Battery module, battery pack including said battery module, and automobile

Abstract

The present invention discloses a battery module including a side plate capable of satisfying rigidity required for controlling swelling of battery cells and fixing the module at a side of the battery module. A battery module according to one aspect of the invention includes a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells, a module tray configured to support the cell assembly, and a pair of side plates configured to cover one side and the other side of the cell assembly, respectively, and at least one of the pair of side plates includes a first sub-plate having a first flange portion protruding outward, and a second sub-plate having a second flange portion protruding outward and disposed to overlap the first flange portion, overlapping and coupled to the first sub-plate.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module, a battery pack including the battery module, and an automobile, and more particularly to a battery module including a side plate having a flange portion for connecting the battery module to a side of the battery module, and a battery pack including the battery module and an automobile. This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0065674 filed on May 27, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0064703 filed on May 26, 2022, and the contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of the application are incorporated herein in their entirety. [Background technology]

[0002] Secondary batteries, which are easily applicable to various products and have electrical properties such as high energy density, are widely used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) that are driven by electric sources. These secondary batteries have the main advantage of dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels, as well as the advantage of not producing any by-products from the use of energy, and are therefore drawing attention as a new energy source that is environmentally friendly and improves energy efficiency.

[0003] Currently widely used types of secondary batteries include lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, and nickel zinc batteries. The operating voltage of such a unit secondary battery cell, i.e., a unit battery cell, is about 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, when a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack may be configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series. Also, a battery pack may be configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in parallel depending on the charge / discharge capacity required for the battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack may be variously set depending on the required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

[0004] Meanwhile, when a battery pack is constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series / parallel, a battery module including at least one battery cell is first constructed, and then the battery pack is constructed by adding other components using the at least one battery module. Among these, the side plates that cover the sides of the battery cells have the most complicated shape among the other components and must necessarily satisfy the required rigidity since they play a role in controlling swelling of the battery cells and fixing the module. Therefore, it is preferable to construct a battery module including side plates that are easier to manufacture and can satisfy the required rigidity. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery module including a side plate that is easy to manufacture and can easily satisfy the required rigidity.

[0006] Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood from the following description and will become more apparent from the embodiments of the present invention. Also, it will be easily understood that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof as set forth in the claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned objective, a battery module according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells, a module tray configured to support the cell assembly, and a pair of side plates configured to cover one side and the other side of the cell assembly, at least one of the pair of side plates includes a first sub-plate having a first flange portion protruding outward, and a second sub-plate having a second flange portion protruding outward and positioned to overlap the first flange portion, overlapping and coupling with the first sub-plate.

[0008] At least one of the pair of side plates further includes at least one third sub-plate overlapping and coupled to the first sub-plate and the second sub-plate, and having a third flange portion arranged to overlap the first flange portion and the second flange portion.

[0009] In at least one of the pair of side plates, the first sub-plate and the second sub-plate are joined to each other by laser welding.

[0010] The second sub-plate is located outboard of the first sub-plate, and the first flange portion passes through the second sub-plate and overlaps with the second flange portion.

[0011] The second flange portion has a shape obtained by cutting out a part of the second sub-plate and bending the part in a direction toward an outside of the second sub-plate.

[0012] The first flange portion passes through the second sub-plate through an opening formed by cutting and bending the second sub-plate, and is disposed so as to overlap the second flange portion.

[0013] The first flange portion has a shape in which a part of the first sub-plate is cut out and bent in a direction toward an outside of the first sub-plate.

[0014] The first flange portion and the second flange portion may be bent in opposite directions.

[0015] The battery module includes a band member coupled to the pair of side plates.

[0016] The band member is disposed on an upper portion of the battery module.

[0017] At least one of the two ends of the band member is interposed between the first sub-plate and the second sub-plate.

[0018] A battery pack according to the present invention includes a battery module according to the present invention.

