Battery module assembly

Abstract

The present invention provides a battery module assembly comprising: a plurality of battery cells; a pair of end plates disposed at both sides of the plurality of battery cells; and a clamp extending to surround the plurality of battery cells and welded to the pair of end plates, wherein at least one of the pair of end plates includes a through hole and a first stopper portion formed to protrude beyond the surrounding area in a direction away from the battery cells by means of the through hole to support the clamp.

Description

Battery module assembly

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module assembly.

[0002]

[0003] Secondary batteries are widely used as a power source for mobile devices. They are also attracting attention as a power source for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).

[0004] The basic unit of a secondary battery is the battery cell. While small mobile devices use one or two battery cells, medium- to large-sized devices like automobiles use battery pack assemblies. A battery pack assembly electrically connects multiple battery module assemblies to achieve high output and large capacity. A battery module assembly connects multiple battery cells.

[0005] Multiple battery cells are held together by clamps, limiting expansion due to swelling. The clamps are supported on top of end plates positioned on the sides of the multiple battery cells. To achieve this structure, the clamps had to be machined into complex shapes. Consequently, the clamps required multiple processing steps, resulting in significant material waste.

[0006] The background technology described above is technical information that the inventor possessed for the purpose of deriving embodiments of the present invention or acquired during the derivation process, and cannot necessarily be said to be publicly known technology disclosed to the general public prior to the present application.

[0007]

[0008] One object of the present invention is to provide a battery module assembly capable of simplifying the shape of the clamp.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery module assembly that prevents cracks from occurring in the end plate by configuring the shape of the clamp to be simplified.

[0010]

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above-described task, a battery module assembly comprises: a plurality of battery cells; a pair of end plates arranged on opposite sides of the plurality of battery cells; and a clamp extending to surround the plurality of battery cells and coupled to the pair of end plates, wherein at least one of the pair of end plates may include a through hole and a first stopper portion protruding in a direction away from the battery cell through the through hole to support the clamp.

[0012] Here, the first stopper portion may be a part that limits the through hole.

[0013] Here, the end plate may include a rigid plate portion made of metal, and the through hole may be formed in the rigid plate portion.

[0014] Here, the first stopper portion may be formed by a protruding step structure according to forming processing of the rigid plate portion.

[0015] Here, the width of a portion protruding to form the first stopper portion among at least one of the pair of end plates along a direction intersecting the support direction that supports the clamp may be smaller than the width of the through hole.

[0016] Here, the first stopper portion can be spaced apart at equal intervals from both ends of the through hole.

[0017] Here, the first stopper portion may have a symmetrical shape based on a line passing through the center of the through hole.

[0018] Here, the clamp may extend with the same width from one end to the other.

[0019] Here, the clamp may include a welding area welded to the end plate; and a spacing projection protruding from the welding area to space the welding area apart from the end plate.

[0020] Here, the through hole may be formed by a pair of cut-out portions and a slit portion connecting the pair of cut-out portions, and the first stopper portion may be formed by protruding the central area of ​​the slit portion through forming processing.

[0021] Here, the end plate further includes an insulating plate portion formed of a resin material and positioned closer to the plurality of battery cells than the rigid plate portion, and the insulating plate portion may include a second stopper portion that supports the clamp along a direction intersecting the direction in which the first stopper portion supports the clamp.

[0022] Here, an upper plate covering the plurality of batteries is further included, and the clamp can be coupled to the upper plate.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present invention, a battery module assembly comprises: a plurality of battery cells electrically connected to each other; an end plate having a main surface corresponding to the plurality of battery cells and a positioning portion protruding from the periphery along a direction away from the plurality of battery cells on the main surface; and a clamp having a welding area welded to the main surface and extending to surround the plurality of battery cells, wherein the clamp can be supported along a height direction of the plurality of battery cells by the positioning portion so that the welding area is aligned with a target area of ​​the main surface.

[0024] Here, the end plate may include a rigid plate portion made of metal, and the positioning portion may include a wing in which a portion of the main surface is cut and folded.

[0025] Here, the end plate may include a rigid plate portion made of a metal material, and the positioning portion may be located on the outer side of the main surface and may include a support made of a resin material.

