Battery structure and battery module

Abstract

To provide a battery structure and a battery module that comprise a conductive elastic member for electrically connecting two battery modules.SOLUTION: A battery structure 1 comprises: two battery modules 10a and 10b; and a conductive elastic member. The two battery modules are laminated each other. Each of the two battery modules contains: a housing 100; a plurality of battery cells; a first holder 104; a second holder; a first conductive board 108; and a second conductive board. A battery cell is arranged in the housing. The first holder houses one end of each of the battery cell. The second holder houses the other end of the battery cell. The first conductive board is arranged onto the first holder, and is electrically connected to the battery cell. The second conductive board is arranged onto the second holder, and is electrically connected to the battery cell. The conductive elastic member is contacted and arranged to between the first conductive board and the second conductive board of the two battery modules.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery structure and a battery module, and more specifically, to a battery structure and a battery module including a conductive elastic member for electrically connecting two battery modules.

Background Art

[0002] The cell-to-pack (CTP) battery design is a manufacturing process used to fabricate lithium-ion battery packs by directly incorporating individual battery cells into a pack without using a modular configuration. The battery pack may include a plurality of CTP battery modules assembled together to provide the required voltage and capacity. However, CTP battery modules need to be assembled by additional components to achieve electrical connection, and as a result, the assembly process is complex, time-consuming, and costly due to the additional components.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides a battery structure and a battery module including a conductive elastic member for electrically connecting two battery modules to solve the above problems.

[0004] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the battery structure includes two battery modules and a conductive elastic member. The two battery modules are stacked on each other. Each of the two battery modules includes a housing, a plurality of battery cells, a first holder, a second holder, a first conductive plate, and a second conductive plate. The plurality of battery cells are disposed within the housing. The first holder accommodates one end of each of the plurality of battery cells. The second holder accommodates the other end of each of the plurality of battery cells. The first conductive plate is disposed on the first holder and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells. The second conductive plate is disposed on the second holder and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells. The conductive elastic member is disposed in contact between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate of the two battery modules.

[0005] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the battery module includes a housing, a plurality of battery cells, a first holder, a second holder, a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate, and a conductive elastic member. The plurality of battery cells are disposed within the housing. The first holder houses one end of each of the plurality of battery cells. The second holder houses the other end of each of the plurality of battery cells. The first conductive plate is disposed on the first holder and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells. The first conductive plate has two first restraining portions. The second conductive plate is disposed on the second holder and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells. The conductive elastic member is restrained by the two first restraining portions to the first conductive plate.

[0006] As described above, the present invention realizes electrical connection by disposing a conductive elastic member between two battery modules. Therefore, it is not necessary to assemble two battery modules with additional parts, the assembly process can be simplified to save time, and costs can be reduced. Further, when two battery modules are stacked on each other, the conductive elastic member is compressed and elastically deformed, and the conductive elastic member firmly contacts the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate of the two battery modules, absorbs assembly tolerances, and ensures electrical connection between the two battery modules.

[0007] These and other objects of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments shown in the various figures and drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the battery structure 1 of the present invention includes two battery modules 10a and 10b, and the two battery modules 10a and 10b are stacked on each other. Further, the battery structure 1 further includes a conductive elastic member 112 disposed in contact between the first conductive plate 108 and the second conductive plate 110 of the two battery modules 10a and 10b, achieving electrical connection between the two battery modules 10a and 10b. It should be noted that the number of battery modules may be determined according to actual applications, and thus the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the figures.

[0010] Each of the two battery modules 10a and 10b includes a housing 100, a plurality of battery cells 102, a first holder 104, a second holder 106, a first conductive plate 108, and a second conductive plate 110. The battery cells 102 are disposed within the housing 100. The first holder 104 houses one end of the battery cell 102, and the second holder 106 houses the other end of the battery cell 102. In this embodiment, the first holder 104 may have a plurality of receiving holes 1040 for housing the battery cells 102, and the second holder 106 may also have a plurality of receiving holes 1060 for housing the battery cells 102.

[0011] The first conductive plate 108 is disposed on the first holder 104 and is electrically connected to the battery cell 102. Similarly, the second conductive plate 110 is disposed on the second holder 106 and is electrically connected to the battery cell 102. For further illustration, the first conductive plate 108 may have a plurality of first pads 1080 that contact the battery cell 102, and the second conductive plate 110 may have a plurality of second pads 1100 that contact the battery cell 102. The first pads 1080 and the second pads 1100 may be soldered to the positive and negative terminals of the battery cell 102. Further, the shape of each of the first pads 1080 may be different from the shape of each of the second pads 1100, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0012] In this embodiment, each first pad 1080 is connected to the first conductive plate 108 by at least one first connection portion 1082, each second pad 1100 is connected to the second conductive plate 110 by at least one second connection portion 1102, and the total cross-sectional area of the at least one first connection portion 1082 is smaller than the total cross-sectional area of the at least one second connection portion 1102. For example, each first pad 1080 may be composed of two semi-circular structures connected to the first conductive plate 108 by two first connection portions 1082, and each second pad 1100 may be a spiral structure connected to the second conductive plate 110 by two second connection portions 1102. In this case, the total cross-sectional area of the two first connection portions 1082 is smaller than the total cross-sectional area of the two second connection portions 1102. Therefore, when the current exceeds the design value, the two first connection portions 1082 burn out first, and the corresponding battery cell 102 forms an open circuit. Therefore, the present invention can provide an overcurrent protection function for each of the battery cells 102.

