Battery module and battery pack including same

Abstract

A battery module according to the present invention includes a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked in one direction; a module frame that houses the battery cell stack; a bus bar frame that covers a front or rear surface of the battery cell stack; and an end plate that is coupled to the module frame and covers the bus bar frame, wherein at least one opening is formed in the end plate, a module connector is disposed in the opening in the end plate, and the module connector is attached to one surface of the bus bar frame by a housing that protects the module connector.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Cross-reference to related application(s) This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0060832 filed on May 11, 2021, and all contents disclosed in the documents of that Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery module and a battery pack including the same, and more particularly to a battery module with enhanced safety and a battery pack including the same. [Background technology]

[0003] With the increasing technological development and demand for mobile devices, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source is growing rapidly. As a result, much research is being conducted on secondary batteries that can meet various requirements.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art Secondary batteries have attracted great attention not only for use in mobile devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, and notebook computers, but also as energy sources for power plants such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrid electric cars.

[0005] Recently, as the need for large-capacity secondary battery structures has increased, including the use of secondary batteries as energy storage sources, there has been an increasing demand for battery packs with medium to large module structures that assemble battery modules in which a number of secondary batteries are connected in series / parallel.

[0006] Meanwhile, when a battery pack is constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series / parallel, a common method is to construct a battery module consisting of at least one battery cell, and then to construct a battery pack by adding other components using the at least one battery module. The battery cells constituting such a medium- to large-sized battery module are composed of secondary batteries that can be charged and discharged, and such high-output, large-capacity secondary batteries generate a large amount of heat during the charging and discharging process.

[0007] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the state of a battery module installed in a conventional battery pack when it ignites. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the state of a flame affecting an adjacent battery module when a battery module installed in a conventional battery pack ignites, which is the part AA in Fig. 1.

[0008] 1 and 2, a conventional battery module 10 includes a battery cell stack 12 in which a plurality of battery cells 11 are stacked, a frame 20 that houses the battery cell stack 12, end plates 40 formed on front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack 12, and terminal bus bars 50 formed to protrude from the end plates.

[0009] The battery cell stack 12 may be located in a sealed structure by combining the frame 20 and the end plate 40. Thus, when the internal pressure of the battery cell 11 increases due to overcharging or the like, high temperature heat, gas, or flame may be emitted to the outside of the battery cell 11. At this time, the heat, gas, or flame emitted from one battery cell 11 may be transferred to other adjacent battery cells 11 at close intervals, which may induce continuous ignition. In addition, the heat, gas, or flame emitted from each battery cell 11 may be discharged toward an opening formed in the end plate 40, and in this process, a problem may occur in which the bus bar 50 located between the end plate 40 and the battery cell 11 may be damaged.

[0010] Furthermore, since the multiple battery modules 10 in the battery pack are arranged with at least two end plates 40 facing each other, if heat, gas, flames, etc. generated within the battery module 10 are discharged to the outside of the battery module 10, this may affect the performance and stability of the multiple battery cells 11 in other adjacent battery modules 10.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need for a battery module 10 design that prevents continuous thermal runaway by preventing heat, gas, or flames generated inside the battery module 10 from being discharged to an adjacent battery module 10. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery module and a battery pack including the same, which have improved durability and safety by preventing continuous thermal runaway.

[0013] However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above problems, and may be variously expanded within the scope of the technical ideas included in the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] 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 one direction, a module frame that houses the battery cell stack, a bus bar frame that covers a front or rear surface of the battery cell stack, and an end plate that is coupled to the module frame and covers the bus bar frame, wherein at least one opening is formed in the end plate, a module connector is disposed in the opening of the end plate, and the module connector is attached to one side of the bus bar frame by a housing that protects the module connector.

[0015] The bus bar frame may include a mounting portion for mounting the module connector, and the mounting portion may include an end portion having a convex axial cross section.

[0016] The ends of the base may include a first end and a second end separated axially.

[0017] The housing may have a slot formed therein into which the mounting portion is inserted.

[0018] The module connector may include a mounting hole into which the mounting portion is inserted, and an opening of the mounting hole may correspond to an opening of the slot.

[0019] The mounting portion may be slidably coupled to the housing in one direction by sliding the mounting portion within the slot.

[0020] The diameter of at least a portion of the slot may be larger than the opening diameter of the mounting hole.

[0021] A first fastening hole is formed in the end plate, and a fastening member is inserted into the first fastening hole to couple the housing and the end plate together.

[0022] The housing may have second fastening holes corresponding to the first fastening holes, the second fastening holes may be located on a coupling surface of the housing, and the coupling surface may be perpendicular to a length direction of the battery cell stack.

[0023] The number of the first fastening holes may be two or more.

[0024] A sealing member may be positioned between the housing and the end plate.

[0025] The sealing member may have a closed curve shape with both ends connected.

[0026] A battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention may include at least one battery module described above. Effect of the Invention

[0027] According to the embodiment, by sealing the gaps around the openings formed in the end plates of the battery modules, it is possible to prevent a thermal runaway phenomenon occurring in one battery module from propagating to an adjacent battery module.

[0028] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a battery module mounted in a conventional battery pack catches fire. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, illustrating a state of flames affecting adjacent battery modules when a battery module mounted in a conventional battery pack ignites. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective view showing a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG. [Diagram 5] 4 is a perspective view of a battery cell included in the battery module of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 4 is a perspective view of a bus bar frame included in the battery module of FIG. 3. [Figure 7] 4 is a perspective view of an end plate included in the battery module of FIG. 3. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram illustrating a coupling structure of a module connector included in a conventional battery module. [Figure 9] 2 is a perspective view of a connector assembly included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a drawing of a sealing member included in the connector assembly of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] 4 is a diagram illustrating a connection between a connector assembly and a sensing unit included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. [Figure 13] 4 is a view illustrating a connection between a connector assembly and a bus bar frame included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 4 is a view illustrating a connection between a connector assembly and a bus bar frame included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 4 is a view illustrating a connection between a connector assembly and a bus bar frame included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 4 is a view illustrating a connection between a connector assembly and an end plate included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] 4 is a view illustrating a connection between a connector assembly and an end plate included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] 19 is a drawing of a gasket included in the battery module of FIG. 18. [Figure 20] 19 is a diagram for explaining a connection between a gasket and a bus bar included in the battery module of FIG. 18. [Figure 21] 19 is a diagram for explaining a connection between a gasket and a bus bar included in the battery module of FIG. 18. [Figure 22] 19 is a diagram for explaining a connection between a gasket and an end plate included in the battery module of FIG. 18. [Figure 23] 19 is a diagram for explaining a connection between a gasket and an end plate included in the battery module of FIG. 18. [Figure 24] 13 is a diagram illustrating another example of a gasket included in a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 25]13 is a diagram illustrating another example of a gasket included in a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26] 13 is a diagram illustrating another example of a gasket included in a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, various 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. The present invention may be embodied in many different forms other than those described below, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0031] In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts unnecessary for the explanation are omitted, and the same reference numerals are used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0032] In addition, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily enlarged or reduced for convenience of explanation, and it is obvious that the contents of the present invention are not limited to those shown in the drawings. In the following drawings, the thickness of each layer is enlarged to clearly show multiple layers and regions. In the following drawings, the thickness of some layers and regions is exaggerated for convenience of explanation.

