Battery, battery pack including the same, and motor vehicle

Abstract

A battery according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an electrode assembly including a first uncoated portion and a second uncoated portion; a housing having an opening formed on one side and receiving the electrode assembly through the opening; a first current collector coupled to the first uncoated portion and positioned in the housing; a cap covering the opening; and a spacer assembly including a spacer portion interposed between the first current collector and the cap and configured to prevent movement of the electrode assembly, a gasket portion interposed between the housing and the cap and configured to seal between the cap and the housing, and a connecting portion connecting the spacer portion and the gasket portion, the connecting portion including a bent portion at which an extension direction of the spacer portion is changed between the spacer portion and the gasket portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle, and more specifically, to a battery having a structure capable of minimizing the movement of an internal electrode assembly thereof, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0014958 filed on February 4, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0088961 filed on July 19, 2022, and all of the contents disclosed in the specifications and drawings of the applications are incorporated into this application.

Background Art

[0003] In a battery, a jelly roll having a form in which a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab extend up and down along the height direction of a housing may be applied in order to maximize current collection efficiency. In a battery to which such a jelly roll structure is applied, a current collector may be used as an intermediate medium for connecting the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab to a terminal and a housing, respectively.

[0004] In this case, for example, the positive electrode current collector may be coupled to the positive electrode tab while covering one surface of the jelly roll, and the negative electrode current collector may be coupled to the negative electrode tab while covering the other surface of the jelly roll. Also, the positive electrode current collector may be electrically connected to the terminal, and the negative electrode current collector may be electrically connected to the housing.

[0005] In a battery having the structure as described above, in particular, a relatively large space may be formed between the negative electrode current collector and the cap. Also, a space may be formed between the bottom surface of the housing located on the side opposite to the cap and the positive electrode current collector.

[0006] Such a space can cause the jelly roll to move inside the housing, particularly in the vertical direction, i.e., the height direction of the battery. When the jelly roll moves in this vertical direction, there is a risk of damage to the bonding site between the current collector and the electrode tab. Furthermore, damage can also occur at the bonding site between the current collector and the housing, the bonding site between the current collector and the terminal, etc.

[0007] Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the space in which the jelly roll moves. If additional parts are used to reduce the space in which the jelly roll moves, the complexity of the process increases and the manufacturing cost also rises. Therefore, it is necessary to solve such problems by utilizing the parts applied in the past.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to prevent damage to the electrical connection site due to the movement of the jelly roll within the housing.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to prevent the complication of the manufacturing process and the increase in manufacturing cost caused by the application of additional parts by preventing the movement of the jelly roll by utilizing the parts applied in the past during the manufacture of the battery.

[0010] Still another object of the present invention is to prevent the spacer assembly from being abnormally deformed by the force applied to the spacer assembly during the manufacturing process of the battery.

[0011] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description of the invention.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0012] A battery according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object includes an electrode assembly including a first non-coated portion and a second non-coated portion, a housing having an opening formed on one side and housing the electrode assembly from the opening, a first current collector coupled to the first non-coated portion and located within the housing, a cap covering the opening, and a spacer assembly including a spacer portion interposed between the first current collector and the cap and configured to prevent movement of the electrode assembly, a gasket portion interposed between the housing and the cap and configured to seal between the cap and the housing, and a connecting portion connecting the spacer portion and the gasket portion and having a bent portion whose extending direction is changed between the spacer portion and the gasket portion.

[0013] The connecting portion may include a plurality of bridges spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the electrode assembly.

[0014] The bent portion may have a form that bulges in a direction opposite to the direction toward the first current collector.

[0015] The connecting portion may include a notch portion configured to partially reduce the cross-sectional area of the connecting portion.

[0016] The notch portion may be formed with a predetermined depth on a surface facing the first current collector.

[0017] The notch portion may be located between the bent portion and the spacer portion.

[0018] The spacer portion may have a height corresponding to the distance between the first current collector and the cap.

[0019] The spacer portion may be located at the central portion on one surface of the electrode assembly.

[0020] The spacer portion may include a spacer hole formed at a position corresponding to the winding center hole of the electrode assembly.

[0021] The spacer assembly may include a blowout preventer configured to span the spacer hole.

[0022] The housing may include a beading portion formed by pressing around an outer circumferential surface, and a crimping portion whose edge defining the opening below the beading portion extends and bent to surround the periphery of the cap.

[0023] The gasket portion may be bent along the crimping portion to surround a periphery of the cap.

[0024] The bridges may be configured not to contact the first current collector.

[0025] The bridges may be configured to not contact the cap.

[0026] The first current collector may include a support portion located at a center on one surface of the electrode assembly, an uncoated portion coupling portion extending from the support portion and coupling with the first uncoated portion, and a housing contact portion extending from the support portion or extending from an end of the uncoated portion coupling portion and interposed between the housing and the gasket portion.

[0027] The housing includes a beading portion having a portion of its side wall pressed inward, and a crimping portion whose edge defining the opening below the beading portion extends and bent to surround the periphery of the cap, and the housing contact portion may contact one side of the beading portion that faces the cap.

[0028] The cap may include a vent portion having a thickness less than a surrounding area.

[0029] The spacer portion may be located inside the vent portion so as not to cover the vent portion.

[0030] The connecting part may be positioned so as not to overlap with the housing contact part along the height direction of the battery.

[0031] A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object includes a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] A motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object includes a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages of the Invention

[0033] According to one aspect of the present invention, the movement of the jelly roll in the housing can be minimized, and damage to the electrical coupling site can be prevented.

[0034] According to another aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the complication of the manufacturing process and the increase in manufacturing cost by utilizing the components already applied without additionally applying components for preventing the movement of the jelly roll.

[0035] According to still another aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent abnormal deformation of the spacer assembly due to the force applied to the spacer assembly during the manufacturing process of the battery. In addition, by preventing such abnormal deformation of the spacer assembly, it is possible to effectively prevent the occurrence of product defects caused by the force applied to the current collector and / or the electrode assembly due to the deformation of the spacer assembly.

[0036] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be construed as being limited only to the matters described in the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0037]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0038] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in this specification and the claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings. The inventor himself must, in accordance with the principle that he can appropriately define the concept of the terms in order to explain the invention in the best way, interpret them in accordance with the meaning and concept corresponding to the technical idea of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, there may be various equivalents and modifications that can replace them at the time of this application.

[0039] Note that, for the purpose of assisting in the understanding of the invention, the attached drawings may show some components exaggeratedly, not at actual scale. Note that the same reference numerals may be assigned to the same components in different embodiments.

