Bus bar assembly and battery module including same

Abstract

The utility model relates to a bus bar assembly and a battery module including the same. A battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a cell stack including a plurality of cells; the plurality of bus bars are electrically connected with the plurality of battery cells; and a circuit board electrically connected with the plurality of bus bars, the circuit board including: a plurality of extension portions extending in different directions; and one or more overlapping portions formed by overlapping at least any two of the plurality of extension portions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a busbar assembly and a battery module including the busbar assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries can be charged and discharged, making them suitable for various applications such as digital cameras, mobile phones, laptops, hybrid vehicles, and electric vehicles. Examples of secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and lithium-ion batteries.

[0003] These secondary batteries can be manufactured with flexible pouch-type cells or rigid prismatic or cylindrical can-type cells, and multiple cells can be used through electrical connections. In this case, multiple cells form a stacked cell stack and are disposed inside a casing to constitute a battery device such as a battery module or battery pack.

[0004] To sense the operating state of the battery device, a circuit board connected to various sensing components is installed in the battery device. For example, the battery device may include a circuit board connected to a voltage sensor and a circuit board connected to a temperature sensor.

[0005] As battery device structures become larger and more complex, connection noise may arise between circuit boards that connect sensing components. Furthermore, manufacturing circuit boards according to various battery device shapes reduces manufacturing efficiency and wastes materials, leading to lower yields. Utility Model Content

[0006] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the object is to provide a busbar assembly and a battery module including the busbar assembly, the busbar assembly including an integrated circuit board, a sensing terminal for collecting voltage data, and a temperature sensor for collecting temperature data connected to the integrated circuit board.

[0008] (II) Technical Solution

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a battery module comprising: a cell stack including a plurality of cells; a plurality of busbars electrically connected to the plurality of cells; and a circuit board electrically connected to the plurality of busbars, the circuit board comprising: a plurality of extensions extending in different directions; and one or more overlapping portions formed by overlapping at least any two of the plurality of extensions.

[0010] According to one embodiment, in the more than one overlapping portion, the circuit board may have a shape that is folded more than once.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the plurality of extensions may include: a first extension disposed on the upper part of the cell stack and extending along a first direction; and a second extension extending along a second direction different from the first direction.

[0012] According to one embodiment, in the first extension, a first side of the circuit board may face the support frame, and in the second extension, a second side of the circuit board opposite to the first side may face the support frame.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the one or more overlapping portions may further include a first overlapping portion, wherein the first overlapping portion is configured such that the first extension and the second extension overlap in the first overlapping portion.

[0014] According to one embodiment, in the first overlapping portion, the first extension and the second extension may face each other in a direction perpendicular to the first surface.

[0015] According to one embodiment, a circuit layer may be provided on the first side of the circuit board, and an insulating layer may be provided on the second side of the circuit board.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the plurality of extensions may further include a third extension, wherein a sensing terminal electrically connected to the plurality of busbars is connected to the third extension.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the more than one overlapping portion may further include a second overlapping portion, in which the second extension portion and the third extension portion overlap.

[0018] According to one embodiment, in the second overlapping portion, the circuit board may be overlapped more than three times.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the support frame may include: a plurality of busbar frames, the plurality of busbars being coupled to the plurality of busbar frames; and a connecting frame connecting the plurality of busbar frames, the second overlapping portion facing any one of the plurality of busbar frames.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the sensing terminal may include a first coupling portion coupled to the circuit board and a second coupling portion coupled to at least one of the plurality of busbars.

[0021] The first joint can be soldered to the circuit board, and the second joint can be soldered to at least one of the plurality of busbars.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the circuit board may further include a temperature sensor disposed in the third extension.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the support frame may further include a avoidance portion that avoids the temperature sensor, at least a portion of which may be accommodated in the avoidance portion and face the cell stack.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the battery module may further include an insulating component that covers the overlapping portion of the circuit board and is made of an insulating material.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the circuit board may be a sensing circuit board, and a sensing component is connected to the sensing circuit board. The sensing component includes a temperature sensor for measuring temperature and at least one of a sensing terminal connected to the plurality of busbars for measuring voltage.

[0026] Additionally, a busbar assembly according to one aspect of this disclosure may include: a support frame; one or more busbars coupled to the support frame; and a circuit board disposed on the support frame and electrically connected to the one or more busbars, the circuit board including: a first extension and a second extension extending from the support frame in different directions; a third extension extending from at least one of the first extension and the second extension and connected to the one or more busbars; and one or more overlapping portions formed by overlapping any two of the first extension, the second extension, and the third extension.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the support frame may include: a plurality of busbar frames, wherein one or more busbars are coupled to the plurality of busbar frames; and a connecting frame connecting the plurality of busbar frames, wherein the first extension and the second extension may be disposed in the connecting frame, and the third extension may be disposed in at least one of the plurality of busbar frames.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the third extension may extend parallel to either the first extension or the second extension.

