Battery module and device including same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery module and a device including the same. A battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked in a first direction; a first bus bar frame and a second bus bar frame that face each other in a second direction different from the first direction across the battery cell stack; a first circuit board arranged to face in the first direction at least a portion of an outermost battery cell located at the outermost position among the plurality of battery cells; and at least one first temperature sensor arranged on the first circuit board.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] [CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0019802 dated February 15, 2022 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0004886 dated January 12, 2023, and all contents set forth in the documents of said Korean patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery module and a device including the same, and more particularly, to a battery module capable of sensing a temperature of the battery module and a device including the same. [Background technology]

[0003] Recently, the demand for portable electronic products such as notebook computers, video cameras, and mobile phones has increased dramatically, and the development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, satellites, and the like has been fully underway. Accordingly, much research has been conducted on secondary batteries used as the driving power sources for these products.

[0004] As a result, there is an increasing need for large-capacity secondary battery structures, including the use of secondary batteries as energy storage sources, and there is also an increasing demand for multi-module battery packs that assemble battery modules in which a large number of secondary batteries are connected.

[0005] A battery module may be affected by various operating environments of an electronic product to which the electronic module is attached. For example, the charge amount and output of the battery module may vary greatly depending on the temperature conditions. Therefore, various methods are required to effectively control the battery module depending on the temperature of the operating environment in which the battery module is placed. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention provides a battery module capable of sensing the temperature of the battery module and a device including the same.

[0007] The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked in a first direction; a first bus bar frame and a second bus bar frame that face each other in a second direction different from the first direction across the battery cell stack; a first circuit board arranged to face in the first direction at least a portion of an outermost battery cell that is located at the outermost position among the plurality of battery cells; and at least one first temperature sensor arranged on the first circuit board.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the battery module may further include a fixing member coupled to at least one of the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame, and the fixing member may be disposed between the first circuit board on which the first temperature sensor is mounted and the outermost battery cell.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the fixing member may be made of a material having a greater rigidity than the first circuit board.

[0011] According to an embodiment, at least one of the fixing member and the first circuit board may extend in a bar shape along the second direction, which is a longitudinal direction of the outermost battery cell.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the fixing member may be attached to at least one of the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame by laser welding.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the battery cell stack includes an upper surface and a lower surface formed by stacking the plurality of battery cells, and one of the upper surface and the lower surface may have a lower temperature than the other of the upper surface and the lower surface.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the battery module may further include a second circuit board disposed on at least a portion of an upper surface of the battery cell stack, and a second temperature sensor disposed on the second circuit board, and a temperature of the upper surface may be higher than a temperature of the lower surface.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the first temperature sensor may be disposed adjacent to a lower surface that has a lower temperature than the upper surface.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the battery module may further include a frame covering first and second side surfaces of the battery cell stack; and a top cover coupled to the frame and covering a top surface of the battery cell stack, wherein the first circuit board faces the frame and the second circuit board faces the top cover.

[0017] According to one embodiment, a portion of the first circuit board is bent, such that one end of the first circuit board extends toward a third direction different from the first and second directions, and may include at least one third temperature sensor disposed on the first circuit board extended toward the third direction.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the battery pack may further include a fixing member coupled to at least one of the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame, the fixing member being disposed between the first circuit board and the outermost battery cell, and a portion of the fixing member being bent, thereby causing one end of the fixing member to extend toward a third direction different from the first and second directions.

[0019] A device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the battery module described above. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a first temperature sensor can be used to sense a cold spot in a battery cell stack, and a second temperature sensor can be used to sense a hot spot in the battery cell stack.

[0021] In addition to this, various other effects may be provided that are directly or indirectly grasped through this document. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line "AA'" of the battery module shown in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 4 is a detailed view of a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5a] 1 is a diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5b] 1 is a diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a first embodiment of a fixing member included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a second embodiment of a fixing member included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a third embodiment of a fixing member included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0024] In order to clearly explain the present invention, detailed descriptions of parts that are not relevant to the description or related prior art that may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted, and when adding reference symbols to components in each drawing in this specification, the same or similar reference symbols will be used for the same or similar components throughout the specification.