[0033] In addition, when a layer, film, region, plate, etc. is described as being "above" another part, this should be interpreted as including not only the case where the layer, film, region, plate, etc. is "directly above" the other part, but also the case where there is another part between them. Conversely, when a layer, film, region, plate, etc. is described as being "directly above" another part, it can mean that there is no other part between them. In addition, being "above" a reference part means being located above or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean being located "above" in the opposite direction to gravity. Meanwhile, things described as being "above" another part, as well as things described as being "below" another part, can be understood with reference to the above content.

[0034] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part is said to "comprise" a certain element, this does not mean that it excludes other elements and may further include other elements, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

[0035] Also, throughout the specification, a reference to "in a plane" means when the subject part is viewed from above, and a reference to "in cross section" means when the subject part is cut vertically and viewed from the side.

[0036] Hereinafter, a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0037] Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a battery cell included in the battery module of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a bus bar frame included in the battery module of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an end plate included in the battery module of Fig. 3.

[0038] 3 and 4, a battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a battery cell stack 120 in which a plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked in one direction, a module frame 200 that houses the battery cell stack 120, a bus bar frame 300 located on a front and / or rear surface of the battery cell stack 120, an end plate 400 that covers the front and / or rear surface of the battery cell stack 120, bus bars 510, 520 and a connector assembly 600 mounted on the bus bar frame 300, and a sensing unit 700.

[0039] The battery cell 110 may be provided in a pouch type that can maximize the number of cells stacked per unit area. The battery cell 110 provided in a pouch type may be manufactured by housing an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator in a cell case 114 made of a laminate sheet, and then heat-sealing a sealing portion of the cell case 114. However, it is obvious that the battery cell 110 does not necessarily have to be provided in a pouch type, and may be provided in a rectangular, cylindrical, or other various shapes as long as the storage capacity required by the device to be later installed is achieved.

[0040] 5, the battery cell 110 may include two electrode leads 111, 112. The electrode leads 111, 112 may each have a structure that protrudes from one end of the cell body 113. Specifically, one end of each of the electrode leads 111, 112 may be located inside the battery cell 110 and electrically connected to a positive electrode or a negative electrode of the electrode assembly, and the other end of each of the electrode leads 111, 112 may be led out to the outside of the battery cell 110 and electrically connected to a separate member, for example, bus bars 510, 520.

[0041] The electrode assembly in the cell casing 114 may be sealed by sealing portions 114sa, 114sb, and 114sc. The sealing portions 114sa, 114sb, and 114sc of the cell casing 114 may be located on both ends 114a and 114b and one side portion 114c connecting the ends 114a and 114b.

[0042] The cell case 114 generally has a laminate structure of a resin layer / metal thin film layer / resin layer. For example, if the surface of the cell case is made of an O(oriented)-nylon layer, it tends to slip easily due to external impact when a large number of battery cells 110 are stacked to form a medium to large battery module 100. Therefore, in order to prevent this and maintain a stable stacked structure of the battery cells 110, an adhesive member such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive such as double-sided tape or a chemical adhesive that bonds through a chemical reaction when bonded can be attached to the surface of the cell case 114 to form a battery cell stack 120.

[0043] The connecting portion 115 may refer to a region extending in the length direction from one end of the cell casing 114 where the sealing portions 114sa, 114sb, and 114sc are not located. A protruding portion 110p of the battery cell 110, called a bat-ear, may be formed at an end of the connecting portion 115. In addition, the terrace portion 116 may refer to a region between the electrode leads 111 and 112, some of which protrude outside the cell casing 114, and the cell body 113 located inside the cell casing 114, based on the periphery of the cell casing 114.

[0044] Meanwhile, the battery cell 110 provided in a pouch type may have a length, a width, and a thickness, and the length direction, width direction, and thickness direction of the battery cell 110 may be perpendicular to each other.

[0045] Here, the length direction of the battery cell 110 may be defined as the direction in which the electrode leads 111, 112 protrude from the cell case 114. The length direction of the battery cell 110 may be defined as the x-axis direction or the −x-axis direction.

[0046] Here, the width direction of the battery cell 110 may be the z-axis direction or the -z-axis direction from one side 114c of the battery cell 110 to the connecting portion 115 or from the connecting portion 115 to one side 114c, as shown in Fig. 4. Here, the thickness direction of the battery cell 110 may be defined as the y-axis direction or the -y-axis direction perpendicular to the width direction and the length direction.

[0047] The battery cell stack 120 may be a stack of a plurality of electrically connected battery cells 110 stacked in one direction. The direction in which the plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked (hereinafter referred to as the "stacking direction") may be the y-axis direction (or the -y-axis direction, and hereinafter the expression "axial direction" may be interpreted as including both + / - directions) as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0048] Here, the direction from the front surface to the rear surface of the battery cell stack 120 or the opposite direction may be defined as the length direction of the battery cell stack 120, and may be the x-axis direction. Also, the direction from the top surface to the bottom surface of the battery cell stack 120, and the opposite direction may be defined as the width direction of the battery cell stack 120, and may be the z-axis direction.