[0040] The fact that two comparison targets are "identical" means that they are "substantially identical". Therefore, "substantially identical" may include cases where there are deviations regarded as a low level in the industry, for example, deviations within 5%. Also, the fact that any parameter is uniform in a given region may mean that it is uniform from an average perspective.

[0041] Terms such as first, second, etc. are used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another, and unless otherwise specified, the first component may be the second component.

[0042] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural.

[0043] The statement that any configuration is arranged "above (or below)" a component or "on (or under)" a component means that not only can any configuration be directly arranged on the upper surface (or lower surface) of the component, but it may also mean that other configurations may be interposed between the component and any configuration arranged above (or below) the component.

[0044] Also, when it is described that a certain component is "connected", "coupled" or "joined" to another component, it should be understood that the components may be directly connected or joined to each other, but other components may be "interposed" between the components, or each component may be "connected", "coupled" or "joined" by other components.

[0045] Throughout the specification, the description of "A and / or B" means "A", "B", or "A and B" unless otherwise specified, and the description of "from C to D" means greater than or equal to C and less than or equal to D unless otherwise specified.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be, for example, a cylindrical battery. The cylindrical battery 1 includes an electrode assembly 10, a housing 20, a first current collector 30, a cap 40, and a spacer assembly 50. The cylindrical battery 1 may further include a terminal 60. In addition to the above-described components, the cylindrical battery 1 may further include an insulating gasket G and / or a second current collector 70 and / or an insulator 80. The present invention is not limited by the shape of the battery and is also applicable to batteries of other shapes, for example, prismatic batteries.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, 12, and 13, the electrode assembly 10 includes a first non-coated portion 11 and a second non-coated portion 12. The electrode assembly 10 includes a first electrode having a first polarity, a second electrode having a second polarity, and a separator interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode is a negative electrode or a positive electrode, and the second electrode is an electrode having a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode.

[0048] The electrode assembly 10 may have, for example, a jelly-roll shape. That is, the electrode assembly 10 can be manufactured by winding a laminate formed by sequentially laminating at least once a first electrode, a separator, and a second electrode. Such a jelly-roll type electrode assembly 10 may include a winding center hole C formed at its center and extending along the height direction (a direction parallel to the Z-axis). On the other hand, a separator may be further provided on the outer peripheral surface of the electrode assembly 10 for insulation from the housing 20.

[0049] The first electrode includes a first conductive substrate and a first electrode active material layer formed by coating one or both surfaces of the first conductive substrate. At one end of the first conductive substrate in the width direction (a direction parallel to the Z-axis), there is a first non-coated portion of the first electrode where the first electrode active material is not coated. The first non-coated portion of the first electrode has a form extending from one end to the other end along the longitudinal direction of the first electrode when viewed with the first electrode in an expanded state. The first non-coated portion 11 of the first electrode may function as a first electrode tab. The first non-coated portion 11 is provided on one surface of the electrode assembly 10. More specifically, the first non-coated portion 11 is provided at the lower part in the height direction (a direction parallel to the Z-axis) of the electrode assembly 10 housed in the housing 20.

[0050] The second electrode includes a second conductive substrate and a second electrode active material layer formed by coating one or both surfaces of the second conductive substrate. At the other end of the second conductive substrate in the width direction (a direction parallel to the Z-axis), there is a non-coated portion where the second electrode active material is not coated. The second non-coated portion of the second electrode has a form extending from one end to the other end along the longitudinal direction of the second electrode when viewed with the second electrode in an open state. The second non-coated portion 12 of the second electrode may function as a second electrode tab. The second non-coated portion 12 is provided on the other surface of the electrode assembly 10. More specifically, the second non-coated portion 12 is provided at the upper part in the height direction (a direction parallel to the Z-axis) of the electrode assembly 10 housed in the housing 20.

[0051] That is, the first non - coating part 11 and the second non - coating part 12 extend and protrude in opposite directions along the height direction of the electrode assembly 10 (the direction parallel to the Z - axis), that is, along the height direction of the cylindrical battery 1, and are exposed outside the separator membrane.

[0052] On the other hand, referring to FIG. 13, at least a part of the first non - coating part 11 and / or the second non - coating part 12 may include a plurality of segmented pieces F divided along the winding direction of the electrode assembly 10. In this case, the plurality of segmented pieces may be bent along the radial direction of the electrode assembly 10. The plurality of bent segmented pieces may be stacked multiple times. In this case, the first current collector 30 and / or the second current collector 70 described later may be coupled to the region where the plurality of segmented pieces F are stacked multiple times. On the other hand, the electrode assembly 10 may include a welding target region where the number of stacked segmented pieces F of the first non - coating part 11 is maintained constant along the radial direction of the electrode assembly 10. In this region, since the number of stacked layers is maintained almost maximally, it may be advantageous that the welding of the first current collector 30 and the first non - coating part 11 and / or the welding of the second current collector 70 and the second non - coating part 12 are performed within this region. For example, when applying laser welding, when increasing the output of the laser to improve the welding quality, this is to prevent the laser beam from penetrating the first non - coating part 11 and / or the second non - coating part 12 and damaging the electrode assembly 10. Also, this is to effectively prevent foreign substances such as welding spatter from flowing into the inside of the electrode assembly 10.

[0053] In the present invention, the positive electrode active material coated on the positive electrode current collector and the negative electrode active material coated on the negative electrode current collector can be used without limitation as long as they are known active materials in the art.

[0054] In one example, the positive electrode active material has the general chemical formula A[A x M y O 2+z(A contains at least one or more elements of Li, Na and K; M contains at least one or more elements selected from Ni, Co, Mn, Ca, Mg, Ti, Si, Fe, Mo, V, Zr, Zn, Cu, Al, Mo, Sc, Zr, Ru and Cr; x≧0, 1≦x + y≦2, -0.1≦z≦2; the stoichiometric coefficients of x, y, z and the components contained in M are selected so that the compound maintains electrical neutrality.) may contain an alkali metal compound represented by.

[0055] In another example, the positive electrode active material is an alkali metal compound xLiM disclosed in US6,677,082, US6,680,143, etc. 1 O2-(1 - x)Li2M 2 O3(M 1 (M contains at least one or more elements having an average oxidation state of 3; M 2 (M contains at least one or more elements having an average oxidation state of 4; 0≦x≦1).

