Battery module and battery pack including same

Abstract

A battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise: a battery cell stack comprising a plurality of cell banks, each having a plurality of battery cells stacked therein; a module frame in which the battery cell stack is accommodated; a thermally conductive resin layer which is formed on the inner surface of the module frame so as to be in contact with one side of the battery cell stack, and which accordingly fixes the one side of the battery cell stack to the module frame; and a support member disposed between the battery cell stack and the module frame to support the other side of the battery cell stack.

Description

Battery module and battery pack including the same

[0001] Cross-citation with related application(s)

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0179122 filed December 05, 2024 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0156692 filed October 27, 2025, and all contents disclosed in the documents of said Korean patent applications are incorporated herein as part of this specification.

[0003] The present invention relates to a battery module and a battery pack including the same, and more specifically, to a battery module including a support member that supports a battery cell stack and a battery pack including the same.

[0004] In modern society, as the use of portable devices such as mobile phones, laptops, camcorders, and digital cameras, as well as energy storage systems (ESS), has become commonplace, the development of technologies in related fields is becoming active. Furthermore, rechargeable secondary batteries are being utilized as power sources for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs) as a solution to address air pollution caused by conventional gasoline vehicles using fossil fuels; consequently, the need for the development of secondary batteries is increasing.

[0005] Currently commercialized rechargeable batteries include nickel-cadmium, nickel-hydrogen, nickel-zinc, and lithium-ion batteries. Among these, lithium-ion batteries are receiving the most attention due to their advantages of free charging and discharging, low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0006] These lithium secondary batteries primarily use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as the positive and negative active materials, respectively. The lithium secondary battery comprises an electrode assembly in which a positive plate and a negative plate, each coated with the positive and negative active materials, are arranged with a separator in between, and an outer casing, namely a battery case, that seals and houses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

[0007] Generally, lithium secondary batteries can be classified according to the shape of the casing into can-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a pouch of aluminum laminate sheet.

[0008] In the case of secondary batteries used in small devices, 2 to 3 battery cells are arranged, whereas in the case of secondary batteries used in medium to large devices such as automobiles, a battery module in which multiple battery cells are electrically connected is used. In such a battery module, capacity and output are improved by connecting multiple battery cells in series or parallel to form a battery cell stack. One or more battery modules can be mounted together with various control and protection systems, such as a Battery Management System (BMS), a Battery Disconnect Unit (BDU), and a cooling system, to form a battery pack.

[0009] A battery pack includes a battery unit as a sub-concept, and a battery unit includes a battery cell as a sub-concept. The number of battery cells in a battery unit or the number of battery units in a battery pack can be determined in various ways depending on the output or capacity of the battery pack required for an electric vehicle or an Energy Storage System (ESS).

[0010] Meanwhile, in a bottom venting structure that discharges gas generated from the battery cell to the bottom of the battery module and battery pack, a thermally conductive resin layer may be formed on the upper part of the module frame, and the battery cell may be fixed to the upper part of the module frame by the thermally conductive resin layer. In this case, a gap may exist between the battery cell and the lower part of the module frame to discharge the gas generated from the battery cell and ensure minimal assembly error. According to this structure, if the thermally conductive resin layer breaks due to swelling of the battery cell or external impact, the battery cell may fall downward and be damaged. Therefore, a structure is required that can improve stability even when the battery cell is fixed to the upper part of the module frame for bottom venting.

[0011] The present invention aims to improve structural stability by supporting a battery cell stack fixed to the upper part of a module frame.

[0012] However, the problems that the embodiments of the present invention aim to solve are not limited to the problems described above and can be expanded in various ways within the scope of the technical ideas included in the present invention.

[0013] A battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: a battery cell stack comprising a plurality of cell banks formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells; a module frame in which the battery cell stack is housed; a thermally conductive resin layer formed on the inner surface of the module frame to contact one side of the battery cell stack and to fix one side of the battery cell stack to the module frame; and a support member that supports the other side of the battery cell stack between the battery cell stack and the module frame.

[0014] The above thermally conductive resin layer is formed on the lower surface of the upper plate of the module frame so as to fix the upper side of the battery cell stack to the upper plate.

[0015] The above support member is formed on the upper surface of the lower plate of the module frame and can support the lower side of the battery cell stack.

[0016] The plurality of battery cells are stacked along the width direction of the battery module, and the support member may have a shape that is extended along the length direction of the battery module perpendicular to the width direction of the battery module.

[0017] The battery cell stack further includes a compression pad disposed between the plurality of cell banks, and the support member may be disposed below the compression pad.

[0018] The support member may be positioned below the compression pad such that both sides along the width direction of the battery module come into contact with at least a portion of the lower part of the cell banks arranged on both sides of the compression pad.