[0049] The length direction of the battery cell stack 120 may be substantially the same as the length direction of the battery cells 110. In this case, the electrode leads 111, 112 of the battery cells 110 may be located on the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack 120. In this case, the bus bars 510, 520 of the battery module 100 may be disposed close to the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack 120 so as to easily form an electrical connection with the electrode leads 111, 112.

[0050] The module frame 200 may be for protecting the battery cell stack 120 and electrical components connected thereto from external physical impacts. The module frame 200 may accommodate the battery cell stack 120 and electrical components connected thereto in an internal space of the module frame 200. Here, the module frame 200 may include an internal surface and an external surface, and the internal space of the module frame 200 may be defined by the internal surface.

[0051] The structure of the module frame 200 may be various. As an example, the structure of the module frame 200 may be a monoframe structure. Here, the monoframe may be in the form of a metal plate material with an upper surface, a lower surface, and both sides integrated. The monoframe may be manufactured by extrusion molding. As another example, the structure of the module frame 200 may be a structure in which a U-shaped frame and an upper plate (upper surface) are combined. In the case of a structure in which a U-shaped frame and an upper plate are combined, the structure of the module frame 200 may be formed by combining an upper plate with an upper part of a U-shaped frame, which is a metal plate material with a lower surface and both sides combined or integrated, and each frame or plate may be manufactured by press molding. In addition, the structure of the module frame 200 may be provided as an L-shaped frame structure in addition to the monoframe or U-shaped frame, and may be provided as various structures not described in the above examples.

[0052] The structure of the module frame 200 may be provided in an open form along the length direction of the battery cell stack 120. The front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack 120 may not be hidden by the module frame 200. The electrode leads 111, 112 of the battery cells 110 may not be hidden by the module frame 200. The front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack 120 may be hidden by a bus bar frame 300, an end plate 400, or bus bars 510, 520, which will be described later, and thus the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack 120 may be protected from external physical impacts, etc.

[0053] Meanwhile, a thermal conductive member 180 may be provided between the battery cell stack 120 and an inner surface of the module frame 200. The thermal conductive member 180 may be for dissipating / transmitting heat generated in the battery cells 110 to the outside through the module frame 200. The thermal conductive member 180 may be formed of a material having excellent thermal conductivity. The thermal conductive member 180 may include an adhesive material. For example, the thermal conductive member 180 may include at least one of a silicone-based material, a urethane-based material, and an acrylic-based material.

[0054] The thermally conductive member 180 may be formed by injecting a thermally conductive resin between the battery cell stack 120 and one side of the inner surface of the module frame 200. However, this is not limited thereto, and the thermally conductive member 180 may be a plate-shaped member. The thermally conductive member 180 may be located on the z-axis of the battery cell stack 120, and the thermally conductive member 180 may be located between the battery cell stack 120 and a bottom surface (which may also be referred to as a bottom) of the module frame 200.

[0055] In addition, a compression pad 190 may be located between the battery cell stack 120 and one side of the inner surface of the module frame 200. In this case, the compression pad 190 may be located on the y-axis of the battery cell stack 120 and may face at least one of the two battery cells 110 at both ends of the battery cell stack 120.

[0056] The busbar frame 300 may be positioned on one side of the battery cell stack 120 to cover the one side of the battery cell stack 120 and guide the connection of the battery cell stack 120 to an external device. The busbar frame 300 may be positioned on the front or rear side of the battery cell stack 120. At least one of the busbars 510, 520 and the connector assembly 600 may be attached to the busbar frame 300. As a specific example, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, one side of the busbar frame 300 may be connected to the front or rear side of the battery cell stack 120, and the other side of the busbar frame 300 may be connected to the busbars 510, 520 and / or the connector assembly 600. In addition, the busbar frame 300 may be formed with a mounting portion 302 for connection to the connector assembly 600, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0057] The bus bar frame 300 may include an electrically insulating material. The bus bar frame 300 may limit contact between the bus bars 510 and 520 and other parts of the battery cells 110 other than the parts joined to the electrode leads 111 and 112, thereby preventing an electrical short circuit from occurring.

[0058] The busbar frame 300 may be two in number and may include a first busbar frame (which may be referred to as drawing number 300) located on the front surface of the battery cell stack 120 and a second busbar frame (not shown) located on the rear surface of the battery cell stack 120.

[0059] 6, the bus bar frame 300 according to the present embodiment may be combined with an upper cover 330 to form a bus bar assembly. The upper cover 330 may have a size corresponding to the upper surface of the battery cell stack 120 and may cover the corresponding portion. During the process of housing the battery cell stack 120 inside the module frame 200, the upper cover 330 may protect the sensing unit 700, etc.

[0060] Both ends of the upper cover 330 in the length direction may be coupled to the busbar frame 300. Slits 306 may be formed in the upper portion of the busbar frame 300, and locking portions 336 may be formed in both ends of the upper cover 330 in the length direction. One end of the locking portion 336 may be inserted to fasten the locking portion 336 to the slit 306. The locking portion 336 may have a U- or V-shape, and an upper end of the busbar frame 300 may be positioned inside the U-shaped bend. Locking protrusions protruding toward each other are formed on both ends of the U-shape of the locking portion 336, and the locking protrusions may prevent the locking portion 336 from being disengaged from the slit 306 after being fastened to the slit 306. Meanwhile, the above-mentioned connection between the slit 306 and the locking portion 336 may be a floating connection, and the busbar frame 300 may be rotatably connected to the upper cover 330 through the slit 306 and the locking portion 336.

[0061] The end plate 400 may serve to protect the battery cell stack 120 and electrical components connected thereto from external physical impact by sealing the open side of the module frame 200. For this purpose, the end plate 400 may be manufactured from a material having a predetermined strength. For example, the end plate 400 may include a metal such as aluminum.

[0062] The end plate 400 may be coupled (joined, sealed or hermetically sealed) to the module frame 200 while covering the bus bar frame 300 or the bus bars 510, 520 located on one side of the battery cell stack 120. Each edge of the end plate 400 may be coupled to a corresponding edge of the module frame 200 by a method such as welding.

[0063] 7, an insulating cover 800 for electrical node insulation may be located between the end plate 400 and the bus bar frame 300. The insulating cover 800 may be located on the inner surface of the end plate 400 and may be attached to the inner surface of the end plate 400, but is not limited thereto.