[0056] In yet another example, the positive electrode active material has the general chemical formula Li a M 1 x Fe 1-x M 2 y P 1-y M 3 z O 4-z (M 1 (M contains at least one or more elements selected from Ti, Si, Mn, Co, Fe, V, Cr, Mo, Ni, Nd, Mg and Al; M 2 (M contains at least one or more elements selected from Ti, Si, Mn, Co, Fe, V, Cr, Mo, Ni, Nd, Mg, Al, As, Sb, Si, Ge, V and S; M 3 (M contains a halogen group element selectively containing F; 0 < a≦2, 0≦x≦1, 0≦y < 1, 0≦z < 1; a, x, y, z, M 1 , M 2 and M 3The stoichiometric coefficients of the components contained therein are selected such that the compound maintains electrical neutrality.), or it may be a lithium metal phosphate represented by Li3M2(PO4)3 [where M contains at least one element selected from Ti, Si, Mn, Fe, Co, V, Cr, Mo, Ni, Mg, and Al.].

[0057] Desirably, the positive electrode active material may include primary particles and / or secondary particles formed by aggregation of primary particles.

[0058] In one example, the negative electrode active material may use a carbon material, a lithium metal or a lithium metal compound, silicon or a silicon compound, tin or a tin compound, etc. Metal oxides such as TiO2 and SnO2 with a potential less than 2V can also be used as the negative electrode active material. As the carbon material, both low-crystalline carbon and high-crystalline carbon can be used.

[0059] The separation membrane may be a porous polymer film, for example, a porous polymer film made from polyolefin-based polymers such as polyethylene homopolymer, polypropylene homopolymer, ethylene / butene copolymer, ethylene / hexene copolymer, ethylene / methacrylate copolymer, etc., used alone or laminated. In another example, the separation membrane may use a normal porous non-woven fabric, for example, a non-woven fabric made of high-melting glass fibers, polyethylene terephthalate fibers, etc.

[0060] At least one surface of the separation membrane may include a coating layer of inorganic particles. Also, it is possible that the separation membrane itself consists of a coating layer of inorganic particles. The particles constituting the coating layer may have a structure bonded to a binder such that an interstitial volume exists between adjacent particles.

[0061] The inorganic particles may be made of an inorganic material having a dielectric constant of 5 or more. As this non-limiting example, the inorganic particles are Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT), Pb 1-x La x Zr 1-y Tiy O3(PLZT), PB(Mg3Nb 2 / 3 )O3-PbTiO3(PMN-PT), BaTiO3, hafnium (HfO2), SrTiO3, TiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, SnO2, CeO2, MgO, CaO, ZnO and Y2O3 and may contain at least one or more substances selected from the group consisting of.

[0062] The electrolyte is A + B - may be a salt having a structure such as. Here, A + is Li + , Na + , K + and contains ions consisting of alkali metal cations such as these and combinations thereof. And B - is F - , Cl - , Br - , I - , NO3 - , N(CN)2 - , BF4 - , ClO4 - , AlO4 - , AlCl4 - , PF6 - , SbF6 - , AsF6 - , BF2C2O4 - , BC4O8 - , (CF3)2PF4 - , (CF3)3PF3 - , (CF3)4PF2 - , (CF3)5PF - , (CF3)6P - , CF3SO3 - , C4F9SO3 - , CF3CF2SO3 - , (CF3SO2)2N - , (FSO2)2N - , CF3CF2(CF3)2CO - , (CF3SO2)2CH - , (SF5)3C - , (CF3SO2)3C - , CF3(CF2)7SO3 - , CF3CO2 -, CH3CO2 - , SCN - and (CF3CF2SO2)2N - It contains any one or more anions selected from the group consisting of

[0063] Also, the electrolyte can be used by dissolving it in an organic solvent. As the organic solvent, propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), dipropyl carbonate (DPC), dimethyl sulfoxide, acetonitrile, dimethoxyethane, diethoxyethane, tetrahydrofuran, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), γ-butyrolactone or a mixture thereof can be used.

[0064] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 12, the housing 20 houses the electrode assembly 10 from the opening formed at its lower end. The housing 20 is a substantially cylindrical container having an opening formed at its lower end and a closing portion formed at its upper end. The housing 20 can be made of a conductive material such as metal. The material of the housing 20 can be, for example, aluminum. The side surface (outer peripheral surface) and the upper surface of the housing 20 can be integrally formed. The upper surface of the housing 20 (the surface parallel to the X-Y plane) can have a substantially flat form. The housing 20 houses the electrolyte together with the electrode assembly 10 from the opening formed at its lower end.

[0065] The housing 20 is electrically connected to the electrode assembly 10. The housing 20 is connected to the first non-coated portion 11 of the electrode assembly 10. Thereby, the housing 20 has the same polarity as the first non-coated portion 11 electrically.

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the housing 20 may include a beading portion 21 and a crimping portion 22 formed at its lower end. The beading portion 21 is provided below the electrode assembly 10 housed inside the housing 20. The beading portion 21 is formed by press-fitting the outer peripheral surface of the housing 20. The beading portion 21 partially reduces the inner diameter of the housing 20 so that the electrode assembly 10 having a size substantially corresponding to the width of the housing 20 does not come out from the open portion formed at the lower end of the housing 20. The beading portion 21 may also function as a support portion where the cap 40 is provided.

[0067] The crimping portion 22 is formed below the beading portion 21. The crimping portion 22 has a form that extends and bends so as to surround the peripheral portion defining the open portion of the housing 20 with the peripheral portion of the spacer assembly 50 interposed therebetween.

[0068] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the first current collector 30 is coupled to the first non-coated portion 11 of the electrode assembly 10 and is located inside the housing 20. The first current collector 30 covers at least a part of one surface at the lower end of the electrode assembly 10. The combined body including the electrode assembly 10 and the first current collector 30 may be inserted into the housing 20 from the open portion formed at the lower end of the housing 20. The first current collector 30 is electrically connected to the housing 20. That is, the first current collector 30 may function as a medium for the electrical connection between the electrode assembly 10 and the housing 20.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 3, the first current collector 30 may include, for example, a support portion 31, a non - coating portion coupling portion 32, and a housing contact portion 33. The support portion 31 is located at substantially the center of one surface formed at the lower end of the electrode assembly 10. The support portion 31 may be provided with a first current collector hole H1. In this case, the first current collector hole H1 may be formed at a position corresponding to the winding center hole C of the electrode assembly 10. The first current collector hole H1 may function as a passage for inserting a welding rod for coupling the terminal 60 and the second current collector 70 described later and for laser irradiation. In addition, the first current collector hole H1 may also function as a passage to facilitate smooth impregnation of the electrolyte into the electrode assembly 10 during electrolyte injection.