[0019] The motor vehicle according to the invention comprises a battery module according to the invention. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, a more rigid side plate can be provided to effectively secure the cover and modules of the cell assembly, as compared to a single piece side plate, thereby allowing for more effective cell swelling control and module fixation.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is no need to attach a separate member corresponding to the flange portion for fixing the battery module to the side plate, and the flange portion has a shape in which a part of the side plate is cut and bent. Therefore, in a secondary battery in which energy density is important, the weight of the flange portion member can be reduced to increase energy density, a separate joining process for the flange portion member can be omitted, and it is only necessary to produce a sub-plate having the same shape, which simplifies manufacturing and increases production efficiency.

[0022] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a single folded portion may be vulnerable to stress in both the folding direction and the opposite direction due to folding, but such vulnerable states to stress can be compensated for by bonding.

[0023] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the band member allows the cell assembly to be covered without the use of a separate module cover.

[0024] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, by interposing the band member between the subplates, a more stable connection can be achieved compared to when the band member is simply interposed on the outside of the side plates.

[0025] Furthermore, various other additional effects can be achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. Such various effects of the present invention will be described in detail in each embodiment, or the description of effects that can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art will be omitted.

[0026] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to further understand the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 13 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a side plate according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 13 illustrates an exemplary morphology change state of a side plate according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 13 illustrates an exemplary morphology change state of a subplate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 13 illustrates an exemplary morphology change state of a side plate according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 3 shows a band member included in the battery module of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a vehicle including a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] The present invention will become clearer by describing in detail the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings. The embodiments described herein are illustrative for the purpose of understanding the invention, and it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various ways different from the embodiments described herein. In addition, the attached drawings may be exaggerated in size to facilitate understanding of the invention, and may not be drawn to actual scale.

[0029] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood separately from the technical ideas and perspectives of the present invention.

[0030] Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the components are separated.

[0031] 1 and 2, a battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cell assembly 100, a module tray 200, and a pair of side plates 300.

[0032] Specifically, the cell assembly 100 may include one or more battery cells. Here, each battery cell may refer to a secondary battery. The secondary battery may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery case. However, other types of secondary batteries, such as cylindrical batteries and prismatic batteries, may also be adopted in the cell assembly 100 of the present invention. The cell assembly 100 may be combined with a bus bar frame assembly including, for example, a bus bar and a bus bar frame that fixes the bus bar, and each battery cell included in the cell assembly 100 may be electrically connected by the bus bar.

[0033] The module tray 200 may be configured to support the cell assemblies 100. The module tray 200 is preferably made of a material that can absorb shock so that the stored cell assemblies 100 are not damaged during transportation.

[0034] The pair of side plates 300 may be configured to cover one side and the other side (extension direction of the X-axis) of the cell assembly 100, respectively. At least one of the pair of side plates 300 includes a first sub-plate 300a and a second sub-plate 300b. The second sub-plate 300b overlaps and is coupled to the first sub-plate 300a. The first sub-plate 300a includes a first flange portion 310a protruding outward, i.e., in a direction opposite to the direction toward the cell assembly 100. The second sub-plate 300b includes a second flange portion 310b protruding outward, i.e., in a direction opposite to the direction toward the cell assembly 100. The second flange portion 310b is disposed to overlap the first flange portion 310a.

[0035] The side plate 300 may be coupled to the module tray 200 approximately vertically to cover the cell assembly 100. The first flange portion 310a protruding outward from the side plate 300 positioned approximately vertically to the module tray 200 and the second flange portion 310b arranged to overlap the first flange portion 310a may be used to fix the battery module 10. The side plate 300 including the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b may have a higher rigidity than the side plate 300 made of a single member. Therefore, by applying such a structure of the side plate 300, not only the rigidity of the battery module 10 itself may be improved, but also swelling of the battery cell may be effectively controlled. In addition, according to the above-described embodiment, the rigidity of the module flange 310 (see FIG. 12) may be improved by the overlapping structure of the first flange portion 310a and the second flange portion 310b. Therefore, when the battery module 10 is fixed to a structure such as a pack tray, the rigidity of the fixing portion may be ensured.

[0036] The module flange 310 of the side plate 300 may be configured to protrude in a direction away from the cell assembly 100 (in the X-axis direction) at a height 0.5l that is half the height of the cell assembly 100 (or the height of the side plate 300) l, or at a height less than half the height 0.5l.