[0064] The end plates 400 may be two in number and may include a first end plate located on the front side of the battery cell stack 120 and a second end plate located on the rear side of the battery cell stack 120 .

[0065] The first end plate may be coupled to the module frame 200 while covering the first bus bar frame on the front surface of the battery cell stack 120, and the second end plate may be coupled to the module frame 200 while covering the second bus bar frame.

[0066] The bus bars 510, 520 may be mounted on one surface of the bus bar frame 300 and may be used to electrically connect the battery cell stack 120 or the battery cells 110 to an external device circuit. The bus bars 510, 520 may be protected from external impacts, etc., by being located between the battery cell stack 120 or the bus bar frame 300 and the end plate 400, and deterioration of durability due to external moisture, etc. may be minimized.

[0067] The bus bars 510, 520 may be electrically connected to the battery cell stack 120 through the electrode leads 111, 112 of the battery cells 110. In particular, the electrode leads 111, 112 of the battery cells 110 may pass through slits formed in the bus bar frame 300 and then bend to be connected (joined or coupled) to the bus bars 510, 520. There is no particular limitation on the manner in which the electrode leads 111, 112 are joined to the bus bars 510, 520, but welding may be used as an example. The battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell stack 120 may be connected in series or in parallel by the bus bars 510, 520.

[0068] The bus bars 510, 520 may include a terminal bus bar 520 for electrically connecting one battery module 100 to another battery module 100. At least a portion of the terminal bus bar 520 may be exposed to the outside of the end plate 400 to be connected to another external battery module 100, and the end plate 400 may be provided with a terminal bus bar opening 400H for this purpose. In addition, an insulating cover 800 coupled to the end plate 400 may also be provided with a second terminal bus bar opening 800H corresponding to the terminal bus bar opening 400H.

[0069] Unlike the other bus bars 510, the terminal bus bar 520 may further include a protruding portion protruding toward the outside of the battery module 100, and the protruding portion may be exposed to the outside of the battery module 100 through the terminal bus bar opening 400H. The terminal bus bar 520 may be connected to another battery module 100 or a Battery Disconnect Unit (BDU) through the protruding portion exposed through the terminal bus bar opening 400H, and may form a HV (High voltage) connection with them. Here, the HV connection is a connection that serves as a power source for supplying power, and refers to a connection between battery cells 110 or a connection between battery modules 100.

[0070] The connector assembly 600 and the sensing unit 700 may detect and control phenomena such as overvoltage, overcurrent, and overheating of the battery cell 110. The connector assembly 600 and the sensing unit 700 are for a low voltage (LV) connection, where the LV connection may mean a sensing connection for detecting and controlling the voltage of the battery cell. Through the connector assembly 600 and the sensing unit 700, voltage information and temperature information of the battery cell 110 may be transmitted to an external Battery Management System (BMS).

[0071] The connector assembly 600 may include a module connector 610. The module connector 610 may transmit collected data to an external control device and receive signals from an external control device. The module connector 610 may transmit data acquired from the temperature sensor 730 and / or the sensing terminal 720 to a Battery Management System (BMS), and the BMS may control charging and discharging of the battery cells 110 based on the collected voltage data.

[0072] The connector assembly 600 may be mounted on the bus bar frame 300 described above. The connector assembly 600 may be coupled to the mounting portion 302 of the bus bar frame 300. At least a portion of the connector assembly 600 may be exposed to the outside of the end plate 400, and the end plate 400 may be provided with a module connector opening 400L for this purpose. An insulating cover 800 coupled to the end plate 400 may also be provided with a second module connector opening 800L corresponding to the module connector opening 400L.

[0073] The sensing unit 700 may include a sensing terminal 720 for sensing the voltage value of the bus bars 510 and 520, a temperature sensor 730 for sensing the temperature inside the battery module 100, and a connecting member 710 for connecting them.

[0074] Here, the connecting member 710 may be disposed in a form extending along the length direction on the upper surface of the battery cell stack 120. The connecting member may be a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) or a flexible flat cable (FFC).

[0075] Meanwhile, as described above, a fire may occur inside the battery module 100 in which the battery cells 110 are stacked at a high density. When a fire occurs in one battery module 100, gas may be discharged through the openings 400H, 400L provided in the end plates, damaging the terminal bus bar 520, or heat, gas, or flames of the battery module 100 may be transferred to the adjacent battery modules 100, causing successive fires.

[0076] FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a coupling structure of a module connector included in a conventional battery module.

[0077] 8, a conventional battery module 10 may be provided with a module connector 60 connected to a sensing unit 70. The module connector 60 may be disposed between the bus bar frame 30 and the end plate 40 in the completed battery module 10. Here, a connector gasket 62 may be provided around the module connector 60 to seal a gap between the module connector 60 and an opening formed in the end plate 40.

[0078] However, the connector gasket 62 provided in the conventional battery module 10 has a narrow width, making it difficult to ensure a wide airtight surface B1 between the end plate 40 and the module connector 60. In addition, although the connector gasket 62 may be compressed in the length direction of the battery cells 11 during the assembly process due to the size difference B2 of the battery cells 11, there is a problem in that the range permitted by the connector gasket 62 is narrow.

[0079] Therefore, the following describes a connector assembly 600 that can more stably mount a module connector inside a battery module, form a wide airtight surface with the end plate, and flexibly accommodate differences in size of battery cells, etc.

[0080] Meanwhile, in describing the relationship between the end plate 400 and other components in this specification, the end plate 400 may be interpreted as including the insulating cover 800 or other components attached / coupled to the inner surface of the end plate 400. For example, the gap between the module connector opening 400L and the module connector 610 may be interpreted as the gap between the second module connector opening 800L and the module connector 610. As another example, the gap space between the housing 620 and the end plate 400 may be interpreted as the gap space between the housing 620 and the insulating cover 800.

[0081] FIG. 9 is an oblique view of a connector assembly included in a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a drawing of a sealing member included in the connector assembly of FIG. 9, FIG. 11 is a drawing for explaining the connection of a connector assembly and a sensing unit included in a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view cut along CC of FIG. 11.

[0082] 9 to 12, a connector assembly 600 according to the present embodiment may include a module connector 610 and a housing 620. The role and function of the module connector 610 will be described above, and the following description will focus on the housing 620.