[0070] The non - coating portion coupling portion 32 extends from the support portion 31 and couples with the first non - coating portion 11. The non - coating portion coupling portion 32 may be provided, for example, in a plurality. In this case, the plurality of non - coating portion coupling portions 32 may each have a form extending radially from the support portion 31. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing contact portion 33 may extend from the support portion 31 or, differently from FIG. 3, may extend from the end of the non - coating portion coupling portion 32. The end of the housing contact portion 33 is interposed between the gasket portion 52 of the spacer assembly 50 described later and the housing 20 and can be in contact with the housing 20, whereby electrical connection between the housing 20 and the first current collector 30 can be made. The end of the housing contact portion 33 may contact, for example, one surface of the beading portion 21 facing the cap 40.

[0071] The housing contact portion 33 may be provided, for example, in a plurality. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of housing contact portions 33 have a form extending radially from the support portion 31, and at least one housing contact portion 33 may be located between adjacent non - coating portion coupling portions 32. Or, differently from FIG. 3, the plurality of housing contact portions 33 may have a form extending from each end of the plurality of non - coating portion coupling portions 32.

[0072] Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, and 11, the cap 40 covers an opening formed in the housing 20. The cap 40 can be made of, for example, a metal material to ensure rigidity. The cap 40 forms the lower surface of the cylindrical battery 1. In the cylindrical battery 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the cap 40 can be non-polar even when it is a conductive metal material. Not having a polarity may mean that the cap 40 is electrically insulated from the housing 20 and the terminal 60. For this reason, the cap 40 does not function as a positive electrode terminal or a negative electrode terminal. Therefore, the cap 40 does not have to be electrically connected to the electrode assembly 10 and the housing 20, and its material does not necessarily have to be a conductive metal.

[0073] When the housing 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a beading portion 21, the cap 40 can be provided on the beading portion 21 formed in the housing 20. Also, when the housing 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a crimping portion 22, the cap 40 is fixed by the crimping portion 22. Between the cap 40 and the crimping portion 22 of the housing 20, the peripheral portion of the spacer assembly 50 is interposed to ensure the airtightness of the housing 20.

[0074] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 11, the cap 40 can further include a vent portion 41 to prevent the internal pressure from increasing beyond a preset value due to the gas generated inside the housing 20. The vent portion 41 is a region having a thickness thinner than the peripheral region in the cap 40. The vent portion 41 is structurally weaker compared to the peripheral region. For this reason, when an abnormality occurs in the cylindrical battery 1 and the internal pressure of the housing 20 increases above a certain level, the gas generated inside the housing 20 can be discharged by the breakage of the vent portion 41. The vent portion 41 can be formed, for example, by making a cut (notching) on one or both surfaces of the cap 40 to partially reduce the thickness of the housing 20.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 4, it is desirable that the lower end of the cap 40 is located above the lower end of the housing 20. In this case, even if the lower end of the housing 20 contacts the ground or the bottom surface of the housing for the configuration of the module or the pack, the cap 40 does not contact the ground or the bottom surface of the housing. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a phenomenon in which the pressure required for breaking the vent portion 41 differs from the design value due to the weight of the cylindrical battery 1, and thereby ensure the smoothness of the breaking of the vent portion 41.

[0076] On the other hand, when the vent portion 41 has a closed-loop form as shown in FIGS. 4 and 11, it is more advantageous in terms of ease of breakage that the distance from the center of the cap 40 to the vent portion 41 is greater. This is because when the same vent pressure acts, the force acting on the vent portion 41 increases as the distance from the center of the cap 40 to the vent portion 41 increases, making the determination easier. Also, in terms of the smoothness of vent gas discharge, it is more advantageous that the distance from the center of the cap 40 to the vent portion 41 is greater. From such a viewpoint, the vent portion 41 may advantageously be formed along the periphery of a substantially flat region protruding downward (in the downward direction with reference to FIG. 4) from the peripheral region of the cap 40.

[0077] In FIG. 11 of the present invention, a case where the vent portion 41 is continuously formed in a substantially circular shape is shown, but the present invention is not limited thereby. The vent portion 41 may be formed discontinuously in a substantially circular shape on the cap 40, or may be formed in a substantially linear shape or other shape.

[0078] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4 to 7, the spacer assembly 50 is configured to prevent the movement of the electrode assembly 10 and strengthen the sealing force of the housing 20. That is, the spacer assembly 50 is disposed between the cap 40 and the electrode assembly 10 so as to fix the electrode assembly 10 and seal the housing 20. The spacer assembly 50 may include a central portion that supports the bottom of the first current collector 30 and a peripheral portion that contacts the housing 20. In this case, the upper surface of the central portion may be positioned higher than the upper surface of the peripheral portion. The upper surface of the central portion contacts the lower surface of the first current collector 30, and the lower surface of the central portion may contact the inner surface of the cap 40. The central portion may be provided with a spacer hole H2 formed at a position corresponding to the winding center hole C of the electrode assembly 10. The peripheral portion may extend toward the inner surface of the housing 20. The spacer assembly 50 may further include a flange that extends downward from the outer peripheral edge of the peripheral portion. In this case, the flange may be bent together with the housing 20 when the housing 20 is crimped to surround the peripheral edge of the cap 40.

[0079] On the other hand, the spacer assembly 50 may include, for example, a spacer portion 51, a gasket portion 52, and a connecting portion 53. The spacer assembly 50 may further include an ejection prevention portion 54 in addition to the above-described components. The spacer portion 51 may be interposed between the first current collector 30 and the cap 40 and configured to prevent the movement of the electrode assembly 10. The spacer portion 51 may have a height corresponding to the distance between the first current collector 30 and the cap 40. In this case, the spacer portion 51 can effectively prevent the electrode assembly 10 from moving within the housing 20 due to the gap formed between the first current collector 30 and the cap 40. For this reason, the spacer portion 51 can prevent the occurrence of damage at the coupling site between the electrode assembly 10 and the first current collector 30 and / or at the coupling site between the first current collector 30 and the housing 20.

[0080] The spacer portion 51 may be located substantially at the center of one surface at the lower end of the electrode assembly 10. The spacer portion 51 may be provided with a spacer hole H2 formed at a position corresponding to the winding center hole C of the electrode assembly 10. The spacer hole H2 may function as an insertion passage for a welding rod or a passage for laser irradiation, similar to the first current collector hole H1 described above. The spacer hole H2 may also function as a passage that allows the electrode assembly 10 to be smoothly impregnated with the electrolytic solution when the electrolytic solution is injected, similar to the first current collector hole H1 described above.

[0081] On the other hand, the spacer portion 51 may cover the support portion 31 so that the support portion 31 of the first current collector 30 is not exposed outside the spacer portion 51. That is, the outer diameter of the upper end portion of the spacer portion 51 may be substantially the same as or larger than the outer diameter of the support portion 31. In this case, the spacer portion 51 may effectively press the first current collector 30.