[0029] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0030] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a busbar assembly and a battery module can be implemented, the busbar assembly including an integrated circuit board, a sensing terminal for collecting voltage data, and a temperature sensor for collecting temperature data connected to the integrated circuit board.

[0031] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the manufacturing yield of circuit boards can be improved in the manufacture of busbar assemblies or battery modules.

[0032] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a circuit board made of a single-sided printed circuit board (PCB) can be used, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of busbar assemblies or battery modules. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a 3D view of the battery module.

[0034] Figure 2 This is an exploded 3D view of the battery module.

[0035] Figure 3 This is an exemplary configuration of a battery cell stack.

[0036] Figure 4 This is a reference diagram showing the assembly of the busbar assembly and the circuit board.

[0037] Figure 5 This is a reference diagram used to illustrate the configuration of the circuit board.

[0038] Figure 6 This is a reference diagram showing the adhesive components installed between the circuit board and the busbar assembly.

[0039] Figure 7 This is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a circuit board.

[0040] Figure 8 The structure of the first overlapping portion of the circuit board is shown as an example.

[0041] Figure 9 The structure of the first overlapping portion of the circuit board is shown as an example.

[0042] Figure 10 The structure of the second overlapping portion of the circuit board is shown as an example.

[0043] Figure 11 This is a reference diagram showing the connection status of the sensing terminals to the circuit board and busbar.

[0044] Figure 12 This is a reference diagram used to illustrate the insulating components used to protect the overlapping parts of a circuit board.

[0045] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0046] 10: Battery Module 100: Cell Stack

[0047] 110: Battery cell; 200: Busbar assembly

[0048] 210: Busbar 220: Terminal section

[0049] 230: Support frame; 300: Circuit board

[0050] 310: First extension; 320: Second extension

[0051] 330: Third extension; 341: First overlapping portion

[0052] 342: Second overlapping portion; 350: Connector

[0053] 360: Sensing terminal; 370: Temperature sensor

[0054] 410: Outer casing 420: Insulating cover

[0055] 430: Side cover; 440: Top cover Detailed Implementation

[0056] Before detailing this disclosure, it should be noted that the terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their general or dictionary meanings, but rather should be interpreted as conforming to the technical concept of this disclosure, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concepts of the terms in order to best describe the utility model. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the accompanying drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of this utility model and do not represent all the technical ideas of this disclosure. Various equivalents and variations that can be substituted for them may be included when submitting this application.

[0057] The same reference numerals or symbols used in the accompanying drawings indicate parts or components that perform substantially the same function. For ease of description and understanding, the same reference numerals or symbols may also be used in different embodiments. That is, even if components with the same reference numerals are shown in multiple figures, the multiple figures do not necessarily represent the same embodiment.

[0058] In the following description, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, singular expressions include plural expressions. Terms such as “comprising” or “constituting” should be understood as specifying the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof described in the specification, rather than precluding the presence or additional possibilities of more than one other feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof.

[0059] Additionally, in the following description, terms such as upper side, upper part, lower side, lower part, side, front part, and rear part are used based on the directions shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that if the orientation of the corresponding object changes, it can be described in different ways.

[0060] Furthermore, in this specification and claims, terms containing ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" may be used to distinguish between components. These ordinal numbers are used to distinguish identical or similar components, and the meaning of the terms should not be interpreted restrictively by using these ordinal numbers. For example, the order of use or arrangement of components combined with these ordinal numbers should not be interpreted restrictively by these ordinal numbers. These ordinal numbers may be used interchangeably if necessary.

[0061] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the ideas of this disclosure are not limited to the presented embodiments. For example, those skilled in the art who understand the ideas of this disclosure can propose other embodiments that are included within the scope of this disclosure by adding, changing, or deleting components, etc., and these embodiments are also included within the scope of this invention. For clarity, the shapes and sizes of the components in the figures may be exaggerated.

[0062] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The battery module 10 according to the embodiment is described.

[0063] Figure 1 This is a 3D view of battery module 10. Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of battery module 10.

[0064] The battery module 10 may include: a plurality of battery cells 110; a housing 410 having an internal space to accommodate the plurality of battery cells 110; a busbar assembly 200 electrically connected to the battery cells 110; and an end cap 430 combined with the housing 410.