[0025] Furthermore, the terms and words used in this specification and the claims should not be interpreted in a limited manner to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as meanings and concepts that are consistent with the technical ideas of the present invention, in accordance with the principle that an inventor can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe his or her invention.

[0026] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module 100 of Fig. 1. For convenience of explanation, in the following, based on the perspective views of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a first direction (e.g., X-axis direction) is the width direction of the battery module 100, a second direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) is the length direction of the battery module 100, and a third direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) is the height direction of the battery module 100.

[0027] 1 and 2, a battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a battery cell stack 120, a module frame 200, a bus bar frame 300, and an end plate 400.

[0028] The battery cell stack 120 may be formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells 110 so that the battery cells 110 are electrically connected to each other. The plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked in a line along a first direction (+X-axis direction).

[0029] The battery cells 110 may be secondary batteries. For example, the battery cells 110 may be pouch-type secondary batteries. Each of the battery cells 110 may include an electrode assembly, a battery case, and an electrode lead protruding from the electrode assembly.

[0030] The module frame 200 can house the battery cell stack 120. The module frame 200 can include a top cover 220 and a U-shaped frame 210.

[0031] The U-shaped frame 210 may include a bottom region 211 and two side regions 212 extending in a third direction (e.g., +Z-axis direction) from both ends of the bottom region 211. The bottom region 211 may cover a lower surface (e.g., a surface facing the opposite direction to the third direction (e.g., -Z-axis direction)) of the battery cell stack 120. The side regions 212 may cover a first side surface (e.g., a surface facing the first direction (+X-axis direction)) and a second side surface (e.g., a surface facing the opposite direction to the first direction (-X-axis direction)) of the battery cell stack 120.

[0032] The upper cover 220 may be formed as a single plate-like structure surrounding the upper surface (e.g., the surface facing the third direction (+Z-axis)) of the battery cell stack 120. The upper cover 220 and the U-shaped frame 210 may be joined by welding or the like with corresponding corners in contact with each other to form a structure that covers the battery cell stack 120 from above, below, left and right. The battery cell stack 120 may be physically protected by the upper cover 220 and the U-shaped frame 210. To this end, the upper cover 220 and the U-shaped frame 210 may include a metal material having a predetermined strength.

[0033] Meanwhile, in the embodiment, the upper cover 220 and the U-shaped frame 210 included in the module frame 200 are formed as separate structures and then coupled to each other, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the module frame 200 may be formed as a monoframe in the form of a metal plate material in which the upper cover 220 and the U-shaped frame 210 are integrated. The module frame 200 may be formed as an integrated structure through a manufacturing process of extrusion molding.

[0034] The busbar frame 300 may include a first busbar frame 310 and a second busbar frame 320. The first busbar frame 310 may be formed on a third side surface (e.g., a surface facing the second direction (+Y-axis direction)) of the battery cell stack 120. The first busbar frame 310 may be connected to an electrode lead formed on the third side surface of the battery cell stack 120. The first busbar frame 310 may include a terminal busbar 311. The terminal busbar 311 may be formed to protrude to the outside through an opening formed in the end plate 400, and may electrically connect the battery module to a battery pack or other devices. The temperature of a peripheral area of ​​the terminal busbar 311, which is an electrical channel, may be higher than the temperature of other areas.

[0035] The second busbar frame 320 may be formed on a fourth side surface of the battery cell stack 120 (e.g., a surface facing the opposite direction to the second direction (-Y axis direction)). The second busbar frame 320 may be connected to an electrode lead formed on the fourth side surface of the battery cell stack 120. Each of the first busbar frame 310 and the second busbar frame 320 may be coupled to the upper cover 220. The upper ends of the first busbar frame 310 and the second busbar frame 320 may be connected to each other via the upper cover 220.

[0036] The end plate 400 may be located in an open area of ​​the module frame 200 to cover the bus bar frame 300. The end plate 400 may protect the bus bar frame 300, the battery cell stack 120, and various electrical components connected thereto from external impact. In addition, the end plate 400 may guide an electrical connection between the battery cell stack 120 and an external power source.