[0013] Note that the number of the first conductive plate 108 and the second conductive plate 110 may be determined according to actual applications. Further, the first conductive plate 108 may have a plurality of second pads 1100, and the second conductive plate 110 may also have a plurality of first pads 1080. Therefore, the present invention can adjust the number of the battery module, the first conductive plate 108 and the second conductive plate 110, and adjust the series and parallel connections of the battery cells by the arrangement of the first pads 1080 and the second pads 1100, so as to adjust the voltage and capacity of the battery structure.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, the battery module 10a further includes a conductive elastic member 112 disposed on the first conductive plate 108. In this embodiment, the first conductive plate 108 of the battery module 10a has two first restraint portions 1084, and the conductive elastic member 112 may be restrained to the first conductive plate 108 by the two first restraint portions 1084. For example, the conductive elastic member 112 may be a coil spring having two annular ends 1120, and the two annular ends 1120 are hooked to the two first restraint portions 1084 so as to restrain the conductive elastic member 112 to the first conductive plate 108. The two first restraint portions 1084 may be bent from the first conductive plate 108, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0015] Furthermore, the first holder 104 may have a plurality of second restraint portions 1042, and the first conductive plate 108 may further have a plurality of through holes 1086. When the first conductive plate 108 is disposed on the first holder 104, the second restraint portions 1042 pass through the through holes 1086. Then, after disposing the conductive elastic member 112 on the first conductive plate 108, the second restraint portions 1042 are disposed on both sides of the conductive elastic member 112 in the radial direction of the conductive elastic member 112. In this embodiment, the second restraint portions 1042 may be located in a crisscross manner on both sides of the conductive elastic member 112. Thereby, when the battery module 10b is stacked on the battery module 10a and the conductive elastic member 112 is compressed, the conductive elastic member 112 elastically deforms, and the second restraint portions 1042 can restrain the position of the conductive elastic member 112. Also, the compression of the conductive elastic member 112 may be adjusted by the height of the second restraint portions 1042. For example, the height of the second restraint portions 1042 may be smaller than half of the height of the conductive elastic member 112, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the second restraint portions 1042 may extend to the accommodation holes 1040 and restrain the battery cells 102 within the accommodation holes 1040.

[0016] Furthermore, the first holder 104 may have a plurality of positioning portions 1044, and the first conductive plate 108 may further have a plurality of positioning holes 1088. When the first conductive plate 108 is disposed on the first holder 104, the positioning portions 1044 pass through the positioning holes 1088, and the first conductive plate 108 is positioned on the first holder 104. In this embodiment, the positioning portions 1044 may be formed of a plastic material, and the positioning portions 1044 may be melted to firmly fix the first conductive plate 108 to the first holder 104.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the main difference between the battery module 10a' and the battery module 10a is that the conductive elastic member 112' of the battery module 10a' includes an elastic structure 1122 and a conductive material 1124, and as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the elastic structure 1122 is covered with the conductive material 1124. The elastic structure 1122 may be made of rubber, sponge, or other elastic materials, and the conductive material 1124 may be made of conductive metal. In this embodiment, the two first restraint portions 1084 of the first conductive plate 108 may abut against both ends of the elastic structure 1122 so as to restrain the conductive elastic member 112' on the first conductive plate 108.

[0018] The battery module 10a shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 may be replaced by the battery module 10a' shown in FIG. 8. When the battery module 10b is stacked on the battery module 10a' and the conductive elastic member 112' is compressed, the conductive elastic member 112' is elastically deformed, and the second restraint portion 1042 can restrain the position of the conductive elastic member 112'. Therefore, the conductive elastic member 112' is disposed in contact between the first conductive plate 108 and the second conductive plate 110 of the two battery modules 10a' and 10b to achieve electrical connection between the two battery modules 10a' and 10b.

[0019] As described above, the present invention achieves electrical connection by disposing a conductive elastic member between two battery modules. Therefore, it is not necessary to assemble the two battery modules with additional parts, the assembly process can be simplified to save time, and the cost can be reduced. Further, when the two battery modules are stacked on each other, the conductive elastic member is compressed and elastically deformed, and the conductive elastic member firmly contacts the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate of the two battery modules, absorbs assembly tolerances, and ensures electrical connection between the two battery modules.