[0019] The upper surface of the support member may have a shape corresponding to the lower surface of the compression pad and the cell bank.

[0020] A venting hole may be formed in the lower plate above.

[0021] The above venting hole and the above support member may be formed in different areas of the lower plate.

[0022] It may further include an elastic member positioned to wrap at least a portion of the battery cell stack and to fix the battery cell stack to the upper plate.

[0023] The above elastic member may be positioned to be in contact with the upper surface and both sides of the battery cell stack.

[0024] The elastic member may include an extension formed to be extended; and a first bend and a second bend formed by bending from each of the two ends of the extension in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the extension.

[0025] The elastic member may be arranged such that the extension portion contacts the upper surface of the battery cell stack, and each of the first bend portion and the second bend portion contacts each of the two sides of the battery cell stack.

[0026] The above extension can be positioned between the upper surface of the battery cell stack and the lower surface of the upper plate and fixed to the upper plate.

[0027] Each of the first and second bending portions can be inserted and fixed between each of the two sides of the battery cell stack and the side plate of the module frame.

[0028] The elastic members are plurality of, and the plurality of elastic members are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the battery module, and the thermally conductive resin layer can be formed between the spaced-apart plurality of elastic members.

[0029] A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention may include the battery module and a pack case in which the battery module is packaged.

[0030] According to embodiments of the present invention, since a battery cell stack fixed to the upper part of a module frame can be supported using a support member formed at the lower part of the module frame, the weight, external impact, and vibration of the battery cell stack can be distributed to the module frame, thereby improving structural stability.

[0031] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description in the claims.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module illustrated in Figure 1.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing one battery cell included in the battery cell stack of FIG. 2.

[0035] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along IV-IV' of Figure 1.

[0036] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of part A of Figure 4.

[0037] FIG. 6 is a comparative example of the present invention, and is a drawing showing the internal structure of a battery module according to the comparative example.

[0038] FIG. 7 is a drawing showing the internal structure of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0040] To clearly explain the present invention, parts unrelated to the explanation have been omitted, and the same reference numerals are used for identical or similar components throughout the specification.

[0041] Furthermore, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are depicted arbitrarily for convenience of explanation, and thus the present invention is not necessarily limited to what is illustrated. Thicknesses have been enlarged in the drawings to clearly represent various layers and regions. Additionally, for convenience of explanation, the thickness of some layers and regions has been exaggerated in the drawings.

[0042] Furthermore, when a part such as a layer, membrane, region, or plate is said to be "on" or "on" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly on" another part, but also the case where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part is said to be "directly on" another part, it means that there is no other part in between. Also, saying that a part is "on" or "on" a reference part means that it is located above or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean that it is located "on" or "on" facing the opposite direction of gravity.

[0043] Meanwhile, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back may be used in this specification, these terms are used merely for convenience of explanation and may vary depending on the location of the object or the position of the observer, as is obvious to those skilled in the art of this invention.

[0044] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part is described as "including" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components.

[0045] Additionally, throughout the specification, "planar" means when the subject part is viewed from above, and "cross-sectional" means when the cross-section obtained by vertically cutting the subject part is viewed from the side.

[0046] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module (100) shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing one battery cell (110) included in the battery cell stack (140) of FIG. 2.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery module (100) may include a battery cell stack (140) in which a plurality of battery cells (110) are stacked in one direction (the y-axis direction in the drawing), a module frame (150) in which the battery cell stack (140) is housed, an end plate (170) covering the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack (140), and a busbar frame assembly (160) disposed between the end plate (170) and the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack (140).

[0048] A battery cell stack (140) may include a plurality of cell banks (120) and a compression pad (130). A cell bank (120) may be formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells (110) in one direction (the y-axis direction in the drawing). A compression pad (130) may be placed between the plurality of cell banks (120) and / or between the side plate (154) of the module frame (150) and the cell bank (120). In other words, a plurality of cell banks (120) may be stacked along one direction, and a compression pad (130) may be placed between the plurality of cell banks (120) and / or between the side plate (154) of the module frame (150) and the cell bank (120) to form a single battery cell stack (140).

[0049] The battery cell (110) may be a pouch-type battery cell. The battery cell (110) may be manufactured by housing an electrode assembly in a pouch case made of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, and then heat-sealing the sealing portion of the pouch case. Such battery cells (110) may be composed of multiple units, and multiple battery cells (110) may form a stacked battery cell assembly (140) so that they can be electrically connected to each other.

