Battery assembly

Abstract

A battery assembly according to one embodiment can include: a plurality of battery cells each including an electrode assembly, an outer material internally accommodating the electrode assembly, and an electrode lead connected with the electrode assembly and protruding outside the outer material; a busbar electrically connected with each electrode lead of the plurality of battery cells; a through-hole formed through the busbar; a measurement portion measuring an electrical property of at least one battery cell of the plurality of battery cells; and an insulation measurement member one end of which is connected with the outer material of one battery cell of the plurality of battery cells and the other end of which is electrically connected with the measurement portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a battery assembly. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a battery assembly that can quickly and accurately determine whether each cell constituting the battery assembly is degraded, thereby improving safety. Background Technology

[0002] A secondary battery is a type of battery that converts electrical energy into chemical energy for storage and can be reused multiple times through charging and discharging. To obtain the required power and performance, multiple secondary batteries can be combined into a battery pack.

[0003] Each secondary cell within a battery assembly typically has an insulating outer casing to protect the internal electrode components from external impacts. However, when the outer casing deteriorates due to external or internal factors, it can cause internal short circuits, leading to fatal safety issues such as thermal runaway. Utility Model Content

[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a battery assembly with improved safety can be provided.

[0006] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a battery assembly capable of quickly and accurately determining whether each cell within the battery assembly is degraded can be provided.

[0007] On the other hand, this disclosure can be widely applied to the fields of electric vehicles, battery charging stations, energy storage systems (ESS), and other green technologies that utilize batteries, such as solar power (photovoltaics) and wind power. Furthermore, this disclosure can also be used for eco-friendly mobility, including electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, to prevent climate change by suppressing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

[0008] (II) Technical Solution

[0009] The battery assembly according to this disclosure may include: a plurality of cells, each cell including: an electrode assembly; an outer casing material internally housing the electrode assembly; and an electrode lead connected to the electrode assembly and protruding to the outside of the outer casing material; a busbar electrically connected to each electrode lead of the plurality of cells; a through-hole formed through the busbar; a measuring unit for measuring the electrical characteristics of at least one of the plurality of cells; and an insulation measuring component, one end connected to the outer casing material of one of the plurality of cells and the other end electrically connected to the measuring unit.

[0010] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, the outer material may comprise aluminum.

[0011] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, the busbar may include a busbar plate, and the through-hole may be located at the center of the busbar plate.

[0012] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, the busbar may further include a plurality of slit holes, and the through holes may be located between the plurality of slit holes.

[0013] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, the path connecting one end and the other end of the insulation measuring component can pass through the through-hole formed in the busbar.

[0014] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, the path connecting one end and the through hole may be adjacent to the inner surface of the busbar, and the path connecting the through hole and the other end may be adjacent to the outer surface of the busbar.

[0015] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, one end of the insulation measuring component may be connected to the lower part of the outer casing material.

[0016] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, the electrode leads may include positive leads and negative leads, and the busbar may be electrically connected to the negative leads.

[0017] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, the battery assembly may further include a voltage measuring component, one end of which may be connected to the busbar and the other end of which may be electrically connected to the measuring unit, the measuring unit being electrically connected to the voltage measuring component and the insulation measuring component.

[0018] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, the voltage measuring component and the insulation measuring component may be arranged separately from each other.

[0019] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, the measuring unit may further include a judgment module that determines whether the battery assembly is abnormal based on the measured electrical characteristics.

[0020] In a battery assembly according to one embodiment, the measuring unit may further include a notification module that notifies the user whether the battery assembly is malfunctioning.

[0021] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0022] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a battery assembly with improved safety can be provided.

[0023] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a battery assembly capable of quickly and accurately determining whether each cell within the battery assembly is degraded can be provided.

[0024] On the other hand, this disclosure can be widely applied to the fields of electric vehicles, battery charging stations, energy storage systems (ESS), and other green technologies that utilize batteries, such as solar power (photovoltaics) and wind power. Furthermore, this disclosure can also be used for eco-friendly mobility, including electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, to prevent climate change by suppressing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram illustrating a busbar according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a diagram of a busbar according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the first direction DR1.

[0030] Figure 6This is a diagram showing the configuration of the busbar, insulation measuring component, and voltage measuring component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the first direction DR1.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the assembly relationship of a busbar, an insulation measuring component, and a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a diagram of a battery assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the first direction DR1.

[0033] Figure 9 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery assembly according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for monitoring a battery assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating a circuit configuration for measuring insulation resistance in a battery assembly monitoring method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0037] 10: Battery Components

[0038] 100: Battery Cell

[0039] 110: Electrode assembly; 120: External packaging material

[0040] 131: Positive lead; 130: Electrode lead

[0041] 200: Busbar 132: Negative Lead

[0042] 210: Busbar plate 220: Busbar frame

[0043] 240: Through hole; 230: Busbar terminal section

[0044] 300: Measuring section; 250: Slit orifice

[0045] 400: Insulation measuring component; 310: Measuring terminal

[0046] 500: Voltage measuring component; 410: Grounding part

[0047] 600: Circuit components

[0048] 610: First circuit component; 620: Second circuit component

[0049] 700: Outer shell; 710: Supporting body

[0050] 720: Cover body 730: End cap Detailed Implementation

[0051] The embodiments described in this specification can be varied in many ways, and therefore, the technology according to one embodiment of this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, unless specifically stated otherwise, the use of terms such as “comprising,” “provided with,” “containing,” or “having” a component throughout this specification indicates that other components may be further included without excluding them, and does not exclude other components, materials, or processes not listed.