[0037] The end plate 400 may include a first end plate 410 and a second end plate 420. The first end plate 410 may cover the first bus bar frame 310. An insulating member (not shown) may be inserted between the first end plate 410 and the first bus bar frame 310. The insulating member may block an electrical connection between the first bus bar frame 310 and an external electrical component. The second end plate 420 may cover the second bus bar frame 320. An insulating member (not shown) may be inserted between the second end plate 420 and the second bus bar frame 320. The insulating member may block an electrical connection between the second bus bar frame 320 and an external electrical component.

[0038] According to an embodiment, the battery module 100 may include a plurality of temperature sensors 510, 610. The plurality of temperature sensors may include at least one first temperature sensor 510 and at least one second temperature sensor 610. The first temperature sensor 510 may be mounted on a first circuit board 512, and the second temperature sensor 610 may be mounted on a second circuit board 612. At least one of the first temperature sensor 510 and the second temperature sensor 610 may be formed, for example, as a thermistor element whose resistance value changes depending on temperature. Temperature information measured by each of the first temperature sensor 510 and the second temperature sensor 610 may be transmitted to another device located outside the battery module 100. For example, when the temperature is measured by the temperature sensors 510, 610, the measured temperature information may be transmitted to a Battery Management System (BMS) located outside the battery module 100 and used to control the battery module 100.

[0039] Since the battery cells 110 in the battery module 100 dissipate heat while generating electric energy, the battery module 100 may include a cooling device for cooling the dissipated heat. The cooling device included in the battery module 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line "AA'" of the battery module shown in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 3, the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may generate a large amount of heat during charging and / or discharging since it includes a plurality of battery cells 110. The battery module 100 may include a cooling member 130 for transferring heat generated from the battery cells 110 to the outside of the battery module 100. As an example, the cooling member 130 may be disposed at a lower portion of the module frame 200. As another example, the cooling member 130 may be disposed between the battery cell stack 120 and a bottom region 211 of the module frame 200. As another example, the cooling member 130 may be disposed at a lower portion of the module frame 200 and between the battery cell stack 110 and the bottom region 211 of the module frame 200. As a result, depending on the position of the cooling member 130, a cold spot having a relatively lower temperature than other parts of the battery cell stack may be formed.

[0042] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 4, a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a first temperature sensor 510 and a second temperature sensor 610.

[0044] The first temperature sensor 510 may be located at a cold spot, which is a portion of the battery cell stack 120 where the temperature is relatively low, to sense the temperature of the battery cell stack 120. The first temperature sensor 510 may be mounted on a first circuit board 512. As an example, the first temperature sensor 510 may be mounted on a first circuit board 512 arranged to face an outermost battery cell 110 located at the outermost position among the plurality of battery cells 110 aligned in a first direction (e.g., X direction). The first temperature sensor 510 may be arranged adjacent to a cooling member (e.g., cooling member 130 in FIG. 3). The first circuit board 512 on which the first temperature sensor 510 is mounted may be arranged at a lower part of a side surface of the outermost battery cell 110 to be adjacent to a bottom region (e.g., bottom region 211 in FIG. 2) of the module frame. The first circuit board 512 may be electrically connected to the main circuit board 700 disposed on at least one of the first bus bar frame 310 and the second bus bar frame 320. The first circuit board 512 may be a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). The first circuit board 512 may be formed in a bar shape along the second direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the outermost battery cell 110. As an example, one first circuit board 512 may be provided. One first circuit board 512 may be disposed between the first bus bar frame 310 and the second bus bar frame 320 so as to physically connect the first bus bar frame 310 and the second bus bar frame 320. As another example, a plurality of first circuit boards 512 may be provided. At least one of the multiple first circuit boards 512 may be formed in a bar shape by extending from the first bus bar frame 310 toward the second bus bar frame 320, and at least one of the remaining multiple first circuit boards 512 may be formed in a bar shape by extending from the second bus bar frame 320 toward the first bus bar frame 310.

