Battery Module

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery module including an insulating member that prevents short circuits of terminals, has no risk of loss, is applicable to various types of terminals, and can be reused in other products even after the battery module's lifespan has ended. The battery module according to the present invention includes a cell stack in which a plurality of cells are stacked, a main body portion surrounding the cell stack, end plates disposed to close openings of the main body portion and on the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack, and an insulating member disposed between the cell stack and the main body portion. The insulating member may include a terminal cover shaped to extend outside the main body portion.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0063117 filed May 23, 2022 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0040788 filed March 28, 2023, and all contents disclosed in the documents of said Korean patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery module, and more particularly to a secondary battery module including a plurality of cells. [Background technology]

[0003] Recently, with the depletion of fossil fuels causing rising energy prices and growing concerns about environmental pollution, the demand for environmentally friendly alternative energy sources has become an essential factor for future life. Therefore, research into various power generation technologies such as solar, wind, and tidal power has been ongoing, and there has also been great interest in power storage devices such as batteries to more efficiently use the electrical energy produced in this way.

[0004] Furthermore, with the increasing technological development and demand for battery-based electronic mobile devices and electric vehicles, the demand for batteries as an energy source is rapidly increasing, and as a result, much research is being conducted into batteries that can meet various demands.

[0005] Batteries that store electrical energy are generally classified into primary batteries and secondary batteries. While primary batteries are disposable, secondary batteries are rechargeable batteries manufactured using materials that can undergo repeated oxidation and reduction processes between electric current and materials. That is, when a reduction reaction occurs on a material due to electric current, the power source is charged, and when an oxidation reaction occurs on the material, the power source is discharged. Electricity is generated by repeating this charge-discharge cycle.

[0006] Meanwhile, in recent years, as the need for large-capacity structures, including utilization as an energy storage source, has increased, the demand for battery packs that assemble a large number of secondary batteries or battery modules has also increased, which has led to an increase in the demand for battery modules.

[0007] For safety reasons, the battery module may include an insulating structure for insulating the cell assembly disposed therein from components such as a frame.

[0008] The insulating structure may be configured to be disposed inside the battery module to insulate the cell assembly from the frame, etc., as well as to prevent short circuits from occurring in terminals exposed to the outside of the battery.

[0009] Conventionally, the insulation structure to prevent short circuits in terminals is a separate component, which makes it difficult to store when separated and can easily be lost.It also has been difficult to apply to various types of terminals.

[0010] To address these issues, a battery module that includes an alternative insulating structure is needed. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems. Specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery module including an insulating member that can prevent short circuits of terminals, is free from the risk of being lost, is applicable to various types of terminals, and can be reused in other products after the life of the battery module has expired. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The battery module according to the present invention includes a cell stack in the form of a plurality of stacked cells, a main body surrounding the cell stack, end plates that close the openings of the main body and are disposed on the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack, and an insulating member disposed between the cell stack and the main body, wherein the insulating member may include a terminal cover that extends to the outside of the main body.

[0013] The main body may include a top plate disposed on top of the cell stack, and a frame surrounding the bottom and side surfaces of the cell stack.

[0014] The cell stack may include terminals extending to the outside of the body for electrical connection to the outside, and the end plate may include a terminal frame disposed below the terminals.

[0015] The terminal cover may have the same width as the width of the terminal frame.

[0016] A terminal cover may enclose the open top and front surfaces of the terminal.

[0017] The terminal cover can open the top and front surfaces of the enclosed terminals so that they can be contacted with the outside.

[0018] The terminal cover may include a horizontal portion extending in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the terminal to surround the open top surface of the terminal, and a vertical portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal portion to surround the open front surface of the terminal.

[0019] The terminal cover may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the terminal.

[0020] The terminal cover may include an elastic material, which allows the terminal cover to deform and restore its shape.

[0021] The terminal cover is capable of being deformed when a force is applied thereto and maintaining the deformed shape.

[0022] The insulating member may be an insulating film.

[0023] The battery module according to the present invention includes a cell stack including a plurality of cells and terminals protruding away from the cells so that the cells are electrically connected to the outside, a main body portion in which the cell stack is housed with both ends open in the longitudinal direction of the cell stack, and an insulating member that insulates the cell stack, and the insulating member may include a top plate disposed between the main body portion and an upper surface of the cell stack so as to insulate the cell stack from the main body portion, and a terminal cover extending from the top plate in a direction away from the cell stack so as to cover the terminals.

