b of the electrode lead 21 may be respectively disposed on one end of the contact portion 130.

[0065] Due to the above shape of the bus bar 100, the surface of the bus bar 100 in contact with the electrode lead 21 can expand when the bus bar assembly 10 is assembled with the battery module. Therefore, the bus bar 100 can be effectively electrically connected to the electrode lead 21.

[0066] The contact surfaces 114a and 114b may be surface-treated. Specifically, the contact surfaces 114a and 114b may be surface-treated in a manner to increase friction with the electrode lead 21. Here, the surface treatment method of the contact surfaces 114a and 114b may vary.

[0067] When the frictional force between the electrode lead 21 and each of the contact surfaces 114 a and 114 b increases, the bus bar 100 may be effectively fixed to the electrode lead 21 .

[0068] As an example of a configuration for improving the stability of a battery module, the shaft 200 of the bus bar assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a polymer. Specifically, the shaft 200 may be made of a polymer. For example, the polymer forming the shaft 200 may be plastic. Here, the melting point of the polymer of the shaft 200 may be lower than the melting point of the bus bar 100. That is, even if the temperature of the bus bar 100 rises due to the current flowing through the bus bar 100, the shaft 200 may melt before the bus bar 100 melts. When the shaft 200 melts, the bond between the pair of bus bars 100 is released, and therefore, the current flowing through the bus bar 100 can be blocked.

[0069] Therefore, when the temperature inside the battery module rises excessively, the current can be blocked due to the loss of the shaft 200 before the bus bar 100 melts to suppress the temperature rise. Therefore, additional problems such as fire inside the battery can be prevented. Therefore, the bus bar assembly 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention can improve the stability of the battery module.

[0070] Figure 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a bus bar assembly 10 ′ according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of a bus bar assembly 10' according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6is a schematic front view of a bus bar assembly 10 ′ according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] A bus bar assembly 10 ′ according to another embodiment of the present invention may differ from the bus bar assembly 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention in terms of a coupling shape of the bus bar 100 ′, an arrangement position of the elastic member 300 ′, and the presence or absence of the protrusions 112 and 122 .

[0072] Hereinafter, a detailed description of the same configuration as that of the bus bar assembly 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be omitted, and the description will focus on the differences.

[0073] A bus bar assembly 10' according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a bus bar 100', a shaft 200', and an elastic member 300'. Here, the bus bar 100' may include a first bus bar 110' and a second bus bar 120'.

[0074] As an example of a configuration for effectively combining the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120', the first bus bar 110' according to another embodiment of the present invention may include an insertion hole 113. In this regard, the second bus bar 120' according to another embodiment of the present invention may be combined in a form of being inserted into the first bus bar 110'. Here, the space into which the second bus bar 120' is inserted may be the insertion hole 113 of the first bus bar 110'.

[0075] Reference Figure 4 The insertion hole 113 may be formed at a position of the first bus bar 110' intersecting the second bus bar 120' and may have a shape penetrating therethrough so that the second bus bar 120' can be inserted. Specifically, the insertion hole 113 may be formed as an empty space in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0076] The width of the second bus bar 120' may be smaller than the width of the first bus bar 110' so that the second bus bar 120' can be inserted into the first bus bar 110'. In addition, the width of the second bus bar 120' may be less than or equal to the width of the insertion hole 113 so that it can pass through the insertion hole 113. However, since the movement of the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120' other than rotation must be minimized, the difference between the width of the insertion hole 113 and the width of the second bus bar 120' may be very small. Preferably, the width of the insertion hole 113 and the width of the second bus bar 120' can be set to be the same so that the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120' are assembled together.

[0077] The thickness of the insertion hole 113 may be greater than that of the second bus bar 120' so that the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120' rotate relative to each other. Here, the thickness of the insertion hole 113 may refer to the length of a straight line in the same direction as the thickness direction of the second bus bar 120'.

[0078] Since the first bus bar 110 ′ includes the insertion hole 113 , the first bus bar 110 ′ and the second bus bar 120 ′ may be effectively coupled to each other in a rotatable state.