[0045] The second temperature sensor 610 may be located at a hot spot, which is a portion of the battery cell stack 120 where the temperature is relatively high, to sense the temperature of the battery cell stack 120. The hot spot may be a portion to which an electrode tab of each battery cell is connected. The second temperature sensor 610 may be mounted on a second circuit board 612. As an example, the second temperature sensor 610 may be mounted on a second circuit board 612 extending in a second direction (e.g., Y direction) perpendicular to a first direction (e.g., X direction) of the plurality of battery cells. The second circuit board 612 may be disposed on at least a portion of an upper surface of the battery cell stack 120. The temperature of the upper surface of the battery cell stack 120 may be higher than the temperature of the lower surface (due to the absence of a cooling device). The first circuit board 712 may be electrically connected to a main circuit board 700 disposed on at least one of the first bus bar frame 310 and the second bus bar frame 320. The second circuit board 612 may be a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

[0046] In this manner, the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can check the temperatures of both the cold spots and the hot spots of the battery cell stack 120. As a result, the stability and output of the battery module can be checked simultaneously, and therefore the performance of the battery module 100 can be checked.

[0047] 5a and 5b are views illustrating a method of manufacturing a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] 5a, a fixing member 514 may be fixed to at least one of the first busbar frame 310 and the second busbar frame. The fixing member 514 may be attached to at least one of the first busbar frame 310 and the second busbar frame (e.g., the second busbar frame 320 in FIG. 4) through laser welding. The fixing member 514 may be formed in a bar shape along a second direction, which is a longitudinal direction of the outermost battery cell (e.g., the outermost battery cell 110 in FIG. 4).

[0049] 5b, the first circuit board 512 on which the first temperature sensor 510 is mounted may be attached onto the fixing member 514. The fixing member 514 may be disposed between the first circuit board 512 and a battery cell (e.g., the battery cell 110 in FIG. 4) located at the outermost position among the plurality of battery cells. As an example, the fixing member 514 may be disposed so as to face the mounting surface of the first circuit board 512 on which the first temperature sensor 510 is mounted. As another example, the fixing member 514 may be disposed so as to face the opposite surface of the first circuit board 512 facing in the opposite direction to the mounting surface of the first circuit board 512.

[0050] According to an embodiment, the fixing member 514 may be made of a thin plastic material such as polycarbonate (PC) so as to be movable in the left-right direction (e.g., the y-axis direction). The fixing member 514 may be made of a material having a higher rigidity than at least one of the first circuit board 512 and the main circuit board 700.

[0051] FIG. 6 is a view showing a first embodiment of a fixing member included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] 6, the fixing member 514 may be attached to the first busbar frame 310 and the second busbar frame 320. The fixing member 514 may be attached to one side of each of the first busbar frame 310 and the second busbar frame 320. The fixing member 514 may extend from one side of any one of the first busbar frame 312 and the second busbar frame 320 to one side of the remaining one of the first busbar frame 312 and the second busbar frame 320. The one side of each of the first busbar frame 310 and the second busbar frame 320 may be a side facing a first direction (e.g., +X direction) that is a stacking direction of a plurality of battery cells (e.g., battery cell 110 in FIG. 2).

[0053] The first circuit board 512 may include a first sub-circuit board 5121 and a second sub-circuit board 5122. The first sub-circuit board 5121 may be disposed adjacent to the first bus bar frame 310. A first sub-temperature sensor 5101 included in the first temperature sensor 510 may be disposed on the first sub-circuit board 5121. The second sub-circuit board 5122 may be disposed adjacent to the second bus bar frame 320. A second sub-temperature sensor 5102 included in the first temperature sensor 510 may be disposed on the second sub-circuit board 5122. The first sub-circuit board 5121 and the second sub-circuit board 5122 may be disposed to face each other in a second direction (e.g., Y direction) perpendicular to the first direction on the fixing member 514.

[0054] FIG. 7 is a view showing a second embodiment of a fixing member included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] 7, the fixing member 514 may include a first fixing member 5141 and a second fixing member 5142. The first fixing member 5141 and the second fixing member 5142 may be disposed to face each other across the battery cell stack (e.g., the battery cell stack 120 in FIG. 2).

[0056] The first fixing member 5141 may extend from one side surface of any one of the first busbar frame 312 and the second busbar frame 320 to one side surface of the remaining one of the first busbar frame 312 and the second busbar frame 320. The one side surface of each of the first busbar frame 310 and the second busbar frame 320 may be a side surface facing a first direction (e.g., +X direction) which is a stacking direction of the multiple battery cells.