[0083] The housing 620 may protect the module connector 610 from external influences. The housing 620 may insulate the exterior surface of the module connector 610 from external moisture or air. The housing 620 may surround the module connector 610. The housing 620 may be an injection molded product that is manufactured by applying an overmolding process onto the module connector 610. The housing 620 may be integrated with the module connector 610. The housing 620 may be integrated with the module connector 610 to form the connector assembly 600.

[0084] The housing 620 may be for sealing a gap between the module connector 610 and the module connector opening 400L of the end plate 400. For ease of assembly or for manufacturing process reasons, the module connector opening 400L may be larger than the size of the exposed portion of the module connector 610, and gas, sparks, flames, etc. may be released to the outside through such a gap in the event of a fire inside the battery module 100. The housing 620 may have an upper surface that surrounds the module connector 610 and extends from the exposed portion of the module connector 610. Since the upper surface of the housing 620 is formed to correspond to the inner surface of the end plate 400, the gap between the module connector opening 400L and the module connector 610 may be filled, filled, or hidden by the housing 620. In this case, the upper surface of the connector assembly 600 may be larger than the size of the module connector opening 400L.

[0085] The housing 620 may be for forming a wide airtight surface between the module connector 610 and the end plate 400. Since the housing 620 is formed to correspond to the inner surface of the end plate 400, the module connector 610 may be in contact with or positioned close to the end plate 400 over a wide surface through the housing 620. Therefore, the housing 620 of the present embodiment may form a wider airtight surface between the module connector 610 and the end plate 400 than when a conventional connector gasket 62 having a narrow width is used, and the connector assembly 600 may be stably coupled, fixed, and supported to the end plate 400 through the housing 620.

[0086] At this time, a surface of the housing 620 that contacts or is located close to the end plate 400 may be referred to as a corresponding surface. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 12, the connector assembly 600 may have a stepped cross section, and one surface of the stepped housing 620, for example, an upper surface seen when the housing 620 is viewed from above (on the z-axis) or a front surface seen when the housing 620 is viewed from the front (on the x-axis), may contact or be located close to the end plate 400 in the completed battery module 100. In this manner, the corresponding surface of the housing 620 may be interpreted as including at least a portion of one surface of the stepped housing 620. In addition, such a corresponding surface may be more specifically identified through Fig. 17 described below.

[0087] The housing 620 may be for coupling (or mounting) the module connector 610 inside the battery module 100. The housing 620 may be for connecting the module connector 610 to the bus bar frame 300 and the end plate 400. The housing 620 may be for positioning the module connector 610 between the bus bar frame 300 and the end plate 400. The housing 620 may be mounted to the bus bar frame 300 through the slots 622 and may be coupled to the end plate 400 through the coupling holes 624. A detailed description of the slots 622 and the coupling holes 624 will be provided below with reference to FIGS. 13 to 17.

[0088] Meanwhile, the housing 620 may be formed to hide at least a part of the module connector opening 400L of the end plate 400, and may be provided in a shape corresponding to the inner surface of the end plate 400. However, due to various reasons in the manufacturing process, the detailed size of the final product may differ from that designed, and therefore a gap space may be formed between the housing 620 and the end plate 400 after assembly. Such a gap space may cause play between the housing 620 and the end plate 400, and may reduce the sealing performance between the housing 620 and the end plate 400. Therefore, the connector assembly 600 of the present embodiment may be provided with a sealing member 630 for improving the sealing performance between the housing 620 and the end plate 400. Here, the connector assembly 600 may be described as including the sealing member 630. Here, the "gap space" and the "gap" may be understood to be mutually distinct, but may be collectively referred to as the general word "gap" in a broad category.

[0089] The sealing member 630 may form a seal between the housing 620 and the end plate 400. The sealing member 630 may fill a gap between the housing 620 and the end plate 400 by contacting the housing 620 and the end plate 400. The sealing member 630 may prevent the two members from moving relative to each other due to a gap space being generated between the housing 620 and the end plate 400 in the completed battery module 100. The sealing member 630 may fix the housing 620 and the end plate 400 relative to each other and provide better support to each other. In addition, the sealing member 630 may prevent gas from moving along the gap space and being discharged through the openings 400L and 400H formed in the end plate 400.

[0090] The sealing member 630 may be disposed on a corresponding surface of the housing 620. At least a portion of the sealing member 630 may protrude from the corresponding surface of the housing 620. This may be for the sealing member 630 disposed on one surface of the housing 620 to come into contact with the end plate 400. This may be for the sealing member 630 disposed on one surface of the housing 620 to be pressed by the end plate 400, thereby fixing the housing 620 and the end plate 400 to each other. The sealing member 630 may be disposed at a certain distance from the terminal of the module connector 610. This may be in consideration of the corresponding surface of the housing 620 that is widely expanded around the terminal of the module connector 610. Also, the housing 620 may be provided with a groove for disposing the sealing member 630 at a fixed position, and the position of the sealing member 630 may be fixed by the groove formed in the housing 620.

[0091] 10, the sealing member 630 may be in a line shape or a band shape. Specifically, the sealing member 630 may be in the form of a closed curve with both ends connected. If the sealing member 630 has a closed curve shape, the overall shape of the sealing member 630 does not deform, and assembly or design may be facilitated. However, the shape of the sealing member 630 is not limited to the above drawings, and it is obvious that the sealing member 630 may be provided in various shapes such as a plane shape.

[0092] Although the sealing member 630 is shown as having a somewhat rectangular shape in the front view of Fig. 10(c) where perspective on the x-axis is ignored, it may have a stepped shape by traversing a predetermined section on the x-axis as seen in the side view of Fig. 10(b), which may correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the corresponding surface of the housing 620 described above.

[0093] The sealing member 630 may be an elastic body. The sealing member 630 may be partially compressed by an external force to cover a somewhat variable gap space between the housing 620 and the end plate 400. Even if the sealing member 630 is designed to be somewhat larger than the normal size of the gap space, the size may be adjusted through compression. Here, the size may refer to thickness or height (x-axis direction in reference to FIG. 10). The sealing member 630 may be provided as a heat-resistant or flame-retardant material so as not to be damaged by charge / discharge or thermal runaway of the battery cell 110. Specifically, the sealing member 630 may be provided as a flame-retardant foam, resin, silicone, rubber, or other similar material.