[0065] The multiple cells 110 housed in the battery module 10 can be arranged in one direction (e.g., Figure 2 The cells are stacked (in the Z-axis direction) to form at least a portion of the cell stack 100. Each cell 110 can output or store electrical energy. In the cell stack 100, the cells 110 can be electrically connected to each other.

[0066] Because a large number of battery cells 110 are stacked in the battery module 10, an event occurring in one battery cell 110 (e.g., the generation of high-temperature gas or flame, or abnormal expansion of the cell) may damage other battery cells. To prevent this from happening, the battery module 10 may further include protective components disposed between the battery cells 110.

[0067] For example, the protective component may contain a heat-insulating material to prevent heat transfer between adjacent cells 110. Alternatively, the protective component may contain a material capable of applying surface pressure to the cells 110 to suppress expansion of the cells 110.

[0068] A plurality of battery cells 110 included in the battery cell stack 100 may be electrically connected to each other via a busbar assembly 200. At least a portion of the busbar assembly 200 may be configured to face the battery cell stack 100 in a direction perpendicular to the battery cell stacking direction.

[0069] The busbar assembly 200 may include: a busbar 210 that electrically connects one battery cell 110 and another battery cell 110; and a support frame 230 that supports the busbar 210.

[0070] Busbar 210 may be made of conductive material and serves to electrically connect multiple battery cells 110 to each other. Busbar 210 may be connected to the lead tabs of battery cells 110 (e.g., Figure 3 111) Electrical connection. Busbar 210 and lead plate ( Figure 3 The connection of 111 can be achieved using various welding methods such as laser welding. However, the connection method is not limited to welding; it can also be any method that can electrically connect two metal materials.

[0071] A portion of the busbar 210 in the busbar assembly 200 may have a terminal portion 220 that can be electrically connected to a circuit outside the battery module 10. The terminal portion 220 may be exposed to the outside of the battery module 10 through an opening 540 in the housing 410.

[0072] Busbar 210 can be secured to support frame 230. At least a portion of support frame 230 can be made of insulating material to prevent accidental short circuits between multiple busbars 210. Support frame 230 can face at least one side of the cell stack.

[0073] The battery module 10 may further include a circuit board 300, on which one or more sensing components are connected. The sensing components can detect the operating state of the battery cell 110, the environmental state, etc. For example, the sensing components may include a temperature sensor 370 for measuring the temperature of an adjacent part (which may refer to the internal space of the battery module 10 or at least one of the battery cells 110) or a sensing terminal 360 for measuring the voltage of the battery cell 110, etc.

[0074] On the other hand, even though it is referred to as a "sensing component" in this specification, this is for the sake of convenience, and it may also refer to "one or more sensing components." Furthermore, in this specification, one or more sensing components connected to the circuit board 300 may be collectively referred to as a "sensor section." That is, a sensor section may refer to one or more sensing components.

[0075] Here, the sensor unit (sensing component) may include at least one of the temperature sensor 370, sensing terminal 360, and various sensing components (sensors). For example, the sensing component may include any component capable of measuring information values ​​of at least one of the cell 110 or battery module 10, such as a pressure sensor, humidity sensor, impact detection sensor, etc.

[0076] In addition, the circuit board 300 described in this disclosure may be a circuit board 300 connected to one or more of the aforementioned sensing components, and may refer to a sensing circuit board (or sensing circuit board).

[0077] The circuit board 300 can be combined with the busbar assembly 200. For example, the circuit board 300 can be combined with the support frame 230 to fix its position. On the other hand, since the main circuit board 300 is combined with the busbar assembly 200, which will be described later, for convenience, the busbar assembly 200 combined with the circuit board 300 can be collectively referred to as "busbar assembly 200".

[0078] Information detected by the sensing component connected to the circuit board 300 can be transmitted to electronic components (e.g., a battery management system, BMS) outside the battery module 10 via a connector 350 electrically connected to the circuit board 300. Additionally, the sensing component connected to the circuit board 300 can receive information from outside the battery module 10 via a connector electrically connected to the circuit board 300.

[0079] At least a portion of the circuit board 300 may be made of a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). Therefore, at least a portion of the circuit board 300 may be configured to be bent or folded.

[0080] The housing 410 provides an internal space that can accommodate one or more battery cell stacks 100. The housing 410 may be made of a material with predetermined rigidity to protect the battery cell stacks 100 and other electronic components housed in the internal space from external impacts. For example, the housing 410 may contain a metallic material such as aluminum.

[0081] The top cover 440 can be attached to the upper side of the housing 410 to protect the upper side of the cell stack 100. However, the structure of the housing 410 is not limited to this and can be of any shape, as long as it has an internal space that can accommodate at least one cell stack 100. For example, the housing 410 can be configured to be integrally formed with the top cover 440 as a one-piece monolithic frame with openings on both sides.