[0026] Here, the end plate further includes an insulating plate portion formed of a resin material and positioned closer to the plurality of battery cells than the rigid plate portion, and the rigid plate portion may include a through hole through which the support coupled to the insulating plate portion passes.

[0027] Here, the end plate may further include a through hole opened in the main surface for forming the positioning portion.

[0028] Here, the positioning part may have a stepped structure in which a portion of the main surface that defines the through hole protrudes.

[0029] Here, the width of the portion protruding to form the positioning portion along a direction intersecting the support direction that supports the clamp may be smaller than the width of the through hole.

[0030] Here, the positioning part can be spaced apart at equal intervals from both ends of the through hole.

[0031]

[0032] According to the battery module assembly according to the present invention configured as described above, a first stopper portion formed to protrude from the surroundings by a through hole and a through hole is formed in an end plate disposed on a side of a battery cell, and the first stopper portion supports a clamp that surrounds a plurality of battery cells, thereby simplifying the shape of the clamp. As a result, the clamp manufacturing process is simplified, and material waste can be minimized. In addition, by forming a through hole in the end plate and using the through hole to form the first stopper portion, cracks do not occur in the end plate during the processing of the first stopper portion.

[0033]

[0034] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of Figure 1.

[0036] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration with the clamp removed in Figure 2.

[0037] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line (Ⅳ-Ⅳ) in Figure 2.

[0038] FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views showing a molding process of a first stopper part according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a first stopper part according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a first stopper portion according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0041]

[0042] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0043] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various forms and with various modifications. However, these embodiments are provided to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included within the technical spirit and scope of the present invention, as well as substitutions or additions of the components of one embodiment with those of another embodiment.

[0044] The attached drawings are merely intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and should not be construed as limiting the technical ideas disclosed in this specification, but should be understood to encompass all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. In the drawings, the components may be expressed in exaggerated sizes or thicknesses for ease of understanding, but the scope of protection of the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereby.

[0045] The terminology used in this specification is only used to describe specific implementations or examples and is not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, the singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the specification, terms such as "comprises" and "consists of" are intended to indicate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification. In other words, it should be understood that terms such as "comprises" and "consists of" do not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0046] Terms that include ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another.

[0047] When a component is referred to as being "connected / connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected / connected to that other component, or that there may be other components in between. Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected / connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0048] When a component is referred to as being "above" or "below" another component, it should be understood that it is not only positioned directly above that other component, but that there may also be other components present in between.

[0049] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0050] The battery module in the embodiment may generally have a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Accordingly, among the outer surfaces of the battery module, the upper side in the drawing is referred to as the upper surface, and the lower side is referred to as the lower surface. The surface visible from the front of the battery module is referred to as the front surface, and the surface visible from the rear is referred to as the rear surface. The remaining two side surfaces are referred to as the left side located to the left of the front surface, and the right side located to the right of the front surface. The direction connecting the front surface and the rear surface may be referred to as the length direction, and the direction connecting the upper surface and the lower surface may be referred to as the height direction. The direction connecting the left surface and the right surface may be referred to as the width direction. The length direction, the width direction, and the height direction may have a perpendicular relationship to each other.

[0051] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Referring to this drawing, the battery module assembly (100) may include a battery cell (110), an end plate (130), a clamp (150), an upper plate (170), and a front cover (190).

[0053] A battery cell (110) is the smallest unit for storing electrical energy. The battery cell (110) may have an overall flat rectangular shape. The battery cell (110) may also be formed to extend along the longitudinal direction (L). A plurality of battery cells (110) may be provided and arranged to overlap each other along the width direction (W). The plurality of battery cells (110) are electrically connected to each other in series or parallel.

[0054] An end plate (130) is arranged on the side of a plurality of battery cells (110). The end plates (130) may be provided in pairs, one on each of the left and right sides of the plurality of battery cells (110). The end plates (130) may suppress expansion of the battery cells (110) along the width direction (W) due to swelling.

[0055] The clamp (150) is configured to extend to surround a plurality of battery cells (110). The clamp (150) may have, for example, a belt shape. Both ends of the clamp (150) may be mechanically connected to the end plate (130) by welding or riveting. The clamp (150) may enhance the suppression force of the end plate (130) against swelling. The clamp (150) may be divided into a first clamp (151) located at the top and a second clamp (155) located at the bottom. These (151 and 155) may have substantially the same structure.