[0094] 11 and 12, the connector assembly 600 may be coupled to the sensing unit 700. There is no particular limitation on the manner in which the connector assembly 600 and the sensing unit 700 are coupled, but as an example, welding such as soldering may be used.

[0095] The connection between the connector assembly 600 and the bus bar frame 300 will now be described.

[0096] 13 to 15 are views illustrating a connection between a connector assembly and a bus bar frame included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0097] 13 to 15, the housing 620 may include a slot 622 for coupling the module connector 610 and the bus bar frame 300. In general, a ring-shaped mounting hole 612 may be formed in the module connector 610, and the mounting portion 302 of the bus bar frame 300 may be inserted into the mounting hole 612 to couple the module connector 610 and the bus bar frame 300. As shown in FIG 6, the mounting portion 302 may be in the form of a rod protruding from one side of the bus bar frame 300.

[0098] The slot 622 may be in the form of a hole passing through the housing 620, and an opening of the slot 622 may correspond to an opening of the mounting hole 612. The mounting portion 302 may be inserted into the slot 622 corresponding to the mounting hole 612, thereby coupling the housing 620 and the bus bar frame 300. Here, the mounting portion 302 is movable along the hole inside the slot of the housing 620, so that the connector assembly 600 may be slidably coupled to the bus bar frame 300.

[0099] The relative distance between the connector assembly 600 and the bus bar frame 300 can be adjusted by slidably coupling the connector assembly 600 and the bus bar frame 300 through the slots 622. Specifically, when a compressive force is applied from the battery cells 110 in the length direction (x-axis direction) due to a size difference between the battery cells 110, the connector assembly 600 can move appropriately from the bus bar frame 300 in accordance with the compressive force.

[0100] The slots 622 may allow the connector assembly 600 to move in one direction relative to the bus bar frame 300. Specifically, the mounting portions 302 are positioned inside the slots 622, and the connector assembly 600 moves in the length direction (x-axis direction) of the battery cell stack 120 along the length of the mounting portions 302, so that the slots 622 may prevent the connector assembly 600 from moving freely in the up-down (z-axis) or left-right (y-axis) directions relative to the bus bar frame 300.

[0101] 6, the end of the mounting portion 302 may be designed to have a larger diameter than the other portions, thereby preventing the mounting hole 612 from being detached from the mounting portion 302. Here, based on the axial cross section of the mounting portion 302, the end of the mounting portion 302 may have a convex or dome shape. Also, here, the end of the mounting portion 302 may have a tapering shape that becomes narrower closer to the end.

[0102] At least a part of the end of the mounting portion 302 may be separated. The end of the mounting portion 302 may include two parts cut on the axis, and the two parts may be positioned in a form in which the axial cross section faces each other. This may be for adjusting the diameter of the end of the mounting portion 302 by separating or abutting between the two separated parts. When the end diameter of the mounting portion 302 is adjusted, the mounting portion 302 may not be hindered from being inserted into the mounting hole 612 by the end of the mounting portion 302 having a relatively large diameter. In addition, after the mounting portion 302 is inserted into the mounting hole 612, the distance between the two parts may widen, and the end diameter of the mounting portion 302 may increase, and thus the mounting hole 612 and the end of the mounting portion 302 may abut against each other, preventing separation between the two members. Here, the end of the mounting portion 302 may be referred to as the "end portion," and the two parts cut on the axis may be referred to as the first end portion and the second end portion.

[0103] 15, when the end of the mounting portion 302 has two separated parts, the end of the mounting portion 302 can be adjusted according to the inner diameter size of the slot 622. The diameter of at least a portion of the slot 622 may be larger than the opening diameter of the mounting hole 612. The diameter of at least a portion of the slot 622 may be larger than the diameter of the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 612. The diameter of at least a portion of the slot 622 may be larger than the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the mounting hole 612. For example, if the diameter of the first portion of the slot 622 is larger than the opening diameter of the mounting hole 612, the two portions of the end of the mounting portion 302 cut on the axis in the first portion may be expanded, and thus the rear surface of the end of the mounting portion 302 may be easily abutted against the mounting hole 612. Here, the first portion may be the portion of the slot 622 that is close to the mounting hole 612. In addition, since the end of the mounting part 302 has a tapered shape that narrows toward the end, it is not difficult for the mounting part 302 to leave the first section and enter the second section having a relatively narrow diameter inside the slot 622. In this case, it is preferable that the second section is located outside the first section, that is, in a direction toward the outside of the battery module 100 or in a direction toward which the end plate 400 is located.

[0104] The connection between the connector assembly 600 and the end plate 400 will now be described.

[0105] 16 and 17 are views illustrating a connection between a connector assembly and an end plate included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0106] 16 and 17, the housing 620 may include coupling holes 624 for coupling the module connector 610 to the end plate 400. As shown in FIG.

[0107] The coupling holes 624 may be formed on a coupling surface of the housing 620. Here, the coupling surface may refer to a surface extending in the up-down (z-axis) direction from a main body portion of the housing 620 that receives the module connector 610. The coupling surface may be a surface perpendicular to the length direction (x-axis) of the battery cell stack 120. The coupling surface may be a surface corresponding to the end plate 400. The coupling surface may be a surface that comes into contact with the end plate 400. Here, as described above, contact with the end plate 400 may refer to contact with a member (e.g., the insulating cover 800) attached to the end plate 400.

[0108] The number of coupling holes 624 may be one or more, and preferably two or more or four or more. As shown in Fig. 9, the coupling holes 624 may be located near each vertex on the front surface of the housing 620. By forming the coupling holes 624 on all four sides of the housing 620, the housing 620 may be fixed more stably.

[0109] 16 and 17, an end plate 400 may have an end plate coupling hole 404 formed therein. With reference to the completed battery module 100, the position of the end plate coupling hole 404 in the end plate 400 may correspond to the position of the coupling hole 624 in the housing 620. The fastening member 440 may be inserted into the end plate coupling hole 404 from an outer surface of the end plate 400, and when the fastening member 440 is inserted into the coupling hole 624, the end plate 400 and the housing 620 may be fixed. Here, the outer surface of the end plate 400 may be a surface of the end plate 400 facing the outside of the battery module 100. Here, the fastening member 440 may be a bolt, a screw, or other member.