[0082] End cap 430 can be attached to one side of the opening in housing 410. For example, as Figure 2As shown, a pair of end caps 430 can be provided and attached to both sides of the housing 410 respectively.

[0083] End cap 430 can be attached to housing 410, together forming the appearance of battery module 10. Like housing, end cap 430 can be made of metal material such as aluminum.

[0084] To prevent short circuits between the busbar assembly 200 and the housing 410 and the top cover 440, the battery module 10 may include an insulating cover 420. For example, the insulating cover 420 may be disposed between the busbar assembly 200 and the housing 410 and face the busbar assembly 200. The insulating cover 420 may contain an insulating material, thus preventing electrical connections between the busbar assembly 200 and the housing 410. For example, the insulating cover 420 may be injection molded from a plastic containing polypropylene, modified polyphenylene oxide (MPPO), etc. However, the material of the insulating cover 420 is not limited to this. By providing the insulating cover 420, short circuits between the cell stack 100 and the housing 410 or between the busbar 210 and the housing 410 can be prevented.

[0085] A heat dissipation component (not shown) may be disposed between the cell stack 100 and the housing 410. The heat dissipation component (not shown) may be configured such that one side contacts the cell stack 100 and the opposite side contacts the housing 410. The heat dissipation component (not shown) may be a thermally conductive adhesive. The heat dissipation component (not shown) may fill the space between the cell stack 100 and the housing 410 to facilitate more active heat transfer through conduction. Therefore, the heat dissipation efficiency of the battery module 10 can be improved.

[0086] The following will refer to Figure 3 The configuration of the cell stack 100 is described in more detail.

[0087] Figure 3 This is an exemplary configuration of the cell stack 100. (Refer to...) Figure 3 The cell stack 100 described above is the same as the one referenced above. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The description corresponds to the cell stack 100, so repeated descriptions can be omitted.

[0088] The cell stack 100 may include one or more cells 110. Cell 110 may be configured to convert chemical energy into electrical energy and supply power to an external circuit, or to receive power from an external source, convert electrical energy into chemical energy, and store the power. For example, cell 110 may include, but is not limited to, a nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery or a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery configured for rechargeability and discharge. In implementations, multiple cells 110 may be stacked side-by-side and electrically connected to each other.

[0089] The cells 110 included in the cell stack 100 can be pouch cells. For example, refer to... Figure 3 The battery cell 110 can be configured to house an electrode assembly including multiple electrode plates within a bag, with lead tabs exposed on one side of the bag. The lead tabs of the battery cell 110 can be electrically connected to the busbar 210 of the busbar assembly 200 described above.

[0090] However, the specific structure or shape of the battery cell 110 is not limited to that shown in the attached drawings. For example, the battery cell can be configured as a cylindrical battery cell or a prismatic battery cell.

[0091] The cell stack 100 may further include protective components disposed between the cells 110.

[0092] The protective component may contain a heat-insulating material to block heat conduction between the cells 110. For example, the protective component may contain at least one of mica sheet, silicate, graphite, alumina, ceramic wool (or super wool), and aerogel.

[0093] Alternatively, the protective component may comprise a material having a predetermined elastic force capable of compressing the cell 110, thereby applying surface pressure to the cell 110. Thus, the protective component can prevent the cell 110 from excessively expanding. For example, the protective component may comprise at least one of polyurethane, silicone, and EPDM rubber.

[0094] The following is for reference Figures 4 to 10 The details are as follows: the busbar assembly 200 and the circuit board 300 included in the battery module 10 are described in detail.

[0095] Figure 4 This is a reference diagram showing the combined state of the busbar assembly 200 and the circuit board 300. Figure 5 This is a reference diagram used to illustrate the configuration of circuit board 300. Figure 6 This is a reference diagram showing an adhesive component 234 disposed between the circuit board 300 and the busbar assembly 200. Figure 7 This is an exemplary cross-sectional view of circuit board 300. Figure 8 The structure of the first overlapping portion 341 of the circuit board 300 is shown as an example. Figure 9 The structure of the first overlapping portion 341 of the circuit board 300 is shown as an example. Figure 10 The structure of the second overlapping portion 342 of the circuit board 300 is shown as an example.

[0096] Reference Figures 4 to 10 The battery module 10 and its components described herein are the same as those previously referred to. Figures 1 to 3 The description of the battery module 10 and its components corresponds to that of the battery module 10, so repeated descriptions can be omitted.

[0097] Multiple battery cells 110 included in the battery module 10 can be electrically connected to each other via the busbar assembly 200.