[0082] On the other hand, the spacer portion 51 may be configured to cover at least a part of the welded portion formed by welding the non-coated portion coupling portion 32 of the first current collector 30 and the first non-coated portion 11. That is, the radius of the upper end of the spacer portion 51 may be formed larger than the distance from the welded portion closest to the core of the electrode assembly 10 to the core of the electrode assembly 10. In this case, the spacer portion 51 can effectively prevent the phenomenon that the welded portion between the first current collector 30 and the first non-coated portion 11 is damaged during processes such as a crimping process or a sizing process.

[0083] On the still other hand, the spacer portion 51 may be located closer to the core side than the vent portion 41 so as not to cover the vent portion 41 formed in the cap 40. That is, the radius measured at the upper end of the spacer portion 51 may be formed smaller than the distance from the center of the cap 40 to the vent portion 41. This is to prevent the vent portion 41 from being blocked by the spacer assembly 50 and the breaking pressure of the vent portion 41 from changing from the designed value.

[0084] The gasket portion 52 is interposed between the housing 20 and the cap 40. The gasket portion 52 may have a form extending along the circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the housing 20. When the housing 20 includes the crimping portion 22, the gasket portion 52 may be bent together along the bending shape of the crimping portion 22 to surround the peripheral region of the cap 40. On the other hand, the gasket portion 52 may be formed to fill the space between the housing contact portion 33 and the cap 40 while being bent along the crimping portion 22 to surround the periphery of the cap 40. Thus, the gasket portion 52 can improve the fixing force of the cap 40 and the sealing force of the housing 20.

[0085] On the other hand, the gasket portion 52 may be formed to be thinner between the housing contact portion 33 and the cap 40 than between the beading portion 21 and the cap 40. This is because in the region where the housing contact portion 33 is interposed between the housing 20 and the beading portion 21, the gasket portion 52 can be compressed more than in other regions. For this reason, the compression rate of the gasket portion 52 between the housing contact portion 33 and the cap 40 can be greater than the compression rate between the beading portion 21 and the cap 40. Different from this, the gasket portion 52 may be configured such that the compression rate between the housing contact portion 33 and the cap 40 is substantially the same as the compression rate between the beading portion 21 and the cap 40. In this case, it is possible to prevent the phenomenon that the sealing force is partially reduced due to the change in the compression rate of the gasket portion 52 for each region.

[0086] The connecting portion 53 connects between the spacer portion 51 and the gasket portion 52. The connecting portion 53 is configured to relieve the stress applied to the connecting portion 53 when a force is applied from the gasket portion 52 to the spacer portion 51 side by an external force. By having a structure capable of relieving stress in this way, the connecting portion 53 can prevent the spacer assembly 50 from being abnormally deformed by an external force and having an undesirable influence on the first current collector 30 and the electrode assembly 10.

[0087] In order to realize such a function, the connecting portion 53 may include a bent portion B whose extending direction is changed between the spacer portion 51 and the gasket portion 52. A groove portion having a predetermined depth may be formed on one surface of the connecting portion 53 in a region where the bent portion B is formed, and a protruding portion having a shape corresponding to the groove may be formed on the opposite surface.

[0088] The bent portion B may be formed by, for example, changing the extending direction of the connecting portion 53 twice. However, the number of times of changing the extending direction of the connecting portion 53 for forming the bent portion B is not limited thereby. When the connecting portion 53 includes the bent portion B, the connecting portion 53 can buffer the force acting from the gasket portion 52 to the spacer portion 51 by an external force. When an external force acts, a morphological deformation of the connecting portion 53 occurs in a direction in which the bending angle of the bent portion B naturally increases in a region where the bent portion B is formed, and thus the external force can be absorbed by the bent portion B without being transmitted to the spacer portion 51 side. That is, the bent portion B can have a buffering action like, for example, a bellows or a spring. A plurality of the bent portions B may be provided so as to effectively buffer even a large external force.

[0089] When an external force acts, the bent portion B may protrude more in one direction in the process of absorbing it. Thereby, the bent portion B may have a shape that bulges in a direction opposite to the direction toward the first current collector 30 so that contact between the bent portion B and the first current collector 30 and / or the electrode assembly 10 does not occur.

[0090] In addition to the bent portion B described above, the connecting portion 53 may further include a notch portion N. The notch portion N may be configured to partially reduce the cross-sectional area of the connecting portion 53. The notch portion N may be in the form of a groove formed on at least one surface of the connecting portion 53. The notch portion N may be formed with a predetermined depth, for example, on one surface of the connecting portion 53 facing the first current collector 30. When the notch portion N is formed on the surface facing the first current collector 30 in this way, the morphological deformation of the connecting portion 53 due to an external force occurs in a direction opposite to the direction toward the first current collector 30, thereby reducing the risk of the spacer assembly 50 interfering with the first current collector 30 and / or the electrode assembly 10.

[0091] The notch portion N can be located between the bent portion B and the spacer portion 51 in the connecting portion 53. Similar to the bent portion B, a plurality of notch portions N can be provided as necessary.

[0092] The connecting portion 53 can include, for example, a plurality of bridges 53a that are arranged spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the electrode assembly 10. In this case, the space formed between adjacent bridges 53a can function as a passage for smooth circulation of the electrolytic solution. On the other hand, the space formed between adjacent bridges 53a can function as a passage for the internal gas to be smoothly discharged when bending occurs due to an increase in internal pressure. Thus, when the connecting portion 53 includes a plurality of bridges 53a, the bent portion B for forming the stress relaxation structure of the present invention as described above can be provided in each bridge 53a. Also, the notch portion N can be provided in each of the plurality of bridges 53a.

[0093] The ejection prevention portion 54 can be configured to cross the spacer hole H2. The ejection prevention portion 54 can be configured to reduce the opening area of the spacer hole H2. The ejection prevention portion 54 can be, for example, in a substantially cross shape. However, this is only an exemplary form of the ejection prevention portion 54, and the shape of the ejection prevention portion 54 is not limited thereto.

[0094] The ejection prevention portion 54 can be provided at a position corresponding to the winding center hole of the electrode assembly 10 and the first current collector hole H1 of the first current collector 30. The ejection prevention portion 54 can prevent the winding center portion of the electrode assembly 10 from being ejected to the outside of the housing 20 when bending occurs due to an increase in the internal pressure of the housing 20.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 4, the bridge 53a can be configured to exclude the portion of the housing contact portion 33 of the first current collector 30 that is inserted into the crimping portion 22 and / or not to contact the cap 40. For example, the connecting portion 53 can be positioned so as not to overlap with the housing contact portion 33 along the height direction (the direction parallel to the Z axis) of the cylindrical battery 1. For example, when a plurality of the bridges 53a are provided and a plurality of the housing contact portions 33 are provided, the plurality of bridges 53a and the plurality of housing contact portions 33 can be arranged at positions shifted from each other so as not to overlap with each other along the vertical direction (the direction parallel to the Z axis). That is, the housing contact portion 33 can be provided at a position corresponding to the space formed between adjacent bridges 53a. In this case, even if the form of the components is deformed by an external force applied to the housing 20, the possibility of interference between the bridge 53a and the housing contact portion 33 is significantly reduced, thereby significantly reducing the possibility of problems such as damage to the coupling portion between the components.