[0057] The second fixing member 5142 may extend from the other side of any one of the first busbar frame 312 and the second busbar frame 320 to the other side of the remaining one of the first busbar frame 312 and the second busbar frame 320. The other side of each of the first busbar frame 310 and the second busbar frame 320 may be a side facing a direction opposite (e.g., −X direction) to a first direction (e.g., +X direction) that is a stacking direction of the multiple battery cells.

[0058] The first circuit board 512 may include a first sub-circuit board 5121 , a second sub-circuit board 5122 , a third sub-circuit board 5123 and a fourth sub-circuit board 5124 .

[0059] The first sub-circuit board 5121 and the second sub-circuit board 5122 may be formed separately from each other or integrally with each other and disposed on the first fixing member 5141. The first sub-circuit board 5121 may be disposed adjacent to the first bus bar frame 310. The second sub-circuit board 5122 may be disposed adjacent to the second bus bar frame 320.

[0060] The third sub-circuit board 5123 and the fourth sub-circuit board 5124 may be formed separately from each other or integrally with each other and may be disposed on the second fixing member 5142. The third sub-circuit board 5123 may be disposed adjacent to the first bus bar frame 310. The third sub-circuit board 5123 may be disposed to face the first sub-circuit board 5121 with the battery cell stack in between. The fourth sub-circuit board 5124 may be disposed adjacent to the second bus bar frame 320. The fourth sub-circuit board 5124 may be disposed to face the second sub-circuit board 5122 with the battery cell stack in between.

[0061] The first temperature sensor 510 may include a first sub-temperature sensor 5101, a second sub-temperature sensor 5102, a third sub-temperature sensor 5103, and a fourth sub-temperature sensor 5104.

[0062] The first sub-temperature sensor 5101 may be disposed on the first sub-circuit board 5121. The first sub-temperature sensor 5101 may sense the temperature of the cold spot of the outermost battery cell adjacent to the first sub-circuit board 5121 among the plurality of battery cells. The second sub-temperature sensor 5102 may be disposed on the second sub-circuit board 5122. The second sub-temperature sensor 5102 may sense the temperature of the cold spot of the outermost battery cell adjacent to the second sub-circuit board 5122 among the plurality of battery cells. The third sub-temperature sensor 5103 may be disposed on the third sub-circuit board 5123. The third sub-temperature sensor 5103 may sense the temperature of the cold spot of the outermost battery cell adjacent to the third sub-circuit board 5123 among the plurality of battery cells. The fourth sub-temperature sensor 5104 may be disposed on the fourth sub-circuit board 5124. The fourth sub-temperature sensor 5104 may sense the temperature of a cold spot of an outermost battery cell adjacent to the fourth sub-circuit board 5124 among the plurality of battery cells.

[0063] FIG. 8 is a view showing a third embodiment of a fixing member included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] 8, the fixing member 514' may be disposed between the first circuit board 512' and a battery cell (e.g., battery cell 110 in FIG. 4) located at the outermost position among the plurality of battery cells. Also, the fixing member 514' may be coupled to at least one of the first bus bar frame 310 and the second bus bar frame 320. Specifically, the fixing member 514' may be attached to the first bus bar frame 310 and the second bus bar frame 320.

[0065] The fixing member 514' according to the third embodiment may be partially bent, such that one end of the fixing member 514' may extend in a third direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) different from the first and second directions. Specifically, the fixing member 514' may extend in the third direction (e.g., the +Z-axis direction) from the first temperature sensor 510 toward an upper surface of the battery cell stack 120. The length of the fixing member 514' extended in the third direction may be the same as the height of the battery cell stack 120.

[0066] The first circuit board 512' may include a first sub-circuit board 5121' and a second sub-circuit board 5122. In this case, a portion of the first sub-circuit board 5121' may be bent, so that one end of the first sub-circuit board 5121' may extend in a third direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) different from the first and second directions. Specifically, the first sub-circuit board 5121' may extend in the third direction (e.g., the +Z-axis direction) from the first temperature sensor 510 toward an upper surface of the battery cell stack 120.