[0098] The busbar assembly 200 may include a conductive busbar 210 electrically connected to the battery cell 110 and a support frame 230 supporting the busbar 210.

[0099] Multiple busbars 210 can be disposed on the support frame 230 and can be arranged side by side along the cell stacking direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction).

[0100] Even under external impact or vibration, the support frame 230 can structurally support the busbar 210. For example, the support frame 230 can be made of lightweight plastic materials with excellent mechanical strength, such as polypropylene, polybutylene terephthalate, or modified polyphenylene oxyether (MPPO), thus structurally supporting the busbar 210 while ensuring insulation.

[0101] The busbar 210 can be fixed to the support frame 230 by various methods. For example, the busbar 210 can be fixed to the support frame 230 by thermoforming or insert injection molding.

[0102] The support frame 230 may include multiple busbar frames 231 for mounting the busbars 210 and connecting frames 232 for connecting the busbar frames 231. For example, refer to Figure 4 The busbar assembly 200 may include a plurality of busbar frames 231 facing each other and a connection frame 232 connected to all of the plurality of busbar frames 231. On the other hand, although a plurality of busbars 210 are mentioned in this disclosure, any assembly including more than one busbar 210 may be considered to fall within the scope of this disclosure. That is, it may include one busbar 210.

[0103] The circuit board 300 may be configured such that at least a portion faces the support frame 230. For example, refer to Figure 4 The circuit board 300 can be configured to span the busbar frame 231 and the connecting frame 232 and face the support frame 230.

[0104] At least a portion of the circuit board 300 can be fixed to the support frame 230. For example, refer to... Figure 6An adhesive component 234 containing adhesive material can be provided between the bottom surface of the circuit board 300 and the support frame 230 to fix the circuit board 300 to the support frame 230. For example, the adhesive component 234 can be made of an adhesive plate, sheet, film, etc. However, the circuit board 300 and the support frame 230 can also be fixed by various methods other than the fixing method by the adhesive component 234 (e.g., assembly, bolting, etc.).

[0105] At least a portion of the circuit board 300 may be made of a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). Therefore, the portion of the circuit board 300 made of FPCB can be bent or folded.

[0106] At least a portion of circuit board 300 may be constituted by a single-sided flexible printed circuit board (single-sided FPCB). For example, see reference. Figure 5 and Figure 7 At least a portion of the circuit board 300 may be composed of a single-sided FPCB, with a circuit layer CP provided on the first side 300a and an insulating layer IL provided on the second side 300b opposite to the first side 300a.

[0107] Reference Figure 7 The circuit layer CP of the circuit board 300 may be composed of conductive metal lines CD and a coating portion CF covering at least one side of the metal lines CD, and may form the first surface 300a of the circuit board 300. The insulating layer IL of the circuit board 300 is composed of insulating material, and may form a second surface 300b opposite to the first surface 300a of the circuit board 300. The conductive metal lines CD may be disposed on the upper part of the insulating layer IL.

[0108] Since the circuit layer CP is located on the first side 300a of the circuit board 300, electronic components (e.g., sensing terminals or connectors) can be located on the first side 300a and electrically connected to the circuit board 300. The electrical connection between the electronic components and the circuit layer CP can also be achieved by various methods other than soldering.

[0109] On the other hand, the specific cross-sectional structure of the circuit board 300 is not limited to... Figure 7 As shown. For example, the circuit layer CP may further include a peel-off layer (not shown) to prevent the conductive metal line CD from peeling off from the insulating layer IL.

[0110] In an embodiment, the circuit board 300 of the battery module 10 may include a plurality of extensions 310, 320, and 330 extending in different directions, and one or more overlapping portions 340 formed by overlapping any two of the plurality of extensions 310, 320, and 330. Here, "overlapping" means that the circuit board 300 is bent or folded so that a portion of the circuit board 300 overlaps. For example, Figures 8 to 10 They are Figure 4 An enlarged view of sections A to C shows multiple overlapping portions 341, 342 formed on the circuit board 300.

[0111] Reference Figure 5 The circuit board 300 may include a first extension 320 connected to the connector 350 and a second extension 310 connected to the first extension 320 and extending in a direction different from the first extension 320.

[0112] The connector 350 can be placed in the connector placement portion 232b of the connection frame 232 and electrically connected to the circuit board 300 to serve as a channel for transmitting and receiving electrical signals between the circuit board 300 and external components (e.g., BMS) of the battery module 10.

[0113] The first extension 320 and the second extension 310 can extend in different directions. For example, the first extension 320 can extend along the stacking direction of the battery cell 110, i.e., the first direction (Z-axis direction), and the second extension 310 can extend along a second direction (X-axis direction) perpendicular to the first direction (Z-axis direction). However, the extension directions of the first extension 320 and the second extension 310 are not limited to the above directions and can be appropriately changed according to the overall structure of the battery module 10.