[0052] In this specification, unless otherwise expressly stated, "identical" or "uniform" may mean identical or uniform within the permissible error range. For example, identical configurations or physical property measurements not only mean that the two objects being compared are exactly the same, but also that they are identical within the error range. On the other hand, identical physical property measurements may mean that the difference between the measurements of the objects is within approximately 5%, specifically within 3%, and more specifically within 1%.

[0053] In this specification, the angle between two objects is perpendicular or parallel, which includes not only geometrically perpendicular or parallel cases, but also cases within a certain error range.

[0054] The numerical ranges used in this specification include lower and upper limits, as well as all values ​​within that range, all increments logically derived from the defined range form and width, all values ​​defined therein, and all possible combinations of the upper and lower limits of numerical ranges defined in different forms.

[0055] In this specification, unless otherwise defined, “about” may be considered as 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10% or 5% of the stated value.

[0056] In this specification, "facing" means that each object, including at least one plane, is arranged adjacently or non-adjacently while keeping each plane parallel.

[0057] In this specification, "electrical connection" refers to all connection methods in which multiple objects can be connected to each other in a manner that allows them to be electrically connected.

[0058] In this specification, "first direction DR1", "second direction DR2" and "third direction DR3" can arbitrarily refer to a direction in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system that is perpendicular to each other.

[0059] In this specification, a configuration defined by “…section” or “…module” can represent a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which can be implemented by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0060] The term "lithium secondary battery" as used in this specification can refer to a battery that generates electrical energy through the redox reaction of lithium ions during insertion and extraction at the positive and negative electrodes.

[0061] The term "battery cell" as used in this specification refers to the basic unit of a lithium secondary battery capable of charging and discharging electrical energy.

[0062] The present disclosure will now be described in detail. However, this is merely exemplary and the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein.

[0063] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0064] A battery assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a plurality of battery cells 100, each battery cell 100 including: an electrode assembly 110; an outer casing 120 internally housing the electrode assembly 110; and an electrode lead 130 connected to the electrode assembly 110 and protruding to the outside of the outer casing 120; a busbar 200 electrically connected to each electrode lead 130 of the plurality of battery cells 100; a through hole 240 formed through the busbar; a measuring unit 300 for measuring the electrical characteristics of at least one of the plurality of battery cells 100; and an insulation measuring component 400, one end connected to the outer casing 120 of one of the plurality of battery cells 100, and the other end electrically connected to the measuring unit 300.

[0065] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of battery cells 100 may include a positive electrode and a negative electrode.

[0066] According to an exemplary embodiment, the positive electrode may include a positive current collector and a positive active material coated on at least one side of the positive current collector. The positive current collector may comprise a known conductive material within the range that does not cause a chemical reaction within the lithium secondary battery. For example, the positive current collector may comprise one of stainless steel, nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), and alloys thereof, and may be provided in various forms such as film, sheet, and foil. The positive active material may comprise a substance capable of lithium ion intercalation and deintercalation. For example, the positive active material may be a lithium metal oxide.

[0067] According to an exemplary embodiment, the negative electrode includes a negative current collector and a negative active material coated on at least one side of the negative current collector. The negative current collector may comprise a known conductive material within the range that does not cause a chemical reaction within the lithium secondary battery. The negative current collector may comprise one of stainless steel, nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), and alloys thereof, and may be provided in various forms such as film, sheet, and foil. The negative active material may comprise a substance capable of lithium ion intercalation and deintercalation. For example, the negative active material may comprise one or a combination of crystalline carbon, amorphous carbon, carbon composites, carbon fibers, lithium alloys, silicon (Si), and tin (Sn).

[0068] According to an exemplary embodiment, the positive electrode and the negative electrode may further include an adhesive and a conductive material, respectively, to improve mechanical stability and electrical conductivity.

[0069] According to an exemplary embodiment, each of the battery cells 100 may further include a separator to prevent electrical short circuits between the positive and negative electrodes and to allow ion flow. The separator may include a porous polymer membrane or a porous nonwoven fabric.

[0070] Therefore, in this embodiment, the electrode assembly 110 may have a structure in which the positive electrode, the separator, and the negative electrode are stacked along a predetermined stacking direction. The positive electrode, the separator, and the negative electrode may be stacked in a stacking, stack-folding, or Z-stacking manner.

[0071] According to an exemplary embodiment, each of the battery cells 100 may include an electrolyte to impregnate the electrode assembly 110 housed in the outer casing material 120. The electrolyte may be a non-aqueous electrolyte. The electrolyte may include lithium salts and organic solvents, and may further include additives as needed.

[0072] On the other hand, according to another exemplary embodiment, each of the battery cells 100 may further include a solid electrolyte layer, which comprises an electrolyte in solid form. Therefore, in this embodiment, the electrode assembly 110 may have a structure in which a positive electrode, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode are stacked along a predetermined stacking direction.

[0073] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0075] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment, each of the battery cells 100 may include an outer casing 120. The outer casing 120 may internally house the electrode assembly 110. Specifically, the outer casing 120 has an internal accommodating space to internally house the electrode assembly 110. The outer casing 120 can enclose and protect the electrode assembly 110 by internally housing it.