[0096] In this case, even if the form of the spacer assembly 50 is deformed due to a sizing process or a crimping process of compressing the cylindrical battery 1 along the height direction (the direction parallel to the Z axis) or other causes, the interference between the connecting portion 53 of the spacer assembly 50 and the housing contact portion 33 of the first current collector 30 can be minimized. In particular, when the bridge 53a is configured not to contact the cap 40, even if the housing 20 is deformed in form due to a sizing process or an external impact, the possibility of deformation of the bridge 53a can be reduced.

[0097] On the one hand, each component constituting the spacer assembly 50 can be integrally formed. For example, a spacer assembly 50 in which the spacer portion 51, the gasket portion 52, and the connecting portion 53 are integrated by injection can be manufactured. That is, the cylindrical battery 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention can obtain both the strengthening of the sealing force against the open portion of the housing 20 and the effect of preventing the movement of the electrode assembly 10 by deforming and manufacturing a gasket component used for sealing the open portion of the housing 20 as one component. Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the complication of the manufacturing process and the increase in manufacturing cost caused by the application of additional components. Furthermore, according to the structure of the spacer assembly 50 of the present invention, for example, when an external force such as a crimping process acts, the force applied substantially along the radial direction to the connecting portion 53 of the spacer assembly 50 can be converted in the direction of rotating the spacer portion 51. As a result, the spacer portion 51 can be finely rotated clockwise or counterclockwise on the plane (X-Y plane) (for example, it can be rotated by about 1°), thereby preventing interference with the current collector 30 due to deformation of the connecting portion 53 by preventing stress from accumulating in the connecting portion 53.

[0098] Referring to FIG. 8 together with FIGS. 5 to 7, in the battery 1 to which the spacer assembly 50 of the present invention having the stress relaxation structure as described above is applied, it can be seen that no abnormal deformation occurs in the current collector even when a force is applied to the spacer assembly 50 by the crimping process.

[0099] On the other hand, when an external force is applied to the battery to which the spacer assembly having no stress relaxation structure shown in FIG. 9 is applied by the crimping process, it can be seen that a large deformation of the form of the spacer assembly occurs as shown in FIG. 10. Such a deformation of the form of the spacer assembly causes a force to be applied to the current collector, thereby causing damage to the welded portion between the current collector and the electrode assembly, and also causing deformation to the form of the electrode assembly.

[0100] After performing the crimping process, as a result of checking the degree of deformation of the spacer assembly 50, in the case of the spacer assembly 50 having no stress relaxation structure as shown in FIG. 9, the connecting portion 53 was deformed so as to move about 2.1 mm in the direction toward the first current collector 30 and the electrode assembly 10, and the spacer portion 51 was also deformed so as to move about 1.69 mm in the same direction. On the other hand, in the case of the spacer assembly 50 provided with the bent portion B, the movement due to the morphological deformation of the connecting portion 53 was significantly reduced to about 0.2 mm, and the movement of the spacer portion 51 was also reduced to about 1.4 mm. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, in the case of the spacer assembly 50 provided with both the bent portion B and the notch portion N, the amount of movement due to the morphological deformation of the connecting portion 53 was about 0.2 mm, showing an improvement level similar to that of the spacer assembly 50 provided with only the bent portion B, but it was found that the amount of movement of the spacer portion 51 was significantly improved to about 0.1 mm. Referring to such test results, by applying the stress relaxation structure of the present invention to the spacer assembly 50, it can be seen that the risk of problems due to abnormal deformation of the spacer assembly 50 caused by external forces applied during the battery manufacturing process or other factors can be significantly reduced or completely prevented.

[0101] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 12, the terminal 60 is electrically connected to the second non-coated portion 12 of the electrode assembly 10. The terminal 60 may penetrate, for example, substantially the center of the closed portion formed at the upper end of the housing 20. A part of the terminal 60 may be exposed above the housing 20, and the remaining part may be located inside the housing 20. The terminal 60 may be fixed to the inner surface of the closed portion of the housing 20 by, for example, riveting.

[0102] As described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, since the housing 20 is electrically connected to the first non-coated portion 11 of the electrode assembly 10, the closed portion formed at the upper end of the housing 20 may function as the first electrode terminal 20a having the first polarity. On the other hand, since the terminal 60 is electrically connected to the second non-coated portion 12 of the electrode assembly 10, the terminal 60 exposed outside the housing 20 may function as the second electrode terminal.

[0103] That is, the cylindrical battery 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which a pair of electrode terminals 60 and 20a are located in the same direction. Thereby, when a plurality of cylindrical batteries 1 are electrically connected, it is possible to arrange electrical connection components such as bus bars only on one side of the cylindrical battery 1. Thereby, simplification of the battery pack structure and improvement of the energy density can be achieved. Further, the cylindrical battery 1 has a structure in which one surface of the housing 20 having a substantially flat form can be used as the first electrode terminal 20a, so that when an electrical connection component such as a bus bar is joined to the first electrode terminal 20a, a sufficient joining area can be secured. Thereby, the cylindrical battery 1 can secure sufficient joining strength between the electrical connection component and the first electrode terminal 20a, and can lower the resistance at the joining portion to a desired level.

[0104] As described above, when the terminal 60 functions as the second electrode terminal, the terminal 60 is electrically insulated from the housing 20 having the first polarity. The electrical insulation between the housing 20 and the terminal 60 can be realized in various ways. For example, insulation can be realized by interposing an insulating gasket G between the terminal 60 and the housing 20. Differently, insulation can also be realized by forming an insulating coating layer on a part of the terminal 60. Alternatively, a method of arranging the terminal 60 and the housing 20 so as to be separated from each other so that they cannot come into contact with each other and structurally fixing the terminal 60 firmly can be applied. Alternatively, a plurality of the above-described methods can be applied together.

[0105] On one hand, when an insulating gasket G is applied for electrical insulation and riveting is applied for fixing the terminal 60, the insulating gasket G can be deformed together during the riveting of the terminal 60 and bent toward the inner surface of the closing part at the upper end of the housing 20. When the insulating gasket G is made of a resin material, the insulating gasket G can be joined to the housing 20 and the terminal 60 by thermal welding. In this case, the airtightness at the joining interface between the insulating gasket G and the terminal 60 and at the joining interface between the insulating gasket G and the housing 20 is enhanced.