[0079] The first bus bar 110' according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a first connection hole 111' having a different shape due to the insertion hole 113. Figure 4 , the first connection holes 111' may be formed on both sides of the insertion hole 113 and may have a shape that penetrates from one surface to the other surface. That is, the first bus bar 110' may have the first connection hole 111', the insertion hole 113, and the first connection hole 111' formed in sequence from one surface to the other surface at a position where the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120' intersect each other.

[0080] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 Since the second connection hole 121 is formed at a position where the second bus bar 120' passing through the insertion hole 113 intersects the first bus bar 110', the shaft 200' can connect the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120' to each other while passing through the first connection hole 111' and the second connection hole 121.

[0081] Since the second bus bar 120 ′ according to another embodiment of the present invention is inserted into the first bus bar 110 ′, the length of the shaft 200 ′ may be smaller than that of the shaft 200 ′ according to one embodiment.

[0082] As an example of a configuration that minimizes interference with the battery cell stack 20 , the elastic member 300 ′ according to another embodiment of the present invention may be provided at a position different from that of the elastic member 300 according to one embodiment.

[0083] In this regard, the bus bar 100' of the bus bar assembly 10' may include a contact portion 130 and an extension portion 140. Specifically, the contact portion 130 of the bus bar 100' may be provided on one side of the shaft 200' and contact the electrode lead 21'. In addition, the extension portion 140 of the bus bar 100' may be provided on the other side of the shaft 200' to extend in a direction away from the shaft 200'. Figure 4 and Figure 5The bus bar 100' may be provided in the order of the contact portion 130, the shaft 200', and the extension portion 140 from one end. Here, the elastic member 300' may be provided between a pair of extension portions 140. Specifically, one end and the other end of the elastic member 300' may be connected to the pair of extension portions 140, respectively.

[0084] Reference Figure 6 According to another embodiment of the present invention, the elastic member 300' can be disposed between the pair of extensions 140 and thus relatively far away from the end of the busbar 100' that contacts the electrode lead 21'. Therefore, during the assembly process of the busbar assembly 10', interference between the elastic member 300' and other components can be reduced, thereby improving process efficiency.

[0085] As an example of a configuration for effective electrical connection, the extension portion 140 may include a first extension member 141 and a second extension member 142. The extension portion 140 having a different shape and including the first extension member 141 and the second extension member 142 will be described in detail later in the description of the battery module.

[0086] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120' of the bus bar 100' can be combined with each other by having portions of the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120' overlap with each other. Therefore, the direction of the force applied by the elastic member 300' and the rotational direction of the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120' can be consistent with each other. Therefore, the force applied by the elastic member 300' can be effectively transmitted to the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120'.

[0087] As an example of a configuration for effectively contacting the electrode lead 21, a bus bar 100' according to another embodiment of the present invention may include protrusions 112 and 122. Specifically, the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120' may include protrusions 112 and 122, respectively. More specifically, each of the protrusions 112 and 122 may be provided at one end of the contact portion 130.

[0088] The protrusions 112 and 122 may be connected to the ends of the first and second bus bars 110 ′ and 120 ′ contacting the electrode lead 21 ′ to be fixed to the surface of the electrode lead 21 ′. Specifically, the protrusions 112 and 122 may be provided at one end of the contact portion 130 .

[0089] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6One end of each of the protrusions 112 and 122 may have a tapered shape with a cross-sectional area gradually decreasing toward the tip so that the protrusion is embedded in the surface of the electrode lead 21'. For example, each of the protrusions 112 and 122 may have a substantially square pyramid shape. It is sufficient for each of the protrusions 112 and 122 to have a pointed tip, and the shape thereof may vary.

[0090] The protrusions 112 and 122 may be provided in plurality and spaced apart from each other. In an arrangement in which a plurality of protrusions 112 and 122 are provided, the spacing distance between them may vary as needed.

[0091] Since the protrusions 112 and 122 are provided to be embedded in the surface of the electrode lead 21 ′, the bus bar assembly 10 ′ may be effectively connected with the electrode lead 21 ′.