[0076] Each of the aforementioned battery cells 100 can be classified as a pouch battery, a prismatic battery, a cylindrical battery, etc., depending on the shape of the outer casing material 120. In this disclosure, for ease of explanation, a pouch-type secondary battery is used as an example, but it is not limited to this.

[0077] In one embodiment, the outer casing 120 may include an upper cover 121 and a lower cover 122. The upper cover 121 and the lower cover 122 are connected to form the receiving space internally.

[0078] In one embodiment, the upper cover 121 and / or the lower cover 122 may include a cup portion 123 formed by a recess in one surface. In one embodiment, the electrode assembly 110 may be located in the cup portion 123.

[0079] According to an exemplary embodiment, the upper cover 121 and / or the lower cover 122 can be integrally formed and then folded to form a receiving space. Alternatively, the upper cover 121 and / or the lower cover 122 can also be manufactured separately and then sealed.

[0080] According to an exemplary embodiment, the outer material 120, which is formed by folding or sealing as described above, can form a receiving space and four outer peripheral surfaces.

[0081] The four outer peripheral surfaces may include: a pair of side face portions 124 directly adjacent to each adjacent cell 100 in a predetermined stacking direction of the plurality of cells 100; and an upper portion 125 and a lower portion 126 formed facing each other between the pair of side face portions 124. Here, with Figure 1 Based on this, the stacking direction can refer to the second direction DR2.

[0082] According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 Based on this, the pair of side portions 124 can be parallel to a plane including a first direction DR1 and a third direction DR3. On the other hand, with Figure 1Based on this, the upper portion 125 and the lower portion 126 may be parallel to a plane including a first direction DR1 and a second direction DR2. On the other hand, as will be described later, the lower portion 126 may be adjacent to a support body 710 of a housing 700 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and the upper portion 125 may be adjacent to a cover body 720 of a housing 700 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0083] According to an exemplary embodiment, the outer material 120 may further include a front portion 127 and a rear portion 128, the front portion 127 and the rear portion 128 being formed at both ends of the region defined by the pair of side portions 124, the upper portion 125 and the lower portion 126 and facing each other.

[0084] In one embodiment, the outer casing material 120 may comprise aluminum. According to an exemplary embodiment, the outer casing material 120 may be an aluminum laminate, but is not limited thereto.

[0085] Reference Figures 1 to 3 In one embodiment, each of the battery cells 100 may include an electrode lead 130. The electrode lead 130 may be connected to the electrode assembly 110 and protrude beyond the outer casing material 120. The electrode lead 130 may be configured to electrically connect the electrode assembly 110, which is isolated within the outer casing material 120, to the outside. Alternatively, for this purpose, the electrode lead may be constructed of a conductor having high conductivity and allowing current to pass through.

[0086] In one embodiment, the electrode lead 130 may include a positive lead 131 connected to the positive electrode and a negative lead 132 connected to the negative electrode.

[0087] According to an exemplary embodiment, the positive electrode lead 131 and the negative electrode lead 132 can protrude to the outside from different sides of the outer casing material 120. The positive electrode lead 131 and the negative electrode lead 132 can protrude in a direction different from the stacking direction. For example, with... Figure 1 As shown, the positive lead 131 can protrude in a direction opposite to the first direction DR1, and the negative lead 132 can protrude in the first direction DR1. Conversely, the positive lead 131 can protrude in the first direction DR1, and the negative lead 132 can protrude in a direction opposite to the first direction DR1.

[0088] In one embodiment, the plurality of battery cells 100 can be stacked along a preset stacking direction. As described above, with Figure 1As shown in the figure, the stacking direction can be a second direction DR2. In this case, the plurality of battery cells 100 can be arranged in parallel. According to an exemplary embodiment, auxiliary components such as buffers and cooling plates can be inserted between the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0089] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram illustrating a busbar according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0090] Figure 5 This is a diagram of a busbar according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the first direction DR1.

[0091] Reference Figure 1 In one embodiment, the battery assembly 10 may include a busbar 200 electrically connected to each electrode lead 130 of the plurality of battery cells 100. The busbar 200 may be constructed of a conductor with high conductivity that allows current to pass through, for electrical connection to the electrode lead 130. The busbar 200 can electrically connect the battery cells 100 to an external device. Alternatively, the busbar 200 can electrically connect one battery cell 100 included in the battery assembly 10 to other battery cells 100 included in the battery assembly 10.

[0092] On the other hand, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the busbar 200 may be formed with a through hole 240, which is formed through the busbar 200. This will be described in more detail below.

[0093] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the busbar 200 may include a busbar plate 210, and the through hole 240 may be located at the center of the busbar plate 210.

[0094] In one embodiment, in the configuration of the busbar 200, the busbar plate 210 may refer to a configuration that is in direct contact with at least one of the plurality of battery cells 100. For this purpose, multiple busbar plates 210 may be provided. According to an exemplary embodiment, the busbar plate 210 may be manufactured as a separate component, or the busbar plate 210 may be manufactured as a single integral component.

[0095] In one embodiment, the number of busbars 210 may be the same as the number of the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0096] In one embodiment, the number of busbars 210 can be half the number of the plurality of battery cells 100. However, this is only exemplary, and the number of busbars 210 can be set to various quantities as needed.