[0106] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 12, the second current collector 70 can be joined to the upper part of the electrode assembly 10. The second current collector 70 is made of a conductive metal material and can be joined to the second non - coating part 12. The joining of the second non - coating part 12 and the second current collector 70 can be performed, for example, by laser welding.

[0107] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 12, the insulator 80 can be interposed between the closing part formed at the upper end of the housing 20 and the upper end of the electrode assembly 10, or between the closing part and the second current collector 70. The insulator 80 can be made of, for example, an insulating resin material. The insulator 80 can prevent the contact between the electrode assembly 10 and the housing 20 and / or the contact between the electrode assembly 10 and the second current collector 70.

[0108] The insulator 80 can also be interposed between the upper end of the outer peripheral surface of the electrode assembly 10 and the inner surface of the housing 20. In this case, it can prevent the second non - coating part 12 of the electrode assembly 10 from contacting the inner surface of the side wall part of the housing 20 and causing a short - circuit.

[0109] The insulator 80 may have a height corresponding to the distance between the closed portion formed at the upper end of the housing 20 and the electrode assembly 10, or the distance between the closed portion and the second current collector 70. In this case, the movement of the electrode assembly 10 inside the housing 20 can be prevented, thereby significantly reducing the risk of damage to the coupling site for electrical connection between components. When the insulator 80 is applied together with the spacer assembly 50 described above, the effect of preventing the movement of the electrode assembly 10 can be maximized.

[0110] The insulator 80 may include an opening formed at a position corresponding to the winding center hole C of the electrode assembly 10. The terminal 60 can be in direct contact with the second current collector 70 through the opening.

[0111] The cylindrical battery 1 of the present invention described above has a structure with minimized resistance by expanding the welding area by the folded surface of the non-coated portion, multiplexing the current path using the first current collector 30, minimizing the current path length, etc. The AC resistance of the cylindrical battery 1 measured by a resistance measuring device between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, that is, between the terminal 60 and the flat surface 20a around it, can be about 0.5 mΩ to 4 mΩ, preferably about 1 mΩ to 4 mΩ, suitable for rapid charging.

[0112] Desirably, the cylindrical battery can be, for example, a cylindrical battery having a form factor ratio (defined as the value obtained by dividing the diameter of the cylindrical battery by the height, that is, the ratio of the diameter Φ to the height H) greater than about 0.4.

[0113] Here, the form factor means a value indicating the diameter and height of the cylindrical battery. Desirably, the diameter of the cylindrical battery is about 40 mm to 50 mm, and the height can be about 60 mm to 130 mm. The cylindrical battery according to an embodiment of the present invention can be, for example, a 46110 battery, a 4875 battery, a 48110 battery, a 4880 battery, a 4680 battery. In the numerical value indicating the form factor, the first two digits indicate the diameter of the battery, and the remaining digits indicate the height of the battery.

[0114] When applying an electrode assembly having a tab-less structure to a cylindrical battery whose form factor ratio exceeds about 0.4, since the stress applied in the radial direction is large when bending the non-coated portion, the non-coated portion is likely to break. Also, when welding a current collector to the surface of the bent surface of the non-coated portion, in order to sufficiently secure the welding strength and reduce the resistance, the number of layers of the non-coated portion must be sufficiently increased in the surface area of the bent surface. Such requirements can be achieved by the electrodes and electrode assemblies according to the embodiments (modifications) of the present invention.

[0115] A battery according to an embodiment of the present invention can be a cylindrical battery that is substantially columnar, has a diameter of about 46 mm, a height of about 110 mm, and a form factor ratio of about 0.418.

[0116] A cylindrical battery according to another embodiment can be a cylindrical battery that is substantially columnar, has a diameter of about 48 mm, a height of about 75 mm, and a form factor ratio of about 0.640.

[0117] A battery according to still another embodiment can be a cylindrical battery that is substantially columnar, has a diameter of about 48 mm, a height of about 110 mm, and a form factor ratio of about 0.436.

[0118] A battery according to still another embodiment can be a cylindrical battery that is substantially columnar, has a diameter of about 48 mm, a height of about 80 mm, and a form factor ratio of about 0.600.

[0119] A battery according to still another embodiment can be a cylindrical battery that is substantially columnar, has a diameter of about 46 mm, a height of about 80 mm, and a form factor ratio of about 0.575.

[0120] Conventionally, batteries with a form factor ratio of about 0.4 or less have been used. That is, conventionally, for example, 1865 batteries, 2170 batteries, etc. have been used. In the case of 1865 batteries, their diameter is about 18 mm, height is about 65 mm, and the form factor ratio is about 0.277. In the case of 2170 batteries, their diameter is about 21 mm, height is about 70 mm, and the form factor ratio is about 0.300.

[0121] Referring to FIG. 14, a plurality of cylindrical batteries 1 can be connected in series and in parallel at the upper part of the cylindrical battery 1 using a bus bar 150. The number of cylindrical batteries 1 can be increased or decreased in consideration of the capacity of the battery pack.

[0122] In each cylindrical battery 1, the terminal 60 has a positive polarity, and the outer surface 20a of the closed part of the housing 20 can have a negative polarity. Of course, the opposite case is also possible.

[0123] Preferably, a plurality of cylindrical batteries 1 can be arranged in a plurality of rows and columns. The columns are in the vertical direction with respect to the ground, and the rows are in the horizontal direction with respect to the ground. Also, in order to maximize space efficiency, the cylindrical batteries 1 can be arranged in a closest packing structure. The closest packing structure is formed when an equilateral triangle is formed when the centers of the terminals 60 exposed outside the housing 20 are connected to each other. Preferably, the bus bar 150 can be arranged at the upper part of a plurality of cylindrical batteries 1, more preferably, between adjacent columns. Or, the bus bar 150 can be arranged between adjacent rows.

[0124] Preferably, the bus bar 150 connects the batteries 1 arranged in the same column in parallel to each other and connects the cylindrical batteries 1 arranged in two adjacent columns in series to each other.

[0125] Desirably, the bus bar 150 may include a main body portion 151, a plurality of first bus bar terminals 152, and a plurality of second bus bar terminals 153 for series and parallel connections.

[0126] The main body portion 151 may extend between the electrode terminals 60 of adjacent cylindrical batteries 1, desirably between the rows of cylindrical batteries 1. Alternatively, the main body portion 151 may extend along the rows of cylindrical batteries 1 but may be regularly bent like a zigzag shape.