[0110] Depending on the order in which the fastening members 440 are inserted, the end plate coupling holes 404 may be referred to as first fastening holes, and the coupling holes 624 may be referred to as second fastening holes. The end plate coupling holes 404 and / or the coupling holes 624 may be pre-formed before the assembly of the battery module 100, or may be formed by inserting the fastening members 440 during the assembly process. The end plate coupling holes 404 and / or the coupling holes 624 may be provided with female threads or grooves corresponding to the male threads of the fastening members 440, but are not limited thereto.

[0111] Meanwhile, in addition to the module connector opening 400L, the terminal bus bar opening 400H may also be formed in the end plate 400 of the battery module 100. Therefore, even if the module connector opening 400L is sealed by the connector assembly 600, gas, sparks, flames, etc. may be emitted from the terminal bus bar opening 400H in the event of an internal ignition of the battery module 100, causing continuous thermal runaway.

[0112] Accordingly, gasket 900 is described below that seals terminal bus bar opening 400H and can more effectively accommodate increased internal pressure.

[0113] Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 19 is a drawing of a gasket included in the battery module of Fig. 18, Figs. 20 and 21 are drawings for explaining the connection between the gasket and busbar included in the battery module of Fig. 18, and Figs. 22 and 23 are drawings for explaining the connection between the gasket and end plate included in the battery module of Fig. 18. Here, Fig. 18 shows a battery module in which the end plate is omitted.

[0114] Meanwhile, the battery module 100 according to Fig. 18 may be described as including all of the contents of Figs. 3 to 17 except for the gasket 900. Therefore, detailed description of the contents that overlap with those described above will be omitted.

[0115] The size of the terminal bus bar opening 400H is mainly determined by the periphery of the terminal bus bar 520, but for ease of assembly or for reasons of the manufacturing process, the size of the terminal bus bar opening 400H may be larger than the cross-sectional size of the terminal bus bar 520, and gas, sparks, flames, etc. may be discharged to the outside through such a gap. In addition, if the bus bar frame 300 and the end plate 400 around the terminal bus bar 520 protruding to the outside of the battery module 100 are not completely sealed, there is a problem that gas, etc., may be concentrated in such a gap space when an internal fire occurs in the battery module 100, facilitating gas discharge through the terminal bus bar opening 400H. However, the gasket 900 of the present embodiment may form a seal around the terminal bus bar 520, thereby minimizing gas discharge through the terminal bus bar opening 400H.

[0116] 18 to 23, the gasket 900 of the present embodiment may form a seal between the terminal bus bar 520 and the terminal bus bar opening 400H. The gasket 900 may seal a gap between a protruding portion of the terminal bus bar 520 and the terminal bus bar opening 400H. The gasket 900 may form a seal between the bus bar frame 300 and the end plate 400 around the terminal bus bar opening 400H. The gasket 900 may seal a gap space around the terminal bus bar 520.

[0117] Gasket 900 may be fitted to terminal bus bar 520 prior to assembly of end plate 400. One end of terminal bus bar 520 may protrude through gasket hole 910 in gasket 900.

[0118] The gasket 900 may include a gasket hole 910 into which the terminal bus bar 520 may be inserted, a lip portion 920 formed around the gasket hole 910 , and a contact portion 930 extending from the gasket hole 910 .

[0119] The lip portion 920 of the gasket 900 may be in close contact with the protruding portion of the terminal bus bar 520. The lip portion 920 may be a portion extending in the protruding direction (x-axis direction) of the terminal bus bar 520 around the gasket hole 910. The lip portion 920 may be a portion having a step in the gasket 900. Referring to FIG. 22, the terminal bus bar 520 may be located inside the lip portion 920, and the terminal bus bar opening 400H or the inside of the hole may be located outside the lip portion 920. The inner surface of the lip portion 920 may be in close contact with the periphery of the terminal bus bar 520, and the outer surface of the lip portion 920 may be in close contact with the terminal bus bar opening 400H or the inside of the opening. Thus, the gap between the terminal bus bar 520 and the terminal bus bar opening 400H may be filled by the gasket 900. The gasket 900 may prevent gas from being discharged through the terminal bus bar opening 400H. Relative movement between the protrusion of terminal bus bar 520 and terminal bus bar opening 400H may be prevented by gasket 900, so that the two parts will not collide with each other due to external forces.

[0120] The contact portion 930 of the gasket 900 may be a portion that radially expands or extends from around the gasket hole 910. The contact portion 930 may include a first contact surface 932 that contacts the outer surface of the bus bar frame 300 around the terminal bus bar 520 and a second contact surface 934 that contacts the inner surface of the end plate 400. Here, the inner surface or the outer surface may be described as a surface facing the inside or the outside of the battery module 100 for each member. Also, here, as described above, contact with the end plate 400 may mean contact with a member (e.g., the insulating cover 800) attached to the end plate 400.

[0121] As shown in FIG. 22, the contact portion 930 may be located between the busbar frame 300 and the end plate 400, and may fill the gap between the two members. The gasket 900 may prevent gas from moving along the gap space and being discharged through the terminal busbar opening 400H. The gasket 900 may fix the busbar frame 300 and the end plate 400 to each other and may better support each other. The contact portion 930 may also fill the gap even if there is some separation between the lip portion 920 and the terminal busbar opening 400H due to the thickness of the lip portion 920. Therefore, the contact portion 930 may more completely form a seal between the terminal busbar 520 and the terminal busbar opening 400H.

[0122] The gasket 900 may be an elastic body. The gasket 900 may be partially compressed by an external force to cover the somewhat variable gap or gap space. In addition, the gasket 900, which is an elastic body, may be compressed so that the size may be adjusted even if the gasket 900 is designed to be somewhat larger than the normal size that the gasket 900 must cover. The gasket 900 may be provided with a heat-resistant or flame-retardant material so as not to be damaged by the charge / discharge or thermal runaway phenomenon of the battery cell 110. Specifically, the gasket 900 may be provided with a flame-retardant foam, resin, silicone, rubber, or other similar material.

[0123] Meanwhile, a compressive force may act on the gasket 900 in the length direction (x-axis) of the battery cell stack 120 due to an increase in internal pressure caused by the size of the battery cells 110 or an internal ignition of the battery module 100. In order to handle such compressive force, the gasket 900 of the present embodiment may include a protrusion 940. Here, the protrusion 940 may be referred to as an embossing, a raised portion, a protrusion, or the like.