[0097] In one embodiment, the through-hole 240 may be formed to penetrate the center of the busbar 210. Here, the center may refer to a concept including the center in the height direction and the center in the width direction of the busbar 210. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown for reference, for example, each of the busbar plates 210 may be formed with a height in the height direction represented by the third direction DR3 and a width in the width direction represented by the second direction DR2, and the through hole 240 may be formed in the middle portion of the height and width of the busbar plate 210.

[0098] In one embodiment, the through-hole 240 may be configured such that the insulation measuring component 400, which will be described later, can pass through the through-hole 240. For the purposes described above, the size of the through-hole 240 is not particularly limited.

[0099] In one embodiment, the busbar 210 may further include a plurality of slit holes 250, and the through hole 240 may be located among the plurality of slit holes 250.

[0100] According to an exemplary embodiment, each of the slit holes 250 can be configured such that the electrode lead 130 can be inserted into and coupled to the slit hole 250. Therefore, each of the slit holes 250 can be configured with a shape corresponding to the shape of the electrode lead 130. For example... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, each of the slit holes 250 can be formed to extend along the height direction of the busbar 210.

[0101] On the other hand, the plurality of slit holes 250 may be formed in two at both ends in the width direction of the busbar plate 210.

[0102] According to an exemplary embodiment, the through hole 240 may be located between regions of the slit hole 250 that are spaced apart in the width direction.

[0103] Refer to the description that will follow. Figure 8 In one embodiment, the busbar 200 may further include a busbar frame 220.

[0104] In one embodiment, the plurality of busbars 210 may be coupled to the busbar frame 220. The busbar frame 220 may fix the respective positions of the coupled plurality of busbars 210. For example, the coupling may be performed by heat fusion.

[0105] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5In one embodiment, the busbar 200 may further include a busbar terminal portion 230.

[0106] In one embodiment, the busbar terminal portions 230 may be spaced apart along the stacking direction, so that a plurality of busbar plates 210 are arranged at predetermined intervals between the spaced areas. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown for reference, for example, each of the busbar terminal portions 230 may be located at both ends in the second direction DR2.

[0107] In one embodiment, both the busbar terminal portion 230 and the busbar plate 210 can be attached to the busbar frame 220.

[0108] In one embodiment, the battery assembly 10 may include a measuring unit 300 that measures the electrical characteristics of at least one of the plurality of battery cells 100. The measuring unit 300 will be described later.

[0109] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the configuration of the busbar, insulation measuring component, and voltage measuring component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the first direction DR1.

[0110] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the assembly relationship of a busbar, an insulation measuring component, and a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0111] Figure 8 This is a diagram of a battery assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the first direction DR1.

[0112] Reference Figures 6 to 8 In one embodiment, the battery assembly 10 may include an insulation measurement component 400, one end of which is connected to the outer casing material 120 of one of the plurality of battery cells 100, and the other end is connected to the measurement unit 300.

[0113] In one embodiment, the insulation measuring component 400 can be configured to measure whether the outer casing material 120 has deteriorated. For this purpose, one end of the insulation measuring component 400 can be electrically connected to the outer casing material 120 of one of the plurality of battery cells 100, and the other end can be connected to the measuring unit 300, thereby enabling real-time measurement of the electrical characteristics of the outer casing material 120.

[0114] Reference Figure 6 In one embodiment, the path connecting one end and the other end of the insulation measuring component 400 may pass through the through hole 240 formed in the busbar 200.

[0115] According to an exemplary embodiment, the insulation measuring component 400 can be configured as a line containing a conductor. With this configuration, the insulation measuring component 400 can transmit the electrical characteristics of the outer casing material 120 to the measuring section 300. Alternatively, the insulation measuring component 400 in this configuration can be disposed between the measuring section 300 and the outer casing material 120, and pass through the through-hole 240 formed in the busbar 200. That is, the busbar 200 of the battery assembly 10 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is provided with the through-hole 240, thereby providing a path for the insulation measuring component 400 to reach the battery cell 100 with the shortest distance, while also more securely fixing the position of the insulation measuring component 400.

[0116] Refer again Figure 6 In one embodiment, the path connecting one end and the through hole 240 may be adjacent to the inner surface of the busbar 200, and the path connecting the through hole 240 and the other end may be adjacent to the outer surface of the busbar 200. In this case, the inner surface of the busbar 200 may refer to the busbar 200 itself, specifically the outer peripheral surface of the busbar plate 210 that is adjacent to the outer casing material 120. The outer surface of the busbar 200 may refer to the outer surface facing the inner surface and oriented towards the outside of the battery assembly 10. Figure 1 As shown in the figure, for example, the inner surface and the outer surface can refer to the busbar 200, specifically a pair of outer peripheral surfaces of the busbar plate 210 that are spaced apart along the first direction DR1 and face each other. The inner surface can refer to the outer peripheral surface of the pair of outer peripheral surfaces that is adjacent to the outer casing material 120 of the plurality of battery cells 100, and the outer surface can refer to the outer peripheral surface of the pair of outer peripheral surfaces that faces the outside of the battery assembly 10.