[0056] The upper plate (170) may be placed on the upper side of the plurality of battery cells (110). The upper plate (170) may surround three sides of the plurality of battery cells (110) together with a pair of end plates (130). When the upper plate (170) is made of a resin material, the first clamp (151) may be joined to the upper plate (170) by, for example, a fusion or hooking method.

[0057] The front cover (190) may be arranged to cover the front surfaces of the plurality of battery cells (110). Similarly to the front cover (190), the rear surfaces of the plurality of battery cells (110) may be covered by the rear cover. The front cover (190) and the rear cover may not be adopted as needed.

[0058] The clamp (150), specifically the joint structure between the first clamp (151) and the end plate (130), will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The description based on the first clamp (151) can be generally applied to the second clamp (155). FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a key portion of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration with the clamp removed from FIG. 2.

[0059] Referring to the drawings, the end plate (130) may be a composite of a rigid plate portion (131) and an insulating plate portion (136). The rigid plate portion (131) may be formed of a material having higher rigidity than the insulating plate portion (136), for example, a metal material. In contrast, the insulating plate portion (136) may be formed of an insulating resin material. The insulating plate portion (136) may be positioned closer to the battery cell (110, see FIG. 1) than the rigid plate portion (131). The rigid plate portion (131) may be positioned within an area defined by the insulating plate portion (136). To this end, the rigid plate portion (131) may have a smaller area than the insulating plate portion (136).

[0060] A first stopper portion (132) is formed on the main surface of the rigid plate portion (131), specifically, on the main surface located on the outer side. The first stopper portion (132) may be positioned at a height lower than the upper end of the rigid plate portion (131) along the height direction (H). The first stopper portion (132) may support the first clamp (151), specifically, the end surface (lower end surface) of the first clamp (151) along the height direction (H). The first clamp (151) may be supported by the first stopper portion (132) in a state in which it is already coupled with the upper plate (170). By this support relationship, the welding area (153) of the first clamp (151) can be precisely aligned with the target area (134) of the rigid plate portion (131). The first stopper part (132) may be called a positioning part because it determines the position of the first clamp (151) along the height direction (H).

[0061] The first stopper portion (132) protrudes in a direction away from the battery cell (110) on the main surface, for example, in the width direction (W). The first stopper portion (132) can be protruded and formed by forming a rigid plate portion (131).

[0062] Before the above forming process, a through hole (133) may be formed in the rigid plate portion (131) by punching or laser cutting. The above forming process is performed up to an area that comes into contact with the through hole (133), so that a portion defining the through hole (133) may protrude to form a first stopper portion (132). The first stopper portion (132) is smoothly formed by the through hole (133).

[0063] The part forming the first stopper portion (132) may have a step structure (132'). The width (E1) of the step structure (132') is larger than the width (E2) of the first stopper portion (132). However, the width (E1) is smaller than the width (E3) of the through hole (133). Due to this relationship, the possibility of cracks occurring in the rigid plate portion (131) due to notches occurring during forming the step structure (132') can be greatly reduced. The above widths (E1, E2, E3) may be in a direction intersecting the direction in which the first stopper portion (132) supports the first clamp (151), specifically, along the longitudinal direction (L).

[0064] The first stopper portion (132) may be spaced apart at equal intervals from both ends of the through hole (133) along the longitudinal direction (L). Furthermore, the first stopper portion (132) may have a symmetrical shape with respect to the center line (C) of the through hole (133) along the height direction (H). This relationship between the first stopper portion (132) and the through hole (133) may further reduce the possibility of cracks occurring in the rigid plate portion (131) when an unbalanced force is applied to one of the both ends of the through hole (133) when the first stopper portion (132) is formed.

[0065] The insulating plate portion (136) may have a second stopper portion (137). The second stopper portion (137) may restrain the first clamp (151) in a direction intersecting the direction in which the first stopper portion (132) supports the first clamp (151), specifically, along the longitudinal direction (L). The second stopper portion (137) is formed on a side of the first clamp (151) along the longitudinal direction (L), thereby preventing the first clamp (151) from moving along the longitudinal direction (L). To this end, the second stopper portion (137) may be formed to protrude further than the rigid plate portion (131), specifically, the target area (134), along the width direction (W).