[0037] 1 and 2, the battery module 10 may include a front cover 210 and a rear cover 220 for covering both sides of the length direction (extension direction of the Y axis) of the cell assembly 100. The front cover 210 may cover the front of the cell assembly 100 (positive direction of the Y axis), and the rear cover 220 may cover the rear of the cell assembly 100 (negative direction of the Y axis). The front cover 210 and the rear cover 220 may be combined approximately vertically with the module tray 200 to cover the cell assembly 100. In addition, the front cover 210 and the rear cover 220 may also be combined with the side plate 300 to cover the cell assembly 100. Meanwhile, the front cover 210 and / or the rear cover 220 may be formed integrally with the module tray 200.

[0038] Meanwhile, the battery module 10 may further include a TIM (Thermal Interface Material) layer between the cell assembly 100 and the module tray 200, and / or between the cell assembly 100 and the front cover 210, and / or between the cell assembly 100 and the rear cover 220. Such a TIM layer may include various thermally conductive materials such as metal, polymer, or ceramic, and the TIM layer may be made of a gel type or a phase change material.

[0039] In this case, the module tray 200 and / or the front cover 210 and / or the rear cover 220 are made of a thermally conductive material and can act as a heat sink for the battery module 10.

[0040] In particular, the module tray 200, and / or the front cover 210, and / or the rear cover 220 may have a plurality of through holes A formed in a lattice pattern. In this case, the plurality of through holes A may be filled with a thermal interface material (TIM) inside each of the through holes. Such a TIM may include various thermally conductive materials such as metal, polymer, or ceramic, and may be made of a gel type or a phase change material.

[0041] In this manner, by applying the module tray 200 having a lattice structure, and / or the front cover 210, and / or the rear cover 220 to the battery module 10, the battery module 10 and the battery pack 20 including the battery module 10 can be made lighter.

[0042] The first flange portion 310a and the second flange portion 310b may have flange holes H for fastening with fastening members such as pins, bolts, etc. In Fig. 1, the flange holes H are shown as circular, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to such a shape and number of the flange holes H.

[0043] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a side plate 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 3, at least one of the pair of side plates 300 may further include at least one third sub-plate 300c in addition to the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b. The third sub-plate 300c may be combined with the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b by overlapping therewith. The third sub-plate 300c may include a third flange portion 310c arranged to overlap the first flange portion 310a and the second flange portion 310b. The at least one third sub-plate 300c may be interposed between the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b to constitute the side plate 300. When a plurality of third sub-plates 300c are provided, the plurality of third flange portions 310c may be arranged to overlap each other and also to overlap the first flange portion 310a and the second flange portion 310b.

[0045] According to this configuration of the present invention, if the rigidity of the side plate 300 required in the design of the battery module 10 is insufficient due to the rigidity provided by the combination of the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b, a customized side plate 300 can be easily manufactured by adding the number of third sub-plates 300c according to the required rigidity.

[0046] At least one of the pair of side plates 300 may have a first sub-plate 300a and a second sub-plate 300b bonded to each other by laser welding. In the present invention, various bonding methods such as bolting, ultrasonic welding, and the like may be used as a bonding method between components in addition to laser welding. In this case, the bonding can more effectively control swelling of the battery cells and ensure better rigidity for fixing the module, as compared to a case where no separate bonding is performed. The first flange portion 310a and the second flange portion 310b may also be bonded by laser welding, etc. In this case, the rigidity of the flange portion can be improved as compared to a case where no separate bonding is performed.

[0047] Meanwhile, when at least one of the pair of side plates 300 further includes at least one third sub-plate 300c in addition to the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b, all the sub-plates 300a, 300b, 300c may be joined to each other by laser welding, etc. Similarly, all the flange portions 310a, 310b, 310c may also be joined to each other by laser welding, etc.

[0048] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary morphology change state of a side plate 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] 4, the second sub-plate 300b may be positioned outward of the first sub-plate 300a, and in this case, the first flange portion 310a may pass through the second sub-plate 300b and overlap with the second flange portion 310b. For example, the first flange portion 310a of the first sub-plate 300a may pass through an opening O formed in the second sub-plate 300b and be seated on and overlapped on the second flange portion 310b. However, the present invention is not limited to the shape of the flange portions 310a, 310b and the specific opening O shown in FIG.