[0117] Reference Figure 7 In one embodiment, one end of the insulation measuring component 400 may be connected to the lower portion 126 of the outer casing material 120. According to an exemplary embodiment, one end of the insulation measuring component 400 may have a grounding portion 410, which may be connected to the outer casing material 120, specifically to the lower portion 126 of the outer casing material 120, thereby connecting to the outer casing material 120.

[0118] Typically, the outer casing material 120 of the battery cell 100 has an insulating structure. However, when the outer film corrodes or deteriorates, compounds between lithium and the outer casing metal may form and grow inside the battery cell 100, causing the electrodes (or electrode leads 130) and the outer casing material 120 to become electrically connected, thus compromising the insulation. In this case, a short circuit may occur, potentially leading to a fire and causing serious safety problems.

[0119] In particular, for the bag-shaped outer packaging material 120, due to its shark fin shape, structural deterioration or deformation of the lower portion 126 may frequently occur. On the other hand, whether the outer packaging material 120 has deteriorated as described above can usually be assessed by disassembling the module for inspection. However, in this disclosure, it is possible to assess and confirm whether the insulation of the outer packaging material 120 is maintained without separate disassembly. Whether the insulation is maintained as described above can be assessed by applying a predetermined voltage to the outer packaging material 120 and evaluating the resistance value calculated therefrom.

[0120] In one embodiment, the insulation measuring component 400 can be electrically connected to the lower portion 126 of the outer casing material 120 via a grounding portion 410 formed at one end. Alternatively, the insulation measuring component 400 can be configured as a circuit with one end electrically connected to the other. Therefore, a path extending from one end to the other can extend from the lower portion of the outer casing material 120 along the inner surface of the busbar 200 and through the through-hole 240, then extend along the outer surface of the busbar 200 after passing through the through-hole 240 and be soldered at the other end to the circuit component 600, which will be described later, thereby connecting to the measuring unit 300.

[0121] In one embodiment, multiple insulation measuring components 400 may be provided. For example, the number of insulation measuring components 400 may be the same as the number of busbars 210. In another example, the number of insulation measuring components 400 may be half the number of busbars 210. However, this is not a limitation, and the number of insulation measuring components 400 may be changed as needed.

[0122] With this configuration, the battery assembly 10 can be equipped with the insulation measurement component 400 while maintaining structural stability and compactly forming the battery assembly 10.

[0123] In one embodiment, the electrode lead 130 may include a positive lead 131 and a negative lead 132, and the busbar 200 may be electrically connected to the negative lead 132.

[0124] As described above, the positive lead 131 and the negative lead 132 can protrude to the outside from different sides of the outer casing material 120. In this case, the busbar 200 electrically connected to the positive lead 131 and the busbar 200 electrically connected to the negative lead 132 can be the same or different.

[0125] In one embodiment, the busbar 200 in one embodiment of this disclosure may be electrically connected to the negative lead 132. Therefore, the insulation measurement component 400 in one embodiment of this disclosure may also be formed only at the end where the negative lead 132 is formed. Insulation breakdown is likely caused by a so-called "anode connection" where the negative electrode (or negative lead 132) and the outer casing 120 are electrically connected to each other. Therefore, to assess whether the outer casing 120 is degraded due to the negative electrode, the busbar 200 in one embodiment of this disclosure may be configured to be electrically connected to the negative lead 132. In this case, the positive lead 131 may be electrically connected to a conventional busbar, but is not limited thereto; both the positive lead 131 and the negative lead 132 may be electrically connected to the busbar 200 in one embodiment of this disclosure, and the insulation measurement component 400 may be formed on both the positive lead 131 portion and the negative lead 132 portion.

[0126] In one embodiment, the battery assembly 10 may further include a voltage measuring component 500, one end of which is connected to the busbar 200 and the other end of which is electrically connected to the measuring unit 300. The measuring unit 300 may be electrically connected to the voltage measuring component 500 and the insulation measuring component 400.

[0127] In one embodiment, the voltage measuring component 500 can be soldered to the busbar 200. Specifically, one end of the voltage measuring component 500 can be soldered to the busbar plate 210. The other end of the voltage measuring component 500 can be soldered to a circuit component 600, which will be described later, thereby connecting to the measuring unit 300.

[0128] Reference Figures 6 to 8 In one embodiment, the voltage measuring component 500 and the insulation measuring component 400 may be arranged separately from each other. That is, the path connecting one end of the voltage measuring component 500 and the path connecting one end of the insulation measuring component 400 may be separated from each other along their respective paths and shall not come into contact with each other.

[0129] On the other hand, as described above, even if the shape, configuration, or arrangement of the busbar 200 electrically connected to the positive lead 131 and the negative lead 132 differs, the busbar 200 electrically connected to both the positive lead 131 and the negative lead 132 can still be incorporated into the voltage measuring component 500. However, this is not a limitation; the busbar 200 electrically connected to the positive lead 131 may not be incorporated into the voltage measuring component 500.

[0130] In one embodiment, multiple insulation measuring components 400 and multiple voltage measuring components 500 may be provided. For example, the number of voltage measuring components 500 may be the same as the number of busbars 210. However, this is not a limitation, and the number of voltage measuring components 500 may be changed as needed.

[0131] In one embodiment, the battery assembly 10 may further include a circuit component 600, the circuit component 600 including: a first circuit component 610 extending in the same direction as the respective extension direction of the plurality of battery cells 100; and a second circuit component 620 extending from each end of the first circuit component 610 in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first circuit component 610.