[0124] The protrusions 940 can effectively withstand a compressive force acting in the length direction (x-axis) of the battery cell stack 120. As described above, the gasket 900 can be provided as an elastic body, and can therefore somewhat withstand the compressive force. However, when a large internal pressure occurs, such as when the battery cell 110 is charged or discharged or when thermal runaway occurs, the area around the protrusions of the terminal bus bars 520 may not be effectively sealed due to physical or chemical deformation. Therefore, it is preferable that the gasket 900 is provided with the protrusions 940. By including the protrusions 940, the gasket 900 can improve compressibility and can effectively seal the area around the protrusions of the terminal bus bars 520 even in the event of internal ignition.

[0125] The protrusion 940 may be a portion protruding from the first contact surface 932 or the second contact surface 934 of the contact portion 930. The protrusion 940 may be a portion protruding from the contact portion 930 toward the inside or outside of the battery module 100. The protrusion 940 can be partially compressed in response to the above-mentioned compressive force, and therefore can partially absorb the external force transmitted to the end plate 400 due to an increase in the internal pressure. In addition, the gap space between the bus bar frame 300 and the end plate 400, i.e., the distance between the two members, may be larger than the thickness of the contact portion 930, but the protrusion 940 can protrude from one side of the contact portion 930 to contact the bus bar frame 300 or the end plate 400, thereby compensating for such a size difference. Here, the protrusion 940 may be formed on both the first contact surface 932 and the second contact surface 934 of the contact portion 930, or may be formed on only one of the two sides of the contact portion 930. In addition, the heights of the protrusions 940 formed on each surface of the contact portion 930 may differ from each other. Also, as described above, contact with the end plate 400 may refer to contact with a member (e.g., the insulating cover 800) attached to the end plate 400.

[0126] The protrusions 940 may be provided in a shape including a number of figures spaced apart from one another radially from the gasket hole 910. That is, the protrusions 940 may be provided in a concentric pattern. Each protrusion of the protrusions 940 may be located at a certain interval, which may be for evenly covering the first contact surface 932 and the second contact surface 934 of the contact portion 930. The shape of the protrusions 940 is not limited to the above drawings, and the shape of the protrusions 940 may be formed differently from that shown in the drawings.

[0127] The height of the protrusions included in the protrusion portion 940 (x-axis direction in FIG. 19) may be constant or may vary. For example, the height of the protrusions may be constant and may be within 1 mm. In particular, it is preferable that the height of the protrusions is within 0.1 to 0.5 mm when the distance between the gasket 900 and the busbar frame 300 or the end plate 400 is taken into consideration. In another example, the height of the protrusions may be gradually increased or decreased as it gets farther away from the gasket hole 910. That is, the protrusions 940 may be provided so that their cross sections have a stepped shape. In this case, when the height of the protrusions is gradually decreased around the gasket hole 910, the size difference occurring around the terminal busbar opening 400H can be more effectively compensated for.

[0128] Meanwhile, the description regarding the protrusion 940 does not exclude an example in which the gasket 900 without the protrusion 940 is provided in the battery module 100 of the present embodiment.

[0129] 24 to 26 are views illustrating other examples of gaskets included in a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0130] 24 to 26, the battery module 100 of the present embodiment may be provided with a gasket 900 that does not have a protrusion 940. The gasket 900 of this embodiment can be understood through the description of FIGS. 18 to 23, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0131] Meanwhile, the battery module 100 may be included in a battery pack. The battery pack may include one or more battery modules according to the present embodiment, and may further include a battery management system (BMS) for managing the temperature and voltage of the battery, a cooling device, and the like.

[0132] The battery module and the battery pack including the same may be applied to various devices, including transportation means such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrid cars, but the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied to various devices in which the battery module and the battery pack including the same can be used, which also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0133] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the claims also fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 100: Battery module 110: Battery cell 111, 112: electrode lead 120: Battery cell stack 200:Module frame 300: Busbar frame 302: Stationary part 306: Slit 330: Top cover 336: Locking part 400: End plate 400H: Terminal busbar opening 400L: Module connector opening 404: Connector housing fastening hole 440: Fastening member 510: Busbar 520: Terminal busbar 600: Connector Assembly 610: Module connector 612: Fixed Hall 620: Housing 622: Slot 624: Bonding hole 630: Sealing materials 700: Sensing unit 710: Connecting member 720: Sensing terminal 730:Temperature sensor 800: Insulating cover 900: Gasket 910: Gasket hole 920: Lip section 930: Contact part 940:Protrusion

Claims

1. a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked in one direction; a module frame that houses the battery cell stack; a bus bar frame covering a front or rear surface of the battery cell stack; and An end plate that is coupled to the module frame and covers the bus bar frame Including, At least one opening is formed in the end plate; A module connector is disposed in the opening of the end plate; the module connector is attached to one surface of the bus bar frame by a housing that is separate from the housing of the module connector itself and protects the module connector; The housing is configured to cover a gap between the module connector and the opening.

2. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the bus bar frame includes a mounting portion for mounting the module connector, the mounting portion including an end portion having a convex axial cross section.

3. The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the terminal portions of the base portion include a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion separated on an axis.

4. The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the housing is formed with a slot into which the mounting portion is inserted.

5. the module connector includes a mounting hole into which the mounting portion is inserted, The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein the opening of the mounting hole corresponds to the opening of the slot.

6. The mounting portion is slid inside the slot. The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein the mounting portion and the housing are coupled to each other so as to be slidable in one direction.

7. The battery module according to claim 5 , wherein a diameter of at least a portion of the slot is larger than an opening diameter of the mounting hole.

8. The end plate has a first fastening hole formed therein, The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the housing and the end plate are coupled together by inserting a fastening member into the first fastening hole.

9. The housing has a second fastening hole corresponding to the first fastening hole, The second fastening hole is located on a coupling surface of the housing, The battery module according to claim 8 , wherein the joining surface is a surface perpendicular to a length direction of the battery cell stack.

10. The battery module of claim 8 , wherein the number of the first fastening holes is two or more.

11. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a sealing member is located between the housing and the end plate.

12. The battery module of claim 11 , wherein the sealing member has a closed curve shape with both ends connected to each other.

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

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