[0050] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary configuration of sub-plates 300a, 300b according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] 4 and 5, the second flange portion 310b may have a shape in which a part of the second sub-plate 300b is cut and bent in a direction toward the outside of the second sub-plate 300b. The first flange portion 310a may be disposed to pass through the second sub-plate 300b through an opening O formed by cutting and bending the second sub-plate 300b and overlap the second flange portion 310b. The first flange portion 310a may have a shape in which a part of the first sub-plate 300a is cut and bent in a direction toward the outside of the first sub-plate 300a. For example, as shown in FIG. 5(a), parts of the sub-plates 300a and 300b may be cut along the shapes of the flange portions 310a and 310b by laser processing or press processing, and then the flange portions 310a and 310b may be formed by bending as shown in FIG. 5(b). Thereafter, the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b may be arranged so that the first flange portion 310a of the first sub-plate 300a passes through the second sub-plate 300b through an opening O formed by cutting and bending the second sub-plate 300b and overlaps with the second flange portion 310b, as shown in FIG. 4(a), and then coupled. In this case, in order to smoothly couple the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b and to accurately overlap the first flange portion 310a and the second flange portion 310b, the incision length in the height direction (extension direction of the Z axis) for forming the first flange portion 310a may be longer than the thickness of the second sub-plate 300b compared to the incision length in the height direction (extension direction of the Z axis) for forming the second flange portion 310b. In this case, the flange holes H formed in the first flange portion 310a and the second flange portion 310b may be accurately overlapped. However, the present invention is not limited to such an incision and folding method.

[0052] According to this configuration of the present invention, it is not necessary to couple a separate member corresponding to the flange portions 310a, 310b for fixing the battery module 10 to the side plate 300. Therefore, the manufacture of the battery module is facilitated and production efficiency can be improved.

[0053] Figure 6 is a diagram showing an exemplary change in shape of a side plate 300 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment shown in Figure 6 is different from the embodiments shown in Figures 4 and 5 in that the first flange portion 310a and the second flange portion 310b are bent in opposite directions, but the other points are substantially the same. Therefore, in the following description, the differences will be mainly described and overlapping descriptions will be omitted.

[0054] 6, the bending direction of the first flange portion 310a and the bending direction of the second flange portion 310b may be opposite to each other. For example, referring to FIG. 6, as shown in FIG. 6(a), a part of the first sub-plate 300a may be cut and then bent in an upward direction to form the first flange portion 310a. Similarly, a part of the second sub-plate 300b may be cut and then bent in a downward direction to form the second flange portion 310b. As shown in FIG. 6(b), the first flange portion 310a may pass through the second sub-plate 300b and overlap with the second flange portion 310b. However, the present invention is not limited to such a cutting and bending method.

[0055] A member bent in one direction may be easily deformed because it is weak against a force acting in the direction opposite to the bending direction. Therefore, as described above, first flange portion 310a and second flange portion 310b, which are formed by bending in opposite directions, can be overlapped to complement each other.

[0056] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an exemplary configuration of a battery module 10 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] 7, the battery module 10 may include a band member 400 coupled to a pair of side plates 300. In this case, the band member 400 may cover the cell assemblies 100 without using a separate module cover. For example, the band member 400 may be disposed on the upper portion of the battery module 10.

[0058] The band member 400 may be configured to support a pair of side plates 300 by having one end thereof closely contacting the side plate 300 covering one side of the cell assembly 100 and the other end thereof closely contacting the side plate 300 covering the other side of the cell assembly 100. To this end, the battery module 10 may include one or more band members 400.

[0059] The band member 400 may be made of a metallic material having elasticity and rigidity.

[0060] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a band member included in the battery module of the present invention.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 8, the band member may include a support portion 410 and a pressure portion 420 .

[0062] The support portion 410 can be configured to extend with a predetermined width and have a length corresponding to the distance between a pair of side plates.

[0063] The pressure unit 420 may extend from both ends of the support unit 410 in the longitudinal direction and be configured to be in close contact with the corresponding side plate of the pair of side plates. In this case, the pressure unit 420 may be coupled to the corresponding side plate in various ways. For example, the pressure unit 420 may be coupled to the corresponding side plate by a snap-fit ​​method, by using a separate fastening member, or by welding, adhesive, or the like.