[0132] by Figure 1 As shown, for example, the first circuit component 610 may be formed extending along the first direction DR1, and the second circuit component 620 may be formed extending along the second direction DR2.

[0133] In one embodiment, the first circuit component 610 may be formed to cover one side of at least a portion of the plurality of battery cells 100. In a specific embodiment, the first circuit component 610 may be formed to cover the upper surface of at least a portion of the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0134] In one embodiment, the second circuit component 620 may be electrically connected to the insulation measuring component 400 and / or the voltage measuring component 500. Specifically, the second circuit component 620 may be soldered to the other end of the insulation measuring component 400 and / or the voltage measuring component 500, thereby achieving electrical connection with the insulation measuring component 400 and / or the voltage measuring component 500. Therefore, the measuring unit 300 can be electrically connected to the insulation measuring component 400 and / or the voltage measuring component 500 via the circuit component 600, which includes the first circuit component 610 and the second circuit component 620.

[0135] In one embodiment, the first circuit component 610 and the second circuit component 620 may be flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs). In another embodiment, the first circuit component 610 and the second circuit component 620 may be integrally formed.

[0136] In one embodiment, the battery assembly 10 may include a measuring unit 300 that measures the electrical characteristics of at least one of the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0137] In one embodiment, the measuring unit 300 may be electrically connected to the insulation measuring component 400 and the voltage measuring component 500. The configuration of the measuring unit 300 electrically connected to the insulation measuring component 400 and / or the voltage measuring component 500 is the same as described in the embodiment for the circuit component 600 above, therefore the same description is omitted below.

[0138] In one embodiment, the measuring unit 300 can measure the electrical characteristics of at least one of the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0139] According to an exemplary embodiment, in this specification, the electrical characteristics may refer to the insulation resistance characteristics of the outer casing material 120 of the battery cell 100.

[0140] In one embodiment, the measuring unit 300 may include a plurality of measuring terminals 310. Each of the plurality of measuring terminals 310 may be electrically connected to one of the other ends of the insulation measuring component 400 and the voltage measuring component 500. In one embodiment, the measuring unit 300 may include two measuring terminals 310, one of which may be electrically connected to the other end of the insulation measuring component 400, and the other of which may be electrically connected to the other end of the voltage measuring component 500.

[0141] In one embodiment, the measuring unit 300 may include a measuring circuit and a measuring power supply connected to the plurality of measuring terminals 310. In one embodiment, the measuring circuit may include more than one ammeter. According to an exemplary embodiment, the measuring circuit can be electrically connected to the insulation measuring component 400 and the voltage measuring component 500 through the measuring terminals 310. That is, through this configuration, the measuring unit 300, the insulation measuring component 400, the voltage measuring component 500, and the outer casing material 120 can form a single circuit.

[0142] In one embodiment, the voltage applied by the measuring power supply can be transmitted to the insulation measuring component 400 through the measuring circuit and the measuring terminal 310, and applied to the outer casing 120 connected to one end of the insulation measuring component 400. The resulting current can be measured in the measuring circuit, and the insulation resistance value of the outer casing 120 can be calculated based on the measured value.

[0143] In one embodiment, the configuration of the plurality of measurement terminals 310 including the measurement unit 300, the measurement circuit and the measurement power supply can be defined as a measurement module.

[0144] In one embodiment, the measuring unit 300 may further include a judgment module, which determines whether the battery assembly 10 is abnormal based on the measured electrical characteristics.

[0145] According to an exemplary embodiment, the determination module can be electrically connected to the measurement module, and can determine whether the battery assembly 10 is abnormal based on the electrical characteristics measured by the measurement module. Details of the method will be described later.

[0146] In one embodiment, the measurement unit 300 may further include a notification module that notifies the user whether the battery assembly 10 is malfunctioning.

[0147] According to an exemplary embodiment, the notification module may be electrically connected to the judgment module, or electrically connected to both the judgment module and the measurement module, and, if the judgment module determines that the battery assembly 10 has malfunctioned, it will transmit a notification about the malfunction to the user. Details of this method will be described later.

[0148] Figure 9 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery assembly according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0149] Reference Figure 9 In one embodiment, the battery assembly 10 may further include a housing 700 that covers the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0150] In one embodiment, the housing 700 may include: a support body 710 for supporting the plurality of battery cells 100; and a cover body 720 coupled to the support body 710 to form the housing 700.

[0151] In one embodiment, the housing 700 may further include an end cap 730 connected to the support body 710 and the cover body 720 to form one side of the interior space of the housing 700.

[0152] In one embodiment, the support body 710 can be formed in a "U" shape to engage with the cover body 720 on its upper surface and with the end cap 730 on its front and rear surfaces. Figure 9 As shown for reference, for example, the cover body 720 can be coupled to the support body 710 in a third direction DR3, and the end cap 730 can be coupled to the support body 710 in a first direction DR1. However, Figure 9 The shape of each configuration shown is arbitrary, and the support body 710 can be configured to be detached so that the lower surface or the side surface can be joined, as needed.

[0153] According to an exemplary embodiment, the cover body 720 may be configured to correspond in size to the opening of the support body 710 so as to be coupled to the support body 710. The cover body 720 may be coupled to the support body 710 to form the inner side of the internal space of the housing 700, thereby allowing a plurality of battery cells 100 to be disposed between the cover body 720 and the support body 710.