[0114] The first extension 320 and the second extension 310 may extend along one side of the support frame 230. For example, the first extension 320 and the second extension 310 may extend along the upper surface of the connecting frame 232 provided on the upper side of the cell stack 100.

[0115] The first extension 320 and the second extension 310 may overlap each other to form a first overlapping portion 341. (See reference...) Figure 8 and Figure 9 The circuit board 300 can be folded to form a first overlapping portion 341, in which the first extension portion 320 and the second extension portion 310 can overlap each other.

[0116] In the first overlapping portion 341, the first surface 300a or the second surface 300b of the circuit board 300 may overlap more than once. For example, refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9When the circuit board 300 is folded, in the first overlapping portion 341, the first surface 300a and the second surface 300b of the circuit board 300 overlap once each. In addition, in the first overlapping portion 341, the first extension portion 320 and the second extension portion 310 can face and contact each other in a direction perpendicular to the first surface 300a.

[0117] The circuit board 300 may further include a third extension 330, wherein one or more sensing components 360, 370 are disposed. For example, see reference... Figure 5 The third extension 330 can be a portion of the circuit board 300 that houses a sensing terminal 360 for detecting voltage and a temperature sensor 370 for detecting temperature, and can extend from the second extension 310. On the other hand, in this specification, "sensing component...detection" includes not only detecting any specific environmental variable value, but also measuring the magnitude of the environmental variable value into numerical data, etc., and can refer to sensing. The third extension 330 can be fixed to the busbar frame. For example, refer to... Figure 4 and Figure 5 At least a portion of the third extension 330 may extend along the busbar frame 231 in the direction of the cell stack, i.e., the first direction (Z-axis direction).

[0118] A second overlapping portion 342, formed by folding the circuit board 300 more than once, can be provided between the second extension 310 and the third extension 330. The second overlapping portion 342 can be configured to face the busbar frame 231.

[0119] In the second overlapping portion 342, the second extension 310 and the third extension 330 can overlap each other. For example, as Figure 10 As shown, the second overlapping portion 342 can be formed by folding the circuit board 300 more than twice.

[0120] In the second overlapping portion 342, the first surface 300a or the second surface 300b of the circuit board 300 may overlap more than once. For example, in Figure 10 In the second overlapping portion 342 shown, the first surface 300a and the second surface 300b of the circuit board 300 overlap three times each.

[0121] In this embodiment, the overlapping portion 340 of the circuit board 300 can be secured to maintain a folded state. For example, an adhesive component (not shown) can be applied to the overlapping portion of the overlapping portion 340 of the circuit board 300 to maintain the folded state of the circuit board 300.

[0122] In an embodiment, the circuit board 300 may be configured such that the surfaces facing each other at the front and rear of the overlapping portion 340 face the support frame 230. For example, in the first extension 320 and the second extension 310 that overlap to form the first overlapping portion 341, the first extension 320 may be configured such that the circuit layer CP, i.e., the first surface 300a, faces the support frame 230, while the second extension 310 may be configured such that the insulating layer IL, i.e., the second surface 300b, faces the support frame 230. That is, in this case, the insulating layer IL, i.e., the second surface 300b, of the first extension 320 may be exposed in the upward direction, while the circuit layer CP, i.e., the first surface 300a, of the second extension 310 may be exposed in the upward direction. (For example, in the circuit board 300 shown in the figures, the shaded surface may refer to the first surface 300a on which the circuit layer CP is disposed, and the unshaded surface may refer to the second surface 300b on which the insulating layer IL is disposed).

[0123] That is, the user or manufacturer can design the circuit board 300 to appropriately form an overlap 340 on the circuit board 300, such that a certain side of the circuit board 300 faces the support frame 230, while the opposite side of the certain side faces the upper direction of the support frame 230.

[0124] With this overlapping portion 340 structure, even if the circuit board 300 is made of a single-sided FPCB, the circuit layer CP can be exposed in the appropriate location required by the manufacturer. That is, even if the circuit board 300 is made of a single-sided FPCB, which has a lower manufacturing cost than a double-sided FPCB, the overlapping portion 340 structure can be used to adapt to the complex structure of the battery module 10, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the battery module 10.

[0125] In the circuit board 300, when the overlapping portion 340 is fully extended, the directions in which the first extension portion 320, the second extension portion 310, and the third extension portion 330 extend can be parallel. For example, when the first overlapping portion 341 and the second overlapping portion 342 in the circuit board 300 are fully extended, the first extension portion 320 and the second extension portion 310 can be portions that extend in a straight line, while the third extension portion 330 can be portions that extend adjacent to and parallel to the first extension portion 320 and the second extension portion 310.