[0066] The upper surface of the insulating plate portion (136) corresponding to the target area (134) can function as an auxiliary stopper portion (139). The auxiliary stopper portion (139) can support an area other than the lower surface of the first clamp (151). Since the auxiliary stopper portion (139) forms a part of the insulating plate portion (136), the first clamp (151) can be more firmly supported by the first stopper portion (132) forming a part of the rigid plate portion (131).

[0067] According to the above configuration, since the lower surface of the first clamp (151) is supported by the first stopper portion (132) protruding from the main surface of the rigid plate portion (131), the first clamp (151) does not need to be formed into a complex shape. The first clamp (151) can be sufficiently formed in a belt shape extending with a substantially equal width from one end to the other. The areas near both ends of the first clamp (151), specifically the welding areas (153), only need to be bent once with respect to the central area.

[0068] Since the first stopper portion (132) is formed in connection with the through hole (133), cracks may not occur in the rigid plate portion (131) by forming the first stopper portion (132). Depending on the relationship between the width of the step structure and the width of the through hole (133), the arrangement relationship between the first stopper portion (132) and the through hole (133), the symmetrical shape of the first stopper portion (132), etc., the possibility of cracks occurring may be further reduced.

[0069] Welding between the welding area (153) and the target area (134) is described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line (Ⅳ-Ⅳ) in Fig. 2.

[0070] Referring to this drawing, a spacing projection (154) may be formed in the welding area (153). The spacing projection (154) may be formed to protrude toward the rigid plate portion (131). The spacing projection (154) may maintain a fine gap between the welding area (153) and the target area (134). The spacing projection (154) may be formed by forming processing on the welding area (153).

[0071] As laser welding is performed on the welding area (153) in this gap structure, the fume or gas generated during welding can be smoothly discharged through the gap.

[0072] Hereinafter, a first stopper part of a different form from the previous embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8. For convenience, the end plate on which the first stopper part is formed is briefly illustrated, and other configurations such as the clamp may be substantially the same as the previous embodiment.

[0073] FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views showing a molding process of a first stopper part according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] Referring to FIG. 5, the through hole (233, see FIG. 6) formed in the end plate (230) may be composed of two cut-out portions (233a and 233b) and a slit portion (233c). The slit portion (233c) connects the two cut-out portions (233a and 233b). The slit portion (233c) may extend generally along the longitudinal direction (L). The width of the slit portion (233c) along the height direction (H) may be smaller than that of the cut-out portions (233a and 233b).

[0075] Referring to Fig. 6, the central portion of the slit portion (233c) of the end plate (230) is formed so that the portion protrudes along the width direction (W). The formed portion may have a shape generally similar to a triangular pyramid. As a result, the through hole (233) is more prominently displayed. A portion defining the through hole (233) may be a first stopper portion (232).

[0076] The first stopper portion (232) may have a feature, such as a symmetrical shape based on the center line of the through hole (233), similar to the previous first stopper portion (132, see FIG. 3). Such a feature may reduce the possibility of cracks occurring in the rigid plate portion (231).

[0077] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a first stopper part according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] Referring to this drawing, a through hole (333) is formed in the end plate (330). A portion of the rigid plate portion (331) is folded while being cut to form the through hole (333).

[0079] The folded portion forms a wing-like structure with respect to the remaining portion of the rigid plate portion (331). The wing can be arranged approximately vertically with respect to the remaining portion. The wing supports the lower surface of the first clamp (151, see FIG. 2) along the height direction (H) and functions as a first stopper portion (332).

[0080] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a first stopper portion according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0081] Referring to this drawing, the first stopper portion (432) is located on the outer side of the main surface of the rigid plate portion (431) and may be a support made of a resin material. The support may be a part of the insulating plate portion (436).

[0082] In order to allow the above support to protrude in the width direction (W) beyond the rigid plate portion (431), a through hole (433) may be formed in the rigid plate portion (431). The support may be a part of the insulating plate portion (436), but may also protrude out of the rigid plate portion (431) through the through hole (433). The support may also support the lower surface of the first clamp (151, see FIG. 2) along the height direction (H).