[0092] Regarding the various embodiments of the present invention, the features of the position of the elastic member 300 described above, the shape of the bus bar 100 having contact surfaces 114a and 114b parallel to one surface of the electrode lead, and the like can be applied to the same form as the bus bar assembly 10' according to another embodiment of the present invention. Similarly, features such as the position where the elastic member 300' can be provided and the shape of the bus bar 100' including the protrusions 121 and 122 described in another embodiment of the present invention can also be applied to the same form as the bus bar assembly 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In other words, by combining the features of the above-described bus bar assemblies, another embodiment other than the one described in the present invention can be derived.

[0093] battery module

[0094] Hereinafter, a detailed description of the configuration of the aforementioned bus bar assemblies 10 and 10 ′ will be omitted.

[0095] Figure 7 1 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which the bus bar assembly 10 and the electrode lead 21 are connected according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0096] A battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a bus bar assembly 10 and a battery cell stack 20. Here, the battery cell stack 20 may have a form in which a plurality of battery cells, each including an electrode lead 21 and a housing 22, are stacked, and the bus bar assembly 10 may be connected to the electrode leads 21 of the battery cells to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells to each other.

[0097] The individual battery cells of the battery cell stack 20 constituting the battery module may be pouch-type battery cells. A pouch-type battery may be referred to as a battery cell in which an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator is housed in a pouch. In the present invention, the battery cell stack 20 is described as an example consisting of pouch-type battery cells, but the individual battery cells of the battery cell stack 20 may be configured as secondary batteries of different forms.

[0098] The electrode lead 21 of the battery cell may be provided to protrude outside the outer case 22. Specifically, the electrode lead 21 may have a shape protruding from one side or each of both sides of the outer case 22. Here, the outer case 22 may be a soft pack.

[0099] Reference Figure 7 , the bus bar assembly 10 may be disposed between the electrode leads 21 protruding from the housing 22. The bus bar assembly 10 may contact the electrode leads 21 to electrically connect the battery cells to each other or to electrically connect the battery cell stack 20 to the outside. For electrical connection, the bus bar assembly 10 may contact the electrode leads 21.

[0100] The form in which the bus bar assembly 10 is provided will be described in more detail.

[0101] The battery cell stack 20 may include a first battery cell 20a and a second battery cell 20b. Here, the first battery cell 20a and the second battery cell 20b of the battery cell stack 20 may refer to two adjacent battery cells arbitrarily selected from a plurality of battery cells.

[0102] The bus bar assembly 10 may include a first bus bar 110 and a second bus bar 120. Here, the first bus bar 110 may be configured to move between a 1-1 position and a 1-2 position. The 1-1 position may be a position where the first bus bar 110 is electrically connected to the electrode lead 21 of the first battery cell 20a. The 1-2 position may be a position where the first bus bar 110 is not electrically connected to the electrode lead 21 of the first battery cell 20a. The second bus bar 120 may be configured to move between a 2-1 position and a 2-2 position. The 2-1 position may be a position where the second bus bar 120 is electrically connected to the electrode lead 21 of the second battery cell 20b. The 2-2 position may be a position where the second bus bar 120 is not electrically connected to the electrode lead 21 of the second battery cell 20b.

[0103] The first bus bar 110 can be moved to the 1-1 position and the second bus bar 120 can be moved to the 2-1 position by the elastic member 300. That is, the elastic member 300 can provide elasticity so that the first bus bar 110 moves to the 1-1 position and the second bus bar 120 moves to the 2-1 position.

[0104] To effectively connect to the electrode lead 21, the bus bar 100 of the bus bar assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may have contact surfaces 114a and 114b parallel to one surface of the electrode lead 210 at one end thereof in contact with the electrode lead 21. Due to the above-described shape of the bus bar 100, the surface of the bus bar 100 in contact with the electrode lead 21 can expand when the bus bar assembly 10 is assembled with the battery module. Therefore, the bus bar 100 can effectively electrically connect to the electrode lead 21.

[0105] The elastic member 300 of the bus bar assembly 10 can provide a force to the bus bar 100 so that the bus bar 100 is fixed between the electrode leads 21. In other words, the bus bar 100 can be forced to move toward the electrode leads 21 from the elastic member 300. Therefore, even without an additional process, the bus bar assembly 10 can be placed between the electrode leads 21 in a state of being in contact with the electrode leads 21.

[0106] Although not shown in detail in the present invention, the battery module may further include additional members that electrically connect the bus bar assemblies 10 to each other.