[0064] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an exemplary configuration of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] 9, the pressure member 420 may be interposed between the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b. For example, the pressure member 420 on one side of the band member 400 may be positioned and coupled between the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b of the side plate 300 covering one side of the cell assembly 100, and the pressure member 420 on the other side may be positioned and coupled between the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b of the side plate 300 covering the other side of the cell assembly 100. However, the arrangement and coupling method of the band member 400 and the side plate 300 are not limited to this.

[0066] The battery module 10 may further include an insulating sheet (not shown) interposed between the cell assembly 100 and the band member 400. In another embodiment, the battery module 10 may further include a buffer pad (not shown) interposed between the cell assembly 100 and the band member 400 to prevent damage to the cell assembly 100 due to contact with the band member 400.

[0067] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an exemplary configuration of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 10, the band member 400 may include a coupling portion 430 .

[0069] The coupling portion 430 extends from the pressure portion 420, but extends toward the module flange 310 of the corresponding side plate 300 to which the pressure portion 420 is in close contact, and may be configured to be coupled to a fixing portion 520 of the pack tray 500 described below together with the module flange 310. According to this configuration of the present invention, the band member 400 is interposed between the first sub-plate 300a and the second sub-plate 300b, thereby enabling a more stable coupling than if the band member 400 were simply interposed on the outside of the side plate 300.

[0070] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] Referring to FIG. 11, the battery pack may include a pack tray 500 on which the battery modules 10 are seated.

[0072] The pack tray 500 can be made of a metal material, a carbon material, a polymer synthetic resin, or a combination of two or more of these materials that have the rigidity to receive the load of the battery modules 10 and support the battery modules 10.

[0073] The pack tray 500 may include a seating portion 510 and a fixing portion 520 .

[0074] The mounting part 510 may be configured to have a mounting surface on which the battery module 10 is mounted. The mounting part 510 may be made of a thermally conductive metal material including Al.

[0075] The fixing part 520 may protrude at a predetermined height from the upper surface of the pack tray 500. The fixing part 520 may be configured to protrude at a predetermined height from both sides of a mounting surface on which the battery modules 10 are mounted, and to have a step with the mounting surface. The fixing part 520 may protrude at a height lower than the height of the battery modules 10 mounted on the mounting surface. The fixing part 520 may protrude at a height lower than half the height of the battery modules 10 mounted on the mounting surface. The fixing part 520 may be made of a metal material containing Al.

[0076] The fixing part 520 may be configured in the shape of a rectangular beam or a rectangular pipe extending with a certain width and thickness, and may be coupled to the mounting part 510. The fixing part 520 may have a hollow tube structure.

[0077] The mounting part 510 and the fixing part 520 of the pack tray 500 may be integrally formed. The pack tray 500 is integrally manufactured by applying a casting, sheet metal, or press process to a plastic material, and may be manufactured such that the relatively concave mounting part 510 and the relatively convex fixing part 520 are alternately and repeatedly formed in one direction on the bottom surface of the pack tray 500.

[0078] The fixing part 520 may be coupled to the module flanges 310 protruding from the side plates 300 on both sides of the battery module 10 mounted on the mounting surface of the mounting part 510 to fix the battery module 10 .

[0079] The fixing parts 520 are coupled to the battery module 10 on both sides of the battery module 10 to fix the battery module 10, so that even if an impact is applied to the battery pack 20, the impact can be mitigated and the battery module 10 arranged inside the battery pack 20 can be protected.

[0080] The extra space secured above the fixing part 520 can prevent the battery modules 10 from colliding with each other even if structural deformation occurs in the battery pack 20, and can minimize damage to the battery cells constituting each battery module 10.

[0081] The electric unit 600 may include various electric components for controlling the charging / discharging operation of the battery modules accommodated in the pack tray 500, or for monitoring the SOC (State Of Charge) and SOH (State Of Health) of each battery module or the battery cells constituting each battery module, and may be accommodated and fixed in the pack tray 500 together with the battery modules.