[0083] Although the above support has been described as being integrated with the insulating plate portion (436), it is not limited thereto. The support may also be coupled to the outer surface of the rigid plate portion (431) without forming a through hole (433).

[0084]

[0085] The present invention has industrial applicability in the field of manufacturing battery module assemblies.

Claims

1. Multiple battery cells; A pair of end plates arranged on both sides of the plurality of battery cells; and A clamp extending to surround the plurality of battery cells and coupled to the pair of end plates, At least one of the above pair of end plates, A battery module assembly comprising a through hole and a first stopper portion that protrudes in a direction away from the battery cell through the through hole and supports the clamp.

2. In paragraph 1, The above first stopper part, A battery module assembly, which is a part that defines the above through hole.

3. In paragraph 1, The above end plate, Includes a rigid plate portion made of metal material, The above through hole is, A battery module assembly formed on the above rigid plate portion.

4. In paragraph 3, The above first stopper part, A battery module assembly formed by a protruding step structure according to forming processing of the above rigid plate portion.

5. In paragraph 1, A battery module assembly, wherein the width of a portion protruding to form the first stopper portion among at least one of the pair of end plates along a direction intersecting the support direction that supports the clamp is smaller than the width of the through hole.

6. In paragraph 1, The above first stopper part, A battery module assembly spaced at equal intervals from both ends of the above through hole.

7. In paragraph 1, The above first stopper part, A battery module assembly having a symmetrical shape based on a line passing through the center of the above through hole.

8. In paragraph 1, The above clamp, A battery module assembly that extends with the same width from one end to the other.

9. In paragraph 1, The above clamp, a welding area welded to the end plate; and A battery module assembly comprising a spacing projection protruding from the welding area and spacing the welding area apart from the end plate.

10. In paragraph 1, The above through hole is, It is formed with a pair of cut-out portions and a slit portion connecting the pair of cut-out portions, The above first stopper part, A battery module assembly in which the central area of ​​the above slit portion is formed by protruding through forming processing.

11. In paragraph 1, The above end plate, It further includes an insulating plate portion formed of a resin material and positioned closer to the plurality of battery cells than the rigid plate portion, The above insulating plate portion, A battery module assembly, comprising a second stopper portion that restrains the clamp along a direction intersecting the direction in which the first stopper portion supports the clamp.

12. In paragraph 1, Further comprising an upper plate covering the plurality of batteries, The above clamp, A battery module assembly coupled to the upper plate.

13. A plurality of battery cells electrically connected to each other; An end plate having a main surface corresponding to the plurality of battery cells and a positioning portion protruding from the periphery in a direction away from the plurality of battery cells on the main surface; and A welding area is provided for welding the above surface, and a clamp is included that extends to surround the plurality of battery cells, The above clamp, A battery module assembly, wherein the plurality of battery cells are supported along the height direction by the positioning member so that the welding area is aligned with the target area of ​​the main body.

14. In paragraph 13, The above end plate, Includes a rigid plate portion made of metal material, The above positioning unit, A battery module assembly comprising a portion of the above-mentioned main body cut and folded into wings.

15. In paragraph 13, The above end plate, Includes a rigid plate portion made of metal material, The above positioning unit, A battery module assembly, located on the outer side of the above-mentioned main body and including a support made of a resin material.

16. In paragraph 15, The above end plate, It further includes an insulating plate portion formed of a resin material and positioned closer to the plurality of battery cells than the rigid plate portion, The above rigid plate portion, A battery module assembly comprising a through hole through which the support coupled to the insulating plate portion passes.

17. In paragraph 13, The above end plate, A battery module assembly further comprising a through hole opened in the main surface for forming the positioning portion.

18. In paragraph 17, The above positioning unit, A battery module assembly having a protruding stepped structure that defines the through hole among the above-mentioned main surfaces.

19. In paragraph 18, A battery module assembly, wherein the width of the portion protruding to form the positioning portion along a direction intersecting the support direction that supports the clamp is smaller than the width of the through hole.

20. In paragraph 17, The above positioning unit, A battery module assembly spaced at equal intervals from both ends of the above through hole.

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