[0020] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that numerous modifications and changes can be made to the devices and methods while maintaining the teachings of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing disclosure should be construed as being limited only by the boundaries of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Two battery modules stacked on top of each other, each of the two battery modules comprising a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed within the housing, a first holder for receiving one end of each of the plurality of battery cells, a second holder for receiving the other end of each of the plurality of battery cells, a first conductive plate disposed on the first holder and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells, a second conductive plate disposed on the second holder and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells, two battery modules, and a conductive elastic member disposed in contact between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate of the two battery modules. A battery structure comprising the above.

2. The battery structure according to claim 1, wherein one of the first conductive plates of the two battery modules has two first restraint portions, and the conductive elastic member is restrained to the first conductive plate by the two first restraint portions.

3. The battery structure according to claim 2, wherein the conductive elastic member is a coil spring having two annular ends, and the two annular ends are hooked to the two first restraint portions.

4. The battery structure according to claim 2, wherein the conductive elastic member comprises an elastic structure and a conductive material, the elastic structure is covered with the conductive material, and the two first restraint portions abut against both ends of the elastic structure.

5. The battery structure according to claim 1, wherein the first holder has a plurality of second restraint portions, the first conductive plate further has a plurality of through holes, the plurality of second restraint portions penetrate through the plurality of through holes and are located on both sides of the conductive elastic member in the radial direction of the conductive elastic member.

6. The battery structure according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of second restraint portions are located in a crisscross manner on both sides of the conductive elastic member.

7. The battery structure according to claim 5, wherein the first holder further has a plurality of receiving holes for receiving the plurality of battery cells, and the plurality of second restraint portions extend into the plurality of receiving holes to restrain the plurality of battery cells in the plurality of receiving holes.

8. The battery structure according to claim 1, wherein the first holder has a plurality of positioning portions, the first conductive plate further has a plurality of positioning holes, and the plurality of positioning portions penetrate through the plurality of positioning holes to position the first conductive plate on the first holder.

9. The first conductive plate has a plurality of first pads that contact the plurality of battery cells, the second conductive plate has a plurality of second pads that contact the plurality of battery cells, and the shape of each of the plurality of first pads is different from the shape of each of the plurality of second pads. The battery structure according to claim 1.

10. Each of the plurality of first pads is connected to the first conductive plate by at least one first connection portion, each of the plurality of second pads is connected to the second conductive plate by at least one second connection portion, and the total cross-sectional area of the at least one first connection portion is smaller than the total cross-sectional area of the at least one second connection portion. The battery structure according to claim 9.

11. A housing, A plurality of battery cells disposed within the housing, A first holder that houses one end of each of the plurality of battery cells, A second holder that houses the other end of each of the plurality of battery cells, A first conductive plate disposed on the first holder and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells, the first conductive plate having two first restraint portions, A second conductive plate disposed on the second holder and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells, A conductive elastic member restrained by the two first restraint portions to the first conductive plate, A battery module comprising.

12. The conductive elastic member is a coil spring having two annular ends, and the two annular ends are hooked to the two first restraint portions. The battery module according to claim 11.

13. The conductive elastic member includes an elastic structure and a conductive material, the elastic structure is covered with the conductive material, and the two first restraint portions abut against both ends of the elastic structure. The battery module according to claim 11.

14. The first holder has a plurality of second restraint portions, the first conductive plate further has a plurality of through holes, and the plurality of second restraint portions penetrate through the plurality of through holes and are located on both sides of the conductive elastic member in the radial direction of the conductive elastic member. The battery module according to claim 11.

15. The plurality of second restraint portions are located in a crisscross manner on both sides of the conductive elastic member. The battery module according to claim 14.

16. The first holder further has a plurality of accommodation holes for accommodating the plurality of battery cells, and the plurality of second restraining portions extend into the plurality of accommodation holes to restrain the plurality of battery cells in the plurality of accommodation holes. The battery module according to claim 14.

17. The first holder has a plurality of positioning portions, the first conductive plate further has a plurality of positioning holes, and the plurality of positioning portions penetrate through the plurality of positioning holes to position the first conductive plate on the first holder. The battery module according to claim 11.

18. The first conductive plate has a plurality of first pads in contact with the plurality of battery cells, the second conductive plate has a plurality of second pads in contact with the plurality of battery cells, and the shape of each of the plurality of first pads is different from the shape of each of the plurality of second pads. The battery module according to claim 11.

19. Each of the plurality of first pads is connected to the first conductive plate by at least one first connection portion, each of the plurality of second pads is connected to the second conductive plate by at least one second connection portion, and the total cross-sectional area of the at least one first connection portion is smaller than the total cross-sectional area of the at least one second connection portion. The battery module according to claim 18.

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