[0127] The plurality of first bus bar terminals 152 may protrude and extend from one side of the main body portion 151 toward the electrode terminals 60 of each cylindrical battery 1 and may be electrically coupled to the terminals 60. The electrical coupling between the first bus bar terminal 152 and the terminal 60 may be performed by laser welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like. Also, the plurality of second bus bar terminals 153 may be electrically coupled to the outer surface 20a of each cylindrical battery 1 from the other side of the main body portion 151. The electrical coupling between the second bus bar terminal 153 and the outer surface 20a may be performed by laser welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like.

[0128] Desirably, the main body portion 151, the plurality of first bus bar terminals 152, and the plurality of second bus bar terminals 153 may be made of a single conductive metal plate. The metal plate may be, for example, an aluminum plate or a copper plate, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In a modified example, the main body portion 151, the plurality of first bus bar terminals 152, and the second bus bar terminals 153 may also be formed by being welded or the like to each other after being manufactured in individual units.

[0129] In the cylindrical battery 1 according to the present invention, since the outer surface 20a of the closed portion of the housing 20 having a negative polarity and the terminal 60 having a positive polarity are located in the same direction, the electrical connection of the cylindrical battery 1 can be easily realized using the bus bar 150.

[0130] In addition, since the area of the terminal 60 of the cylindrical battery 1 and the outer surface 20a of the closing portion of the housing 20 is large, it is possible to sufficiently secure the bonding area of the bus bar 150 and sufficiently reduce the resistance of the battery pack including the cylindrical battery 1.

[0131] Referring to FIG. 15, a battery pack 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a battery assembly in which a plurality of cylindrical batteries 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention as described above are electrically connected, and a pack housing 2 that houses the battery assembly. Regarding the electrical connection structure of the plurality of batteries 1 by the bus bar, it has been exemplarily described with reference to FIG. 14. In addition, components such as a cooling unit and power terminals are omitted for the sake of illustration.

[0132] Referring to FIG. 16, an automobile 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be, for example, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and includes a battery pack 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The automobile 5 includes four-wheel vehicles and two-wheel vehicles. The automobile 5 operates by receiving power from the battery pack 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0133] As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to limited embodiments and drawings. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that various modifications and variations can be made within the equivalent scope of the technical idea and claims of the present invention by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0134] 1 Battery 2 Pack Housing 3 Battery Pack 5 Automobile 10 Electrode Assembly 11 First Non-Coating Portion 12 Second Non-Coating Portion 20 Housing 20a First Electrode Terminal 21 Beading Portion 22 Crimping Portion 30 First Current Collector 31 Support Section 32 Non-Coating Part Coupling Section 33 Housing Contact Section 40 Cap 41 Vent Section 50 Spacer Assembly 51 Spacer Section 52 Gasket Section 53 Connecting Section 53a Bridge 54 Ejection Prevention Section 60 Terminal (Second Electrode Terminal) 70 Second Current Collector 80 Insulator B Bending Section C Winding Center Hole G Insulating Gasket H1 First Current Collector Hole H2 Spacer Hole N Notch Section

Claims

1. An electrode assembly including a first non - coating portion and a second non - coating portion, A housing having an opening formed on one side and accommodating the electrode assembly from the opening, A first current collector coupled to the first non - coating portion and located within the housing, A cap covering the opening, A spacer assembly, A spacer portion interposed between the first current collector and the cap and configured to prevent movement of the electrode assembly, A gasket portion interposed between the housing and the cap and configured to seal between the cap and the housing, and A connecting portion connecting the spacer portion and the gasket portion and having a bent portion where the extension direction is changed between the spacer portion and the gasket portion, A battery comprising the spacer assembly, comprising, The connecting portion, is characterized by comprising a notch portion configured to partially reduce the cross - sectional area of the connecting portion.

2. An electrode assembly including a first non - coating portion and a second non - coating portion, A housing having an opening formed on one side and accommodating the electrode assembly from the opening, A first current collector coupled to the first non - coating portion and located within the housing, A cap covering the opening, A spacer assembly, A spacer portion interposed between the first current collector and the cap and configured to prevent movement of the electrode assembly, A gasket portion interposed between the housing and the cap and configured to seal between the cap and the housing, and A connecting portion connecting the spacer portion and the gasket portion and having a bent portion where the extension direction is changed between the spacer portion and the gasket portion, A battery comprising the spacer assembly, comprising, The connecting portion, includes a plurality of bridges spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the electrode assembly, The first current collector, A support portion located at the central portion on one surface of the electrode assembly, A non - coating portion coupling portion extending from the support portion and coupling to the first non - coating portion, A housing contact portion extending from the support portion or from the end of the non - coating portion coupling portion and interposed between the housing and the gasket portion, is characterized by comprising the same.

3. The connecting portion, The battery according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a plurality of bridges arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the electrode assembly.

4. The bent portion The battery according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has a form that bulges in a direction opposite to the direction toward the first current collector.

5. The notch portion The battery according to claim 1, characterized in that it is formed with a predetermined depth on the surface facing the first current collector.

6. The notch portion The battery according to claim 1, characterized in that it is located between the bent portion and the spacer portion.

7. The spacer portion The battery according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has a height corresponding to the distance between the first current collector and the cap.

8. The spacer portion The battery according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is located at the central portion on one surface of the electrode assembly.

9. The spacer portion The battery according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is provided with a spacer hole formed at a position corresponding to the winding center hole of the electrode assembly.

10. The spacer assembly The battery according to claim 9, characterized in that it is provided with an ejection prevention portion configured to cross the spacer hole.

11. The housing A beading portion formed by press-fitting around the outer peripheral surface, and A crimping portion whose edge defining the opening portion extends and is bent below the beading portion so as to surround the peripheral edge of the cap, The battery according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it includes the above.

12. The gasket portion The battery according to claim 11, characterized in that it is bent along the crimping portion and formed so as to surround the peripheral edge of the cap.

13. The plurality of bridges The battery according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that they are configured not to contact the first current collector.

14. The plurality of bridges The battery according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that they are configured not to contact the cap.

15. The housing A beading portion in which a part of its side wall is press-fitted inward, and A crimping portion whose edge defining the opening portion extends and is bent below the beading portion so as to surround the peripheral edge of the cap, including The housing contact portion The battery according to claim 2, characterized in that it contacts one surface of the beading portion facing the cap.

16. The cap includes a vent portion having a thickness thinner than that of the peripheral region, The battery according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the spacer portion is located inside the vent portion so as not to cover the vent portion.

17. The connecting portion The battery according to claim 2, characterized in that it is positioned so as not to overlap with the housing contact portion along the height direction of the battery.

18. A battery pack including the battery according to claim 1 or 2.

19. An automobile including the battery pack according to claim 18.

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