[0154] According to an exemplary embodiment, the support body 710 may be made of conductive or non-conductive materials. According to an exemplary embodiment, the support body 710 may be made of conductive materials. Even if the support body 710 is made of conductive materials as shown in this embodiment, the battery assembly 10 according to an embodiment of this disclosure can measure and determine in real time whether the outer casing material 120 has deteriorated, thereby preventing the risk of short circuits in advance.

[0155] In one embodiment, the housing 700 can be formed into a hexahedral shape by the support body 710, the cover body 720 and the end cap 730, and multiple battery cells 100 can be disposed inside the hexahedral shape for protection.

[0156] However, Figure 9 The illustration is based on one embodiment of this disclosure. In contrast, it may be configured in various forms without departing from the scope defined in this specification.

[0157] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for monitoring a battery assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0158] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating a circuit configuration for measuring insulation resistance in a battery assembly monitoring method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0159] A monitoring method for a battery assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a voltage application step S100, applying a voltage to the outer casing material 120 of at least one of the plurality of battery cells 100; a current measurement step S200, measuring the current generated due to the voltage applied in the voltage application step S100; and an insulation resistance calculation step S300, calculating the insulation resistance value of the outer casing material 120 based on the current measured in the current measurement step S200.

[0160] In one embodiment, the voltage application step S100 may refer to the step of applying voltage to the outer casing material 120 of at least one of the plurality of cells 100.

[0161] As described above, the measuring unit 300, the insulation measuring component 400, the outer casing material 120, and the voltage measuring component 500 can constitute a circuit. The voltage application step S100 can refer to the step of applying the voltage of the measuring power supply of the measuring unit 300 to the outer casing material 120.

[0162] According to an exemplary embodiment, the voltage applied by the measuring power supply can be 50V.

[0163] In one embodiment, the current measurement step S200 may refer to the step of measuring the current generated by the voltage applied in the voltage application step S100.

[0164] Due to the voltage applied in the voltage application step S100, a current can be generated in the circuit connecting the measuring unit 300, the insulating measuring component 400, the outer casing material 120, and the voltage measuring component 500. The measuring circuit constituting the measuring unit 300 may have an internal resistance R. M Furthermore, a separate regulating resistor R can exist for zero-point adjustment. C Therefore, when measuring the current along the path from the measuring unit 300 through the insulation measuring component 400 to the outer casing 120, and then back to the measuring unit 300 via the voltage measuring component 500, the insulation resistance R of the outer casing 120 can be measured. P Value. Therefore, the galvanometer can be configured to measure the current along the path from the outer casing material to the measuring unit 300.

[0165] In one embodiment, the insulation resistance calculation step S300 may refer to the step of calculating the insulation resistance value of the outer material 120 based on the current measured in the current measurement step S200.

[0166] Figure 11This illustrates an embodiment of the present disclosure for measuring the insulation resistance R of the outer casing material 120 of the battery assembly 10. P A diagram showing the circuit configuration of the value.

[0167] As described above, the voltage V from the measuring power supply of the measuring unit 300 M The current I measured by the galvanometer can be applied to the outer casing 120 via the measuring circuit and the insulating measuring component 400 connected to the measuring terminal 310. At this time, the current I measured by the galvanometer can be determined by the internal resistance R. M Adjusting resistor R C Insulation resistance R P and the voltage V M Determined. Based on this relationship, the insulation resistance R P A relation can satisfy the following relational expression:

[0168] [Relation 1]

[0169]

[0170] The voltage V M The internal resistance R M and the adjusting resistor R C The insulation resistance calculation step S300 is based on the current value measured in the current measurement step S200, which is a preset or measured value. Therefore, the insulation resistance R of the outer material 120 can be calculated based on the current value measured in the current measurement step S200. P .

[0171] In one embodiment, the voltage application step S100, the current measurement step S200, and the insulation resistance calculation step S300 can be executed by the measurement unit 300, specifically by the measurement module of the measurement unit 300.

[0172] In one embodiment, the monitoring method of the battery assembly 10 may further include an anomaly judgment step S400, in which the insulation resistance value calculated in the insulation resistance calculation step S300 is compared with a reference resistance value to determine whether the battery assembly 10 is abnormal.

[0173] The steps for calculating the insulation resistance value in the insulation resistance calculation step S300 are as described above. In the anomaly judgment step S400, the battery assembly 10 can be judged to be abnormal by comparing the insulation resistance value calculated in the insulation resistance calculation step S300 with a preset reference resistance value.

[0174] In one embodiment, when the insulation resistance value is lower than the reference resistance value in the anomaly determination step S400, it can be determined that an abnormality has occurred in the battery assembly 10. When the outer casing material 120 deteriorates such as by tearing or peeling, as described above, insulation breakdown of the outer casing material 120 may occur. In this case, the insulation resistance R of the outer casing material 120 P It may decrease when the insulation resistance R is measured. P When the temperature drops below a certain benchmark value, it can be determined that the outer casing material 120 has deteriorated. That is, in the anomaly determination step S400, determining whether the battery assembly 10 is abnormal can be done by judging the measured insulation resistance R of the outer casing material 120. P The value is used to determine whether the outer material 120 has deteriorated, based on whether it is less than or equal to the reference resistance value.