[0024] The terminal cover may have a melting point higher than that of the terminal.

[0025] The device may further include end plates that close both open ends of the body and have through holes formed at positions corresponding to the positions of the terminals, through which the terminals pass.

[0026] The terminal cover can pass through the through-hole to cover the terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] The battery module according to the present invention includes a cell stack in the form of a plurality of stacked cells, a main body surrounding the cell stack, end plates that close the openings of the main body and are disposed on the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack, and an insulating member disposed between the cell stack and the main body, wherein the insulating member may include a terminal cover that extends to the outside of the main body.

[0028] As a result, the insulating member prevents short circuits of the terminals, is not lost, is applicable to various types of terminals, and can be reused in other products even after the battery module's lifespan has expired.

[0029] Furthermore, by combining separate components into one component, the economy and efficiency of the work and manufacturing process can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a battery module according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an insulating member of a battery module according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating an insulating member of a battery module according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from above. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a state in which a terminal cover of an insulating member according to a first embodiment of the present invention is disposed on a terminal. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an insulating member according to a first embodiment of the present invention with a terminal cover opened. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031]

[0033] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0034] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention; however, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0032] In order to clearly explain the present invention, detailed descriptions of parts that are not relevant to the explanation or related known technologies that may obscure the gist of the present invention are omitted, and when referring to components in each figure in this specification, the same or similar reference symbols are used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0033] Furthermore, the terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted in a limited way to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a way that is consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention, in accordance with the principle that an inventor can appropriately define the concept of a term in order to best explain his or her invention.

[0034] Example 1 The present invention provides a battery module as a first embodiment.

[0035] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a battery module 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 1, a battery module 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention may include a cell stack 110, a body, an end plate 140, and an insulating member 150.

[0037] The cell stack 110 of the battery module 100 may be formed by stacking a plurality of cells. A cell may refer to one secondary battery, and here, the cell may be a pouch cell. Specifically, the cell stack 110 may be formed by stacking a plurality of cells side by side so that they are parallel to each other.

[0038] The cell stack 110 may generate electrical energy for the battery module 100. As an example of a configuration for discharging the electrical energy generated by the cell stack 110 to the outside, the cell stack 110 of the battery module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a terminal 111.

[0039] The terminal 111 may be formed to extend outside the body for electrical connection to the outside. Specifically, it may be extended outside the frame 130, which will be described later. More specifically, the terminal 111 may have a shape that extends in a direction away from the body.

[0040] The terminals 111 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may be formed in a pair, and may be negative and positive terminals, respectively. The terminals 111 may have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0041] The main body of the battery module 100 may be formed to surround the cell stack 110. The main body may include a top plate 120 and a frame 130.

[0042] The main body may include a top plate 120 that may be disposed on top of the cell stack 110 .

[0043] The top plate 120 may have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped plate shape, and may be formed so that the surface facing the cell stack 110 has approximately the same area as the lower surface of the frame 130 .

[0044] The top plate 120 can protect the cell stack 110 from the outside.

[0045] The cell stack 110 may be disposed inside the frame 130 included in the main body. In this case, the frame 130 may be disposed to surround the bottom and side surfaces of the cell stack 110. The frame 130 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may have a U-shape when viewed from the front.

[0046] The frame 130 allows the cell stack 110 to be placed inside the battery module 100 while maintaining its shape and protecting it from the outside.

[0047] The end plates 140 of the battery module 100 may be disposed on the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack 110 while closing the opening of the frame 130 in which the cell stack 110 is disposed.

[0048] The end plates 140 may have an approximately rectangular parallelepiped plate shape overall, and may be formed in pairs so as to be disposed on the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack 110, respectively.

[0049] The end plates 140 can protect the cell stack 110 from the outside.

[0050] As an example of a configuration for arranging the terminals 111 of the cell stack 110, the end plate 140 of the battery module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a terminal frame 141.

[0051] The terminal frame 141 may be disposed below the terminals 111 and may be formed in a shape that surrounds the lower surface and part of the side surface of the terminals 111. That is, the terminal frame 141 of the end plate 140 may be a place where the protruding terminals 111 of the cell stack 110 are disposed.