[0107] If the internal temperature of a battery module increases excessively over time, there is a risk of fire in the battery module. In this regard, the shaft 200 of the bus bar assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may have a lower melting point than the bus bar 100. Therefore, the shaft 200 may melt and be lost before the temperature rises high enough to cause a fire in the battery module. Furthermore, the pair of bus bars 100 connected by the shaft 200 may be separated from each other due to the loss of the shaft 200.

[0108] Reference Figure 7 Since the bus bar assembly 10 can be fixed to the electrode lead 21 even without a process such as welding, the bus bars 100 that have been separated from each other due to the loss of the shaft 200 do not need to be fixed to the electrode lead 21, and the battery cells may not be electrically connected to each other. Since the bus bar assembly 10 is released from its fixed state and the flow of current in the battery module is cut off, the temperature of the battery module can be prevented from further increasing, and the risk of fire can be reduced.

[0109] The battery module according to the embodiment of the present invention may include the bus bar assembly 10 that improves efficiency and stability of an assembly process.

[0110] Figure 8 1 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which a bus bar assembly 10 ′ and an electrode lead 21 ′ are connected according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0111] A battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a bus bar assembly 10' and a battery cell stack 20'. Here, the battery cell stack 20' may have a form in which a plurality of battery cells each including different types of electrode leads 21' and cases 22' are stacked.

[0112] Each battery cell constituting the battery cell stack 20' of the battery module may be a pouch-type battery cell or a square-shaped battery cell. Each battery cell may be referred to as a battery cell in which an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator is housed in a case 22'.

[0113] The battery cell stack 20' may include a first battery cell 20a' and a second battery cell 20b'. Here, the first battery cell 20a' and the second battery cell 20b' of the battery cell stack 20' may refer to two adjacent battery cells arbitrarily selected from a plurality of battery cells.

[0114] Each of the first and second battery cells 20a' and 20b' may include an electrode lead 21' and a case 22'. A hole may be formed in the case 22', and the electrode lead 21' may be disposed inside the case 22' and exposed to the outside of the case 22' through the hole.

[0115] The electrode lead 21' of the battery exposed to the outside through the hole of the outer shell 22' can be set in a shape recessed in one surface of the outer shell 22'. Here, the electrode lead 21' can be set on one surface or each of the two surfaces of the outer shell 22'. Although the case where the electrode lead 21' of the battery cell according to another embodiment of the present invention is set to be recessed in the outer shell 22' is described as an example, one surface of the electrode lead 21' open to the outside can be set on the same plane as one surface of the outer shell 22'.

[0116] An insulating film may be provided between the electrode lead 21 ′ and the housing 22 ′.

[0117] Reference Figure 8 The bus bar assembly 10 may be disposed between the housing 21' of the first battery cell 20a' and the housing 21' of the second battery cell 20b' adjacent to the first battery cell 20a'. As described above, the bus bar assembly 10' may be assembled with the battery module in various forms.

[0118] The bus bar assembly 10' can be in contact with the electrode lead 21' to electrically connect the battery cells to each other or to electrically connect the battery cell stack 20' to the outside. That is, in order to be electrically connected, the bus bar assembly 10' must be in contact with the electrode lead 21'. In this regard, the bus bar assembly 10' according to another embodiment of the present invention can be set in a form in which the bus bars 100' cross each other, and the elastic member 300' can provide a force to the bus bar 100', so that even when the electrode lead 21' is set in a concave form, the bus bar assembly 10' can be effectively in contact with the electrode lead 21' without an additional process.

[0119] Specifically, the elastic member 300' can apply force to the pair of bus bars. The elastic member 300' can apply force to the pair of bus bars in a direction toward the first battery cell 20a' and the second battery cell 20b'. Due to the force applied by the elastic member 300', the pair of bus bars can be placed in contact with the first battery cell 20a' and the second battery cell 20b'.

[0120] In this regard, busbar 100' can be configured to be elastically movable via elastic member 300'. Specifically, busbar 100' can be configured to be elastically movable between a first position and a second position. Here, the first position can be a position where busbar 100' enters the inner side of housing 22' through a hole and can then be electrically connected to electrode lead 21'. Alternatively, the second position can be a position where busbar 100' is disposed outside housing 22'.