[0067] The first sub-circuit board 5121' may be disposed adjacent to the first bus bar frame 310. In addition, a first sub-temperature sensor 5101 and a third temperature sensor 710 included in the first temperature sensor 510 may be disposed on the first sub-circuit board 5121'. Specifically, the third temperature sensor 710 may be disposed on the first sub-circuit board 5121' extended in the third direction. In this case, the third temperature sensor 710 may be formed as a thermistor element whose resistance value changes depending on temperature.

[0068] The third temperature sensor 710 may be located at a hot spot, which is a portion where the temperature is relatively high in the battery cell stack 120, to sense the temperature of the battery cell stack 120. The hot spot may be a portion adjacent to an upper surface of each battery cell rather than a lower surface of the battery cell.

[0069] As described above, the third temperature sensor 710 may be mounted on the first sub-circuit board 5121'. Specifically, the third temperature sensor 710 may be mounted on the first sub-circuit board 5121' extended in the third direction (e.g., Z direction) at a position closer to the upper surface of the battery cell stack 120 than to the lower surface of the battery cell stack 120. This is because a hot spot may be located in a portion of each battery cell that is closer to the upper surface than to the lower surface.

[0070] If the battery module 100 includes the third temperature sensor 710, it is possible to check the temperatures of various hot spots of the battery cell stack 120. This allows the performance of the battery module 100 to be checked more specifically.

[0071] Alternatively, a portion of the second sub-circuit board 5122, not the first sub-circuit board 5121′, may be bent, so that one end of the second sub-circuit board 5122 extends in the third direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction). In this case, the third temperature sensor 710 may be disposed on the second sub-circuit board 5122 extended in the third direction.

[0072] The battery module 100 described above may be applied to various devices, including, but not limited to, transportation means such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrid vehicles, and may be applied to various devices that can use the battery module 100. Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various implementations may be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains within the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims set forth below. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 100 Battery Module 120 Battery cell stack 510 First temperature sensor 512, 512' 1st circuit board 514, 514' Fixing member 610 Second Temperature Sensor 612 2nd circuit board 710 3rd Temperature Sensor

Claims

1. a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked in a first direction; a first bus bar frame and a second bus bar frame that face each other in a second direction different from the first direction with the battery cell stack interposed therebetween; a first circuit board arranged to face at least a portion of an outermost battery cell located at an outermost position among the plurality of battery cells in the first direction; The battery module includes at least one first temperature sensor disposed on the first circuit board.

2. the bus bar frame further includes a fixing member coupled to at least one of the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame, The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing member is disposed between the first circuit board on which the first temperature sensor is mounted and the outermost battery cell.

3. The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the fixing member is made of a material having a greater rigidity than the first circuit board.

4. The battery module of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the fixing member and the first circuit board extends in a bar shape along the second direction, which is a longitudinal direction of the outermost battery cell.

5. The battery module of claim 2 , wherein the fixing member is attached to at least one of the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame by laser welding.

6. the battery cell stack includes an upper surface and a lower surface formed by stacking the plurality of battery cells, The battery module of claim 1 , wherein one of the upper surface and the lower surface has a lower temperature than the other of the upper surface and the lower surface.

7. a second circuit board disposed on at least a portion of a top surface of the battery cell stack; a second temperature sensor disposed on the second circuit board; The battery module of claim 6 , wherein the temperature of the upper surface is higher than the temperature of the lower surface.

8. The battery module of claim 6 , wherein the first temperature sensor is disposed adjacent to a lower surface having a lower temperature than the upper surface.

9. a frame covering a first side and a second side of the battery cell stack; a top cover coupled to the frame to cover a top surface of the battery cell stack, the first circuit board faces the frame; The battery module according to claim 7 , wherein the second circuit board faces the top cover.

10. A portion of the first circuit board is bent, whereby one end of the first circuit board extends in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction; The battery module of claim 1 , further comprising: at least one third temperature sensor disposed on the first circuit board extending in the third direction.

11. the bus bar frame further includes a fixing member coupled to at least one of the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame, 11. The battery module of claim 10, wherein the fixing member is disposed between the first circuit board and the outermost battery cell, and a portion of the fixing member is bent such that one end of the fixing member extends toward a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction.

12. A device comprising a battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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