[0052] Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an insulating member 150 of a battery module 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a plan view schematically illustrating an insulating member 150 of a battery module 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a state in which a terminal cover 151 of the insulating member 150 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is disposed on a terminal 111.

[0053] The battery module 100 may include an insulating structure to prevent defects that may occur when electricity flows between the cells disposed therein and other components. As an example of a structure for insulation, the battery module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an insulating member 150.

[0054] 2 and 3, the insulating member 150 may be formed in the form of a thin plate having insulating properties, or may be an insulating film. The insulating member 150 may also be disposed on the outer surface of the cell stack 110.

[0055] As an example of a configuration for protecting the terminals 111 of the cell stack 110 , the insulating member 150 of the battery module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an upper plate 154 and a terminal cover 151 .

[0056] The upper plate 154 of the insulating member 150 may be disposed between the cell stack 110 and the main body portion surrounding the cell stack 110. Specifically, it may be disposed between the upper surface of the cell stack 110 and the top plate 120. The upper plate 154 may be in the form of a plate having a substantially rectangular cross section.

[0057] The terminal cover 151 of the insulating member 150 may have a shape that extends from the top plate 154 to the outside of the main body. When the battery module 100 is viewed from above, the portion that is not blocked by the top plate 120 may be the terminal cover 151.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 3, the terminal cover 151 of the insulating member 150 viewed from above may have a substantially rectangular shape.

[0059] Since the terminals 111 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may be formed in pairs, the terminal covers 151 may also be formed in pairs to protect the respective terminals 111 .

[0060] The terminal cover 151 of the insulating member 150 can prevent short circuits that may occur when the terminal 111 comes into contact with other external conductors during storage and transportation of the battery module 100, and can protect the terminal 111 from external physical factors, thereby improving the stability of the battery module 100.

[0061] As an example of a configuration for efficiently protecting the terminal 111 , the terminal cover 151 of the insulating member 150 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may have the same width as the terminal frame 141 .

[0062] 4, the terminal cover 151 may be formed to have the same width as the terminal frame 141. Here, the width may refer to a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the terminal cover 151 extends outward from the frame 130.

[0063] If the width of the terminal cover 151 is the same as the width of the terminal frame 141, the terminal cover 151 can easily surround the terminals 111 arranged on the top of the terminal frame 141, making it easy to protect the terminals 111, and since the terminal cover 151 interferes relatively little with other components when it is arranged, assembly during manufacturing can be simplified.

[0064] As an example of a configuration for enclosing the open portion of the terminal 111 , the terminal cover 151 of the insulating member 150 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a horizontal portion 152 and a vertical portion 153 .

[0065] Specifically, the horizontal portion 152 and vertical portion 153 of the terminal cover 151 can surround the open top and front surfaces of the terminal 111 .

[0066] 4, the horizontal portion 152 may extend in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the terminal 111 and may be disposed to surround the open upper surface of the terminal 111, and the vertical portion 153 may extend in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal portion 152 and may be disposed to surround the open front surface of the terminal 111. In this case, the vertical portion 153 may be formed to extend downward as shown in FIG.

[0067] If the terminal cover 151 includes the horizontal portion 152 and the vertical portion 153, it can be advantageous for protecting the terminal 111 since it can efficiently enclose the open upper and front surfaces of the terminal 111.

[0068] FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an insulating member 150 according to the first embodiment of the present invention with a terminal cover 151 opened.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 5, the terminal cover 151 according to the first embodiment of the present invention can open the terminal 111 while enclosing the terminal 111.

[0070] Specifically, the terminal cover 151 can be opened so that the upper and front surfaces of the terminals 111 can come into contact with the outside.

[0071] In addition to when using the battery module 100, it may be necessary to open the terminals 111 when inspecting the performance and defects of the battery module 100 or when repairing the battery module 100. At this time, the terminal cover 151 can be opened so that the upper and front surfaces of the terminals 111 can be made accessible to the outside.

[0072] As an example of a structure for opening, the terminal cover 151 of the insulating member 150 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an elastic material.

[0073] Specifically, the terminal cover 151 includes an elastic material, which allows the shape of the terminal cover 151 to be deformed and restored. Therefore, the shape of the terminal cover 151, which surrounds the top and front surfaces of the terminals 111, can be deformed as shown in Fig. 5 and opened to allow the terminals 111 to come into contact with the outside. Furthermore, when it is no longer necessary to open the terminals 111, the terminal cover 151 can be restored to its original state by elastic force, so that it can again surround the terminals 111.