[0121] In order to effectively connect with the electrode lead 21', the bus bar 100' of the bus bar assembly 10' according to another embodiment of the present invention may include protrusions 112 and 122. Specifically, the protrusions 112 and 122 may be provided to one end of the first bus bar 110' and the second bus bar 120', which are respectively in contact with the electrode lead 21', and fixed to the surface of the electrode lead 21'.

[0122] Because the tips of protrusions 112 and 122 reduce the surface contact area with electrode lead 21', the pressure applied to electrode lead 21' can be increased by the force of elastic member 300' pressing busbar 100'. Therefore, a portion of protrusions 112 and 122 can be configured to be embedded in the surface of electrode lead 21'. As a result, the force securing busbar assembly 10' to electrode lead 21' can be increased without requiring additional steps such as welding.

[0123] As described above, the shaft 200', which has a lower melting point than the bus bar 100', can block current flow before the temperature of the battery module rises excessively. In this regard, the first bus bar 110' according to another embodiment of the present invention may include an insertion hole 113. Therefore, the second bus bar 120', which has been disconnected from the first bus bar 110' due to the loss of the shaft 200', can be moved through the insertion hole 113 by the force provided by the elastic member 300', thereby separating from the first bus bar 110'.

[0124] Since the shaft 200 ′ melts before the bus bar 100 ′, the risk of fire in the battery module can be reduced, and the effect of improving the stability of the battery module can also be the same as described above.

[0125] Figure 9 1 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which an improved bus bar assembly 10 ′ is connected to an electrode lead 21 ′ according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0126] Reference Figure 9 The busbar 100' may include a contact portion 130 and an extension portion 140. The contact portion 130 may be provided on one side of the shaft 200'. Here, the side of the shaft 200' may refer to a side closer to the electrode lead 21' relative to the shaft 200'. One end of the contact portion 130 may contact the electrode lead 21'.

[0127] The extension portion 140 may be provided on the other side of the shaft 200 ′. Here, the other side of the shaft 200 ′ may refer to a side farther from the electrode lead 21 ′ relative to the shaft 200 ′.

[0128] The extension portion 140 may further include a first extension member 141 and a second extension member 142. One end of the first extension member 141 may be connected to the contact portion 130. In addition, the first extension member 141 may extend along the length direction of the contact portion 130.

[0129] The second extension member 142 of the extension portion 140 may be connected to the other end of the first extension member 141. That is, one end of the first extension member 141 may be connected to the contact portion 130, and the other end of the first extension member 141 may be connected to the second extension member 142. The second extension member 142 may extend in the length direction of the first battery cell 20a' and the second battery cell 20b'. Figure 9 The lengthwise direction of the first and second battery cells 20a', 20b' may refer to a vertical direction. That is, the pair of second extension members 142 may be arranged substantially parallel to each other. Since the second extension members 142 extend in the lengthwise direction of the first and second battery cells 20a', 20b', they can be easily electrically connected to other components.

[0130] The elastic member 300' may be disposed between the pair of second extension members 142. That is, one end and the other end of the elastic member 300' may be respectively connected to the pair of second extension members 142. Since the pair of second extension members 142 are arranged substantially parallel to each other, the elastic member 300' may be effectively connected to the second extension members 142.

[0131] The bus bar assemblies 10 and 10 ′ according to various embodiments of the present invention may be assembled to other types of battery modules in addition to the types of battery modules described as examples in the present invention.

[0132] While embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

[0133] [Explanation of Reference Numerals]

[0134] 10, 10': Busbar assembly

[0135] 20, 20': Battery cell stack

[0136] 21, 21': electrode lead

[0137] 22, 22': Shell

[0138] 100, 100': Busbar

[0139] 110, 110': First busbar

[0140] 111, 111': first connecting hole

[0141] 112, 122: protrusion

[0142] 113: Insert hole

[0143] 120, 120': Second busbar

[0144] 121: Second connection hole

[0145] 130: Contact Department

[0146] 140: Extension

[0147] 141: First extension member

[0148] 142: Second extension member

[0149] 200, 200': Axis

[0150] 300, 300': elastic components

Claims

1. A busbar assembly comprising: a pair of bus bars, the pair of bus bars crossing each other; a shaft, the shaft being provided at a position where the pair of bus bars intersect each other so as to hinge-connect the pair of bus bars to each other; as well as An elastic member is connected between the pair of bus bars.