[0126] That is, the circuit board 300 according to the embodiment can be manufactured such that the first extension 320, the second extension 310, and the third extension 330 are densely arranged, and then appropriately folded according to the shape of the support frame 230 so as to be placed on the busbar frames 231 on both sides. With such a structure, the material wasted in the process of manufacturing the circuit board 300 (e.g., the substrate of the FPCB) can be minimized, thereby improving the manufacturing yield of the circuit board 300.

[0127] Furthermore, since the circuit board 300 is configured to be foldable, even if the position of the busbar frame 231 changes due to the size change of the battery module 10, the circuit board 300 can be placed on the busbar frame 231 at the changed position by appropriately forming an overlap 340.

[0128] In addition, depending on the shape of the battery module 10, the circuit board 300 may need to extend in multiple directions, but since the circuit board 300 is configured to be foldable, the various extension directions of the circuit board 300 can be set by appropriately forming the overlap 340.

[0129] In an embodiment, the battery module 10 may further include sensing components connected to the circuit board 300. For example, the sensing components may include one or more temperature sensors 370 for detecting temperature and multiple sensing terminals 360 for detecting the voltage of the battery cells.

[0130] Temperature sensor 370 can be integrally formed with circuit board 300. For example, refer to... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The temperature sensor 370 can be connected to the third extension 330 of the circuit board 300. In this way, by integrally forming the temperature sensor 370 with the circuit board 300, a battery module 10 with a simpler sensing structure can be realized.

[0131] At least a portion of the temperature sensor 370 may be configured to face the cell stack 100. For example, the connecting frame 232 may be provided with a buffer portion 232a configured to accommodate the temperature sensor 370, which may be configured to face the cell stack 100 below the connecting frame 232 through the buffer portion 232a to measure the temperature of the cell 110.

[0132] Temperature information of cell 110 detected by temperature sensor 370 can be transmitted via circuit board 300 to external components of battery module 10 (e.g., BMS).

[0133] The sensing terminal 360 can be configured to be electrically connected to one or more busbars 210 and circuit boards 300 respectively to detect voltage information of the cell stack 100. The connection between the sensing terminal 360 and the busbars 210 and circuit boards 300 will be described in [reference needed]. Figure 11 illustrate.

[0134] Figure 11 This is a reference diagram showing the connection status of the sensing terminal 360 with the circuit board 300 and the busbar.

[0135] Reference Figure 11 The sensor terminal 360, circuit board 300, and busbar described above are the same as those previously referenced. Figures 1 to 10The sensor terminal 360, circuit board 300 and busbar are described in correspondence, so repeated descriptions can be omitted.

[0136] The sensing terminal 360 may comprise a conductive metal material and be electrically connected to the busbar 210 and the circuit board 300, respectively, to function as a terminal for detecting voltage. Alternatively, the sensing terminal 360 itself may be configured as a voltage sensor capable of generating a signal based on a voltage value.

[0137] The sensing terminal 360 may include a first coupling portion 361 coupled to the circuit board 300 and a second coupling portion 362 coupled to the busbar 210.

[0138] The second bonding portion 362 of the sensing terminal 360 can be bonded to the busbar 210 by welding. For example, the second bonding portion 362 of the sensing terminal 360 can be bonded to the surface of the busbar 210 by laser welding. However, the bonding between the sensing terminal 360 and the busbar 210 can also be achieved by various methods other than welding.

[0139] Since the circuit board 300 may contain a material with a relatively lower melting point than the busbar 210, the connection between the sensing terminal 360 and the circuit board 300 can be achieved through other methods than soldering. For example, the first joint 361 of the sensing terminal 360 can be soldered to the first surface 300a of the circuit board 300. The soldering connection can be achieved using surface mounting technology with solder paste.

[0140] On the other hand, to enhance the insulation performance of the folded portion of the circuit board 300, the battery module 10 may further include an insulating member 233 covering the overlapping portion of the circuit board 300. (Refer to the following...) Figure 12 This describes the insulating component 233.

[0141] Figure 12 This is a reference diagram illustrating the insulating component 233 of the overlapping portion of the protective circuit board 300.

[0142] Reference Figure 12 The circuit board 300 described is the same as the one previously referenced. Figures 1 to 11 The description corresponds to circuit board 300, so repeated descriptions can be omitted.

[0143] Insulating component 233 can prevent circuit board 300 from short-circuiting with other components of battery module 10 (e.g., housing) at the overlap.