[0074] The present invention has the advantage that the shape of the terminal cover 151 is modified so that there is no risk of losing the terminal cover 151 even when the terminal 111 is opened, and the terminal cover 151 can be reused.

[0075] Although not shown in the embodiment of the present invention, the battery module 100 may further include a structure such as a synthetic resin for adhesion between the lower surface of the cell stack 110 and the frame 130.

[0076] The battery module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes the insulating member 150 having the terminal cover 151 integrally formed therewith, which reduces the number of parts compared to conventional insulating members and allows for reuse, thereby improving economic efficiency. Furthermore, the battery module 100 is easy to assemble, which improves the efficiency of related work and manufacturing processes.

[0077] Example 2 The present invention provides a battery module including another type of insulating member as a second embodiment.

[0078] Hereinafter, detailed description of the same configuration as that of the battery module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be omitted.

[0079] The battery module according to the second embodiment of the present invention may include a cell stack 110, a top plate 120, a frame 130, and an end plate 140 having the same configuration as the battery module 100 according to the first embodiment. However, the battery module according to the second embodiment may include an insulating member having a different configuration from the insulating member 150 of the battery module 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0080] The terminal cover of the insulating member according to the second embodiment of the present invention may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the terminal 111.

[0081] Specifically, the terminal cover may be formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the terminal 111 so as to surround the outside of the terminal 111 .

[0082] When the terminal 111 has an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and is arranged on top of the terminal frame 141 with the top, front and side surfaces open from the terminal frame 141, the terminal cover according to Example 2 is formed to surround the top, front and side surfaces of the terminal 111, and the terminal 111 can be arranged inside the terminal cover.

[0083] Similar to the first embodiment, the terminal cover according to the second embodiment of the present invention also encloses the terminal 111 and allows the terminal 111 to be opened.

[0084] Specifically, the terminal cover can open the top, front and side surfaces of the enclosed terminal 111 so that they can be contacted with the outside.

[0085] As an example of a method for opening the terminal 111, the terminal cover according to the second embodiment of the present invention can be deformed when a force is applied.

[0086] Specifically, when a force is applied to the terminal cover, the shape of the terminal cover can be deformed and the deformed shape of the terminal cover can be maintained, which can mean the same method as when a force is applied to a thin wire, the shape of the wire is deformed and the deformed shape is maintained.

[0087] When the terminal 111 does not need to come into contact with the outside, the terminal cover that has been deformed to open the terminal 111 can be restored to its original shape surrounding the terminal 111 in a shape corresponding to the terminal 111 when force is applied again.

[0088] A further explanation regarding the shape of the terminal cover will be provided. A portion of the terminal cover surrounding the side of the terminal 111 may be formed by being connected to another portion of the terminal cover surrounding the front of the terminal 111. In other words, the terminal cover that is deformed into a substantially flat shape due to the application of force may have a shape similar to a portion of a developed rectangular parallelepiped.

[0089] The terminal cover that enables such a system can be a film in the form of a thin plate.

[0090] The shape of the terminal cover according to Example 2 is an example in which the terminal 111 has an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape, so if the terminal has a different shape, the shape of the terminal cover may also change to correspond to the shape of the terminal.

[0091] Example 3 The present invention provides a battery module including a terminal cover 151 arranged in another form as a third embodiment.

[0092] Hereinafter, detailed description of the same configuration as that of the battery module 100 according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention will be omitted.

[0093] The battery module according to the second embodiment of the present invention may include the same cell stack 110, top plate 120, frame 130, and end plate 140 as the battery module 100 according to the first embodiment. However, the battery module according to the third embodiment may include an insulating member that is arranged in a different form from the insulating member 150 of the battery modules 100 according to the first and second embodiments.

[0094] As described above, the end plate 140 can include a terminal frame 141 as an example of a configuration for arranging the terminals 111 .

[0095] The terminal frame 141 may be disposed below the terminal 111 and may be formed in a shape that surrounds a part of the bottom surface and side surface of the terminal 111. In this case, since the terminal 111 is disposed in the terminal frame 141 of the end plate 140, the terminal 111 may be disposed to penetrate the end plate 140.