2. The bus bar assembly according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the pair of bus bars includes a connection hole formed at a position where the pair of bus bars intersect each other and penetrates from one surface to the other surface, wherein the shaft is inserted into the connection hole to connect the pair of bus bars to each other.

3. The bus bar assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The shaft includes a polymer having a melting point lower than a melting point of the bus bar.

4. The bus bar assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The pair of bus bars comprises: a first bus bar; and a second bus bar, the width of the second bus bar being smaller than the width of the first bus bar, The first bus bar is provided at a position intersecting the second bus bar, and includes an insertion hole penetrating therethrough in a manner enabling the second bus bar to be inserted.

5. The bus bar assembly according to claim 4, wherein: The first bus bar includes a first connection hole formed in each of both sides of the insertion hole and having a shape penetrating from one surface to the other surface, and The second bus bar includes a second connection hole formed at a position intersecting the first bus bar and having a shape penetrating from one surface to the other surface, The shaft is inserted into the first connection hole and the second connection hole to connect the first bus bar and the second bus bar to each other.

6. A battery module comprising: a battery cell stack, the battery cell stack comprising a first battery cell and a second battery cell; as well as a bus bar assembly configured to electrically connect the first battery cell and the second battery cell to each other, Wherein, the busbar assembly comprises: a pair of bus bars, the pair of bus bars being in contact with the first battery cell and the second battery cell, respectively; and An elastic member is configured to provide a force to the pair of bus bars toward the first battery cell and the second battery cell so that the pair of bus bars come into contact with the first battery cell and the second battery cell.

7. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein: Each of the first battery cell and the second battery cell includes: a housing having an aperture formed therein; and an electrode lead disposed inside the housing and exposed to the outside of the housing through the hole, and Each of the bus bars is disposed to enter the inner side of the housing through the hole so as to be elastically movable between a first position electrically connected to the electrode lead and a second position disposed outside the housing.

8. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein: The bus bar has a contact surface parallel to one surface of the electrode lead at one end thereof in contact with the electrode lead.

9. The battery module according to claim 8, wherein: The contact surface is surface treated in a manner to increase friction with the electrode lead.

10. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein: The bus bar includes a plurality of protrusions connected to one end of the bus bar in contact with the electrode lead to be fixed to a surface of the electrode lead.

11. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein: The bus bar comprises: a shaft provided at a position where the pair of bus bars intersect each other to hinge-connect the pair of bus bars to each other; a contact portion provided at one side of the shaft and in contact with the electrode lead; and an extension portion, the extension portion being arranged on the other side of the shaft and extending in a direction away from the shaft, The elastic member is disposed between the pair of extending portions, and one end and the other end of the elastic member are respectively connected to the pair of extending portions.

12. The battery module according to claim 11, wherein: The pair of extensions comprises: a first extending member, one end of which is connected to the contact portion and extends along a length direction of the contact portion; and A pair of second extending members are connected to the other end of the first extending member and extend in the length direction of the first battery cell and the second battery cell.

13. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein: The elastic member is disposed between the pair of second extending members, and one end and the other end of the elastic member are respectively connected to the pair of second extending members.

14. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein: Each of the first battery cell and the second battery cell includes: a housing configured to house the electrode assembly therein; and an electrode lead configured to protrude outside the housing, and The busbar assembly comprises: a first bus bar arranged to be movable between a 1-1 position electrically connected to the electrode lead of the first battery cell and a 1-2 position not electrically connected to the electrode lead of the first battery cell; and a second bus bar, the second bus bar being movable between a 2-1 position electrically connected to the electrode lead of the second battery cell and a 2-2 position not electrically connected to the electrode lead of the second battery cell; The elastic member is configured to provide an elastic force to move the first bus bar to the 1-1 position and the second bus bar to the 2-1 position.

15. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein: A portion of the bus bar assembly is disposed between the housing of the first battery cell and the housing of the second battery cell.

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