[0175] In one embodiment, the reference resistance value can be from 75 MΩ to 120 MΩ. Specifically, the reference resistance value can be from 90 MΩ to 105 MΩ, and more specifically, the reference resistance value can be 100 MΩ.

[0176] In one embodiment, the battery assembly 10 may further include a voltage measuring component 500, which measures the voltage of any one of the plurality of battery cells 100. In the anomaly judgment step S400, the battery assembly 10 may be judged to be abnormal based on the voltage value of the arbitrary battery cell 100 measured by the voltage measuring component 500 and the insulation resistance value calculated in the insulation resistance calculation step S300.

[0177] As described above, the voltage measuring component 500 is configured such that one end is connected to the busbar 200 and the other end is connected to the measuring unit 300. Through the configuration of the voltage measuring component 500, the voltage of any one of the battery cells 100 can be measured in real time. When the measured voltage value of any one of the battery cells 100 deviates from the reference value, it can be determined that an abnormality has occurred in the battery assembly 10.

[0178] In one embodiment, in the anomaly determination step S400, whether the battery assembly 10 is abnormal can be determined by comparing the insulation resistance value with a reference resistance value, and / or by comparing the voltage value of any one of the cells 100 with a reference value. That is, the monitoring method for the battery assembly 10 according to an embodiment of this disclosure can monitor the voltage of the cells 100 within the battery assembly 10 and whether the outer casing material 120 of the cells 100 is deteriorating in real time, and can more quickly and accurately determine possible anomalies within the battery assembly 10.

[0179] In one embodiment, the anomaly judgment step S400 can be executed by the measurement unit 300, specifically by the judgment module of the measurement unit 300.

[0180] In one embodiment, the monitoring method for the battery assembly 10 may further include a notification execution step S500, which notifies the user when it is determined in the anomaly judgment step S400 that an anomaly has occurred in the battery assembly 10.

[0181] In one embodiment, the notification can be executed by a notification device disposed in a device powered by the battery assembly 10. For example, when the notification device provides a notification visually, it can do so by emitting light, generating heat, or displaying a sentence or icon related to the notification to the user. When the notification device provides a notification auditorily, it can do so by outputting audio containing a specific sentence and / or signal tone. The notification can be executed using the visual and auditory methods described above, or other methods as needed.

[0182] In one embodiment, the notification can be executed via a device powered by the battery assembly 10, linked to and through the user's portable device. For example, the notification can be executed by sending a text message or notification call to the portable device, or by using a separate application installed on the portable device.

[0183] In one embodiment, the notification execution step S500 can be executed by the measurement unit 300, specifically by the notification module of the measurement unit 300.

[0184] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the monitoring method for a battery assembly 10 can be executed on at least one of a plurality of battery cells 100 within the battery assembly 10, and can be executed simultaneously on at least two of the plurality of battery cells 100, and can be executed simultaneously on all of the plurality of battery cells 100. When it is determined that at least one of the battery cells 100 monitored by the monitoring method has an abnormality, the user can be notified through the notification execution step S500.

[0185] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery assembly 10 can be included within a battery pack as part of a battery pack configuration.

[0186] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the battery assembly 10 can preferably be used as a power source for small or medium-to-large-sized devices. Examples of small devices include mobile phones, laptops, cameras, etc., and examples of medium-to-large-sized devices include electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, energy storage systems, etc., but are not limited to these.

[0187] The above content is merely an example of applying the principles of this disclosure, and other configurations may be included without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A battery assembly, characterized in that, include: Multiple battery cells, each including: an electrode assembly; an outer casing housing the electrode assembly; and electrode leads connected to the electrode assembly and protruding to the outside of the outer casing. The busbar is electrically connected to each electrode lead of the plurality of battery cells; A through hole is formed by penetrating the busbar; The measuring unit measures the electrical characteristics of at least one of the plurality of battery cells; and An insulation measuring component has one end connected to the outer casing material of one of the plurality of battery cells, and the other end electrically connected to the measuring unit.

2. The battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer casing material contains aluminum.

3. The battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The busbar includes a busbar plate. The through hole is located at the center of the manifold.

4. The battery assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The busbar further includes a plurality of slit holes. The through hole is located between the plurality of slit holes.

5. The battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The path connecting one end and the other end of the insulation measuring component passes through the through hole formed in the busbar.

6. The battery assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The path connecting one end and the through hole is adjacent to the inner surface of the busbar, and the path connecting the through hole and the other end is adjacent to the outer surface of the busbar.

7. The battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the insulation measuring component is connected to the lower part of the outer casing material.

8. The battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrode leads include positive leads and negative leads. The busbar is electrically connected to the negative lead.

9. The battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery assembly further includes a voltage measuring component, one end of which is connected to the busbar, and the other end of which is electrically connected to the measuring unit. The measuring unit is electrically connected to the voltage measuring component and the insulation measuring component.

10. The battery assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that, The voltage measuring component and the insulation measuring component are arranged separately from each other.

11. The battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The measuring unit further includes a judgment module, which determines whether the battery assembly is abnormal based on the measured electrical characteristics.

12. The battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The measurement unit further includes a notification module that notifies the user whether the battery assembly is malfunctioning.

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