[0082] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an exemplary configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 12, the battery pack may include a pack tray 500 on which the battery module 10 is mounted. The pack tray 500 may have a fixing part 520 protruding to a predetermined height on an upper surface thereof. The battery module 10 may be coupled to the fixing part 520 by a module flange 310 formed by overlapping a first flange part 310a and a second flange part 310b. The module flange 310 and the fixing part 520 may be coupled to a flange hole H by a fastening member such as a pin or a bolt. The module flanges 310 of the side plates 300 on both sides of the battery module 10 may be different in number and position, and the module flanges 310 of one side of the side plate 300 may be disposed between the module flanges 310 of the other side plate 300. In this case, the energy density may be increased by increasing the space efficiency in a secondary battery in which energy density is important.

[0084] 10, a battery pack 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include one or more of the above-described battery modules 10 according to the present invention. In addition, the battery pack 20 according to the present invention may further include various other components, such as a BMS, a bus bar, a pack case, a relay, a current sensor, and other components of a battery pack known at the time of filing of the present invention, in addition to the battery module 10.

[0085] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle including a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] 13, an automobile 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include one or more battery modules 10 according to the present invention. The automobile 30 according to the present invention may further include various other components included in the automobile 30, in addition to the battery module 10 and the battery pack 20. For example, the automobile 30 according to the present invention may further include a vehicle body, a motor, a control device such as an ECU (electronic control unit), etc., in addition to the battery module according to the present invention.

[0087] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the attached drawings, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that many obvious modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the claims written to include many such modifications. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 10 Battery Module 20 Battery Pack 30 Automobiles 100 Cell Assembly 200 module tray 210 Front cover 220 Rear cover A Through hole 300 Side Plate 300a First subplate 300b Second subplate 300c 3rd subplate 310 module flange 310a First flange portion 310b Second flange portion 310c Third flange part 400 Band material 410 Support part 420 Pressurizing section 430 Joint 500 pack tray 510 Landing Section 520 Fixed part 600 Electric Unit H flange hole O opening

Claims

1. a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells; a module tray configured to support the cell assembly; a pair of side plates configured to cover one side and the other side of the cell assembly, respectively; At least one of the pair of side plates is A first subplate including a first flange portion protruding outward; A battery module comprising: a second subplate having a second flange portion protruding outward and arranged to overlap the first flange portion, the second subplate overlapping and coupled to the first subplate.

2. At least one of the pair of side plates is 2. The battery module according to claim 1, further comprising at least one third sub-plate overlapping and coupled to the first sub-plate and the second sub-plate, and including a third flange portion arranged to overlap the first flange portion and the second flange portion.

3. At least one of the pair of side plates, The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the first sub-plate and the second sub-plate are coupled to each other by laser welding.

4. The second sub-plate is located outside the first sub-plate, The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the first flange portion passes through the second sub-plate and overlaps with the second flange portion.

5. The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein the second flange portion has a shape formed by cutting a portion of the second sub-plate and bending the portion in a direction toward an outside of the second sub-plate.

6. The first flange portion is The battery module according to claim 5 , wherein the second flange portion is disposed to pass through the second sub-plate through an opening formed by cutting and bending the second sub-plate and overlap the second flange portion.

7. The first flange portion is The battery module according to claim 5 , wherein a portion of the first sub-plate is cut and bent in a direction toward an outside of the first sub-plate.

8. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein the first flange portion and the second flange portion are bent in opposite directions.

9. The battery module includes: The battery module according to claim 1 , further comprising a band member coupled to the pair of side plates.

10. The band member is The battery module according to claim 9 , disposed on an upper portion of the battery module.

11. At least one of the two ends of the band member is The battery module according to claim 10 , wherein the first sub-plate and the second sub-plate are interposed therebetween.

12. A battery pack comprising at least one battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The battery pack includes: The battery pack according to claim 12, further comprising a pack tray on which the battery modules are mounted.

14. The upper surface of the pack tray is A mounting beam is provided that protrudes at a predetermined height, The battery pack according to claim 13, wherein the battery module is coupled to the mount beam by a module flange formed by overlapping the first flange portion and the second flange portion.

15. A vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 12.

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