[0144] The insulating member 233 may be configured to cover the overlapping portion 341 of the circuit board 300. For example, the insulating member 233 may be configured as a thin plate-like member or a film-like member capable of covering the upper part of the overlapping portion 341, and at least a portion may be attached to the connecting frame 232 to protect the overlapping portion 341.

[0145] Figure 12 Only the insulating component 233 protecting the first overlap 341 is shown, but the battery module 10 may further include other insulating components protecting the second overlap 342. For example, the battery module 10 may include other insulating components, at least a portion of which is attached to the busbar frame 231 and covers the upper part of the second overlap 342 to protect the second overlap 342.

[0146] According to an embodiment, a battery module including an integrated circuit board 300 can be implemented, with a sensing terminal 360 and a temperature sensor 370 connected to the integrated circuit board 300.

[0147] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the integrated circuit board 300 can be implemented such that the first extension 320, the second extension 310, and the third extension 330 extending in different directions are connected by an overlap portion 340. Therefore, signal noise that may occur when the first extension 320, the second extension 310, and the third extension 330 are composed of separate circuits and connected to each other can be prevented in advance.

[0148] In addition, by centrally setting the first extension 320, the second extension 310 and the third extension 330 to manufacture the circuit board 300, and then appropriately configuring the overlapping portion 340 in the assembly step of the battery module 10 to deform the circuit board 300 into various shapes, the manufacturing yield of the circuit board 300 can be improved.

[0149] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above, but the scope of this disclosure is not limited thereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the technical concept of this disclosure as set forth in the claims. Furthermore, this disclosure can be implemented by deleting certain components from the above embodiments, or by combining the various embodiments.

Claims

1. A battery module comprising: a cell stack including a plurality of cells; a plurality of bus bars electrically connected to the plurality of cells; and a circuit board electrically connected to the plurality of bus bars, characterized in that the circuit board includes: a plurality of extension portions extending in different directions; and one or more overlapping portions formed by overlapping at least any two of the plurality of extension portions. 2.The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that in the one or more overlapping portions, the circuit board has a shape folded one or more times. 3.The battery module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the plurality of extension portions include: a first extension portion provided at an upper portion of the cell stack and extending in a first direction; and a second extension portion extending in a second direction different from the first direction. further comprising:

4. The battery module of claim 3, wherein, a support frame supporting the plurality of bus bars, in the first extension portion, a first face of the circuit board faces the support frame, in the second extension portion, a second face of the circuit board opposite to the first face faces the support frame. 5.The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that the one or more overlapping portions further include a first overlapping portion configured such that the first extension portion and the second extension portion overlap in the first overlapping portion. 6.The battery module according to claim 5, characterized in that in the first overlapping portion, the first extension portion and the second extension portion face each other in a direction perpendicular to the first face. 7.The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that a circuit layer is provided on the first face of the circuit board, an insulating layer is provided on the second face of the circuit board. 8.The battery module according to claim 3, characterized in that the plurality of extension portions further include a third extension portion to which a sensing terminal electrically connected to the plurality of bus bars is connected. 9.The battery module according to claim 8, characterized in that the one or more overlapping portions further include a second overlapping portion in which the second extension portion and the third extension portion overlap, in the second overlapping portion, the circuit board is folded three or more times. comprising:

10. The battery module of claim 9, wherein, a plurality of bus bar frames to which the plurality of bus bars are coupled; and a connection frame connecting the plurality of bus bar frames, the second overlapping portion faces any one of the plurality of bus bar frames. 11.The battery module according to claim 8, characterized in that the sensing terminal includes a first coupling portion coupled to the circuit board and a second coupling portion coupled to at least one of the plurality of bus bars, the first coupling portion is coupled to the circuit board by soldering, the second coupling portion is coupled to at least one of the plurality of bus bars by welding. further comprising:

12. The battery module of claim 1 or 2, wherein, an insulating member covering the overlapping portions of the circuit board and made of an insulating material. 13.The battery module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that ​ The circuit board is a sensing circuit board, a sensing component is connected to the sensing circuit board, the sensing component includes a temperature sensor for measuring temperature and at least one of sensing terminals connected to the plurality of bus bars to measure voltage.

14. A busbar assembly, characterized by Comprise: a support frame; one or more bus bars combined to the support frame; and a circuit board disposed in the support frame and electrically connected to the one or more bus bars, the circuit board comprises: a first extension and a second extension extending from the support frame in different directions; a third extension extending from at least one of the first extension and the second extension and connected to the one or more bus bars; and one or more overlapping portions formed by overlapping any two of the first extension, the second extension and the third extension.

15. The bus bar assembly according to claim 14, wherein the third extension extends in parallel with any one of the first extension and the second extension.

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