[0096] The end plate 140 of the battery module according to the third embodiment of the present invention may have through holes 142 formed therein so that the terminals 111 can pass through. Specifically, the through holes 142 may be formed at positions corresponding to the positions where the terminals 111 are provided on the end plate 140. The through holes 142 may also be formed to a size that allows the terminals 111 to pass through. Therefore, the terminals 111 protruding outside the main body may be disposed in the terminal frame 141 by passing through the through holes 142.

[0097] Meanwhile, the terminal cover 151 of the insulating member 150 according to the third embodiment of the present invention may be disposed to pass through the through hole 142. That is, the terminal cover 151 may pass through the through hole 142 together with the terminal 111 to cover the terminal 111.

[0098] The terminal cover 151 arranged in this manner may have a relatively large contact area with the terminal 111, and thus may stably cover the terminal 111.

[0099] As an example of a configuration for improving the stability in the manufacturing process, the terminal cover 151 of the insulating member 150 according to the third embodiment of the present invention may have a melting point higher than that of the terminal 111 .

[0100] During the assembly process of the battery module, the terminals 111 may be welded to connect them to other components. At this time, there is a possibility that the terminal covers 151 covering the terminals 111 may be damaged. Therefore, in order to prevent the terminal covers 151 from being damaged, the terminal covers 151 may have a melting point higher than that of the terminals 111.

[0101] It is sufficient that the material of the terminal cover 151 has a melting point higher than that of the terminal 111, and the material of the terminal cover 151 can be various.

[0102] Although the present invention has been described above using limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various implementations are possible within the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims set forth below by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 100 Battery Module 110 Cell stack Terminal 111 120 top plate 130 frames 140 End Plate 141 Terminal Frame 142 through hole 150 Insulating material 151 Terminal cover 152 Horizontal part 153 Vertical section 154 Upper plate

Claims

1. a cell stack in which a plurality of cells are stacked; a main body portion surrounding the cell stack; end plates that close the opening of the main body and are disposed on the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack; and an insulating member disposed between the cell stack and the main body; The insulating member is A battery module comprising a terminal cover extending outward from the body.

2. The main body portion is a top plate disposed on top of the cell stack; and The battery module according to claim 1 , further comprising a frame surrounding the bottom and side surfaces of the cell stack.

3. The cell stack is a terminal extending to the outside of the body for electrical connection to the outside, The end plate is The battery module according to claim 1 , further comprising a terminal frame disposed below the terminals.

4. The terminal cover is The battery module according to claim 3 , wherein the width is the same as that of the terminal frame.

5. The terminal cover is The battery module according to claim 3 , wherein the open upper and front surfaces of the terminals are enclosed.

6. The terminal cover is The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the upper and front surfaces of the enclosed terminals can be opened to allow contact with the outside.

7. The terminal cover is a horizontal portion extending in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the terminal and surrounding the open upper surface of the terminal; and The battery module of claim 5 , further comprising a vertical portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal portion and surrounding the open front surface of the terminal.

8. The terminal cover is The battery module according to claim 3 , wherein the battery module has a shape corresponding to a shape of the terminal.

9. The terminal cover is 4. The battery module according to claim 3, wherein the terminal cover includes an elastic material, which allows the terminal cover to be deformed and restored to its original shape.

10. The terminal cover is The battery module according to claim 3, which is deformable when a force is applied and maintains the deformed shape.

11. The insulating member is The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the battery module is an insulating film.

12. a cell stack including a plurality of cells and terminals protruding away from the cells so as to electrically connect the cells to the outside; a main body portion in which the cell stack is housed with both ends open in the longitudinal direction of the cell stack; and an insulating member that insulates the cell stack; The insulating member is a top plate disposed between the top surface of the cell stack and the main body portion so as to insulate the cell stack from the main body portion; and a terminal cover extending from the top plate in a direction away from the cell stack to cover the terminal;

13. The terminal cover is The battery module according to claim 12, wherein the melting point is higher than that of the terminals.

14. The battery module of claim 12 , further comprising end plates that close both open ends of the body and have through-holes formed at positions corresponding to the positions of the terminals, through which the terminals pass.

15. The terminal cover is The battery module according to claim 14 , wherein the terminal is covered by passing through the through-hole.

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