[0050] Additionally, referring to FIG. 3, the battery cell (110) may have a structure in which two electrode leads (111, 112) protrude from one end (114a) and the other end (114b) of the battery body (113) in opposite directions. The battery cell (110) may be manufactured by bonding the two ends (114a, 114b) of the cell case (114) and the two sides (114c) connecting them, while the electrode assembly (not shown) is housed in the cell case (114). In other words, the battery cell (110) according to the present embodiment has a total of three sealing parts (114sa, 114sb, 114sc), and the sealing parts (114sa, 114sb, 114sc) are sealed by a method such as heat fusion, and the other side may be formed as a connecting part (115).

[0051] The connecting portion (115) is an area that extends along one edge of the battery cell (110), and a protrusion (110p) of the battery cell (110) may be formed at the end of the connecting portion (115). The protrusion (110p) may be formed at least one of the two ends of the connecting portion (115) and may protrude in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the connecting portion (115) extends. The protrusion (110p) may be located between the connecting portion (115) and one of the sealing portions (114sa, 114sb) of the two ends (114a, 114b) of the cell case (114).

[0052] The cell case (114) is generally composed of a laminate structure of a resin layer / metal thin film layer / resin layer. For example, when the surface of the cell case is composed of an O(oriented)-nylon layer, there is a tendency for multiple battery cells to slide easily due to external impact when stacking multiple battery cells to form a medium-to-large battery module. Therefore, to prevent this and maintain a stable stacked structure of the battery cells (110), an adhesive member such as a double-sided adhesive or a chemical adhesive that bonds through a chemical reaction upon bonding can be attached to the surface of the cell case (114) to form a battery cell stack (140).

[0053] The module frame (150) may include a U-shaped frame (151) with an open top surface, front surface, and rear surface, and an upper plate (152) covering the open top surface of the U-shaped frame (151). The U-shaped frame (151) may include a lower plate (153) and side plates (154) formed by protruding from each of the two edges of the lower plate (153). The two edges of the lower plate (153) may be facing portions along the width direction (y-axis direction in the drawing) of the battery module (100). Here, the width direction of the battery module (100) may refer to the direction in which a plurality of battery cells (110) are stacked (y-axis direction in the drawing).

[0054] A busbar frame assembly (160) may be positioned on the front and rear sides of a battery cell stack (140) and connected to the battery cell stack (140). The busbar frame assembly (160) may be positioned between the battery cell stack (140) and the end plate (170). The busbar frame assembly (160) may allow a plurality of battery cells (110) to be electrically connected to each other. The busbar frame assembly (160) may electrically connect a plurality of battery cells (110) to an external BMS (Battery Management System), etc. The busbar frame assemblies (160) positioned on the front and rear sides of the battery cell stack (140) may be electrically connected to each other using a flexible flat cable (FFC), etc. The busbar frame assembly (160) may be configured to measure voltage and temperature information of the battery cells (110) and transmit it to an external BMS.

[0055] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along IV-IV' of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of section A of Fig. 4.

[0056] With reference to FIGS. 2, FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 5, the structure of a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0057] A cell bank (120) may include a plurality of battery cells (110). A cell bank (120) may be formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells (110) along one direction (the y-axis direction in the drawing). A cell bank (120) may be housed inside a module frame (150). There may be a plurality of cell banks (120). A compression pad (130) may be placed between the plurality of cell banks (120). The compression pad (130) may be placed between the plurality of cell banks (120) and / or between the side plate (154) of the module frame (150) and the cell bank (120). The compression pad (130) may suppress swelling of the battery cell (110) by pressing the battery cell (110) in a direction opposite to the swelling direction of the battery cell (110). Multiple cell banks (120) and compression pads (130) can form a battery cell stack (140).

[0058] The battery cell stack (140) can be housed inside the module frame (150). One side of the battery cell stack (140) can be fixed to the upper plate (152). A gap can be formed between the other side of the battery cell stack (140) and the lower plate (153). The upper side of the battery cell stack (140) can be fixed to the upper plate (152). A gap can be formed between the lower side of the battery cell stack (140) and the lower plate (153). The battery cell stack (140) can be positioned so that one side contacts the thermally conductive resin layer (220) and the elastic member (210), and the other side is supported by the support member (230). The battery cell stack (140) can be positioned so that the upper side contacts the thermally conductive resin layer (220) and the elastic member (210). The battery cell stack (140) can be fixed to the upper plate (152) by a thermally conductive resin layer (220) and an elastic member (210) located on the lower surface of the upper plate (152). The lower side of the battery cell stack (140) can be supported by a support member (230). The lower side of the battery cell stack (140) can be supported by a support member (230) formed on the upper surface of the lower plate (153).

[0059] A battery cell stack (140) including a cell bank (120) and a compression pad (130) can be housed in the module frame (150). A thermally conductive resin layer (220) and a support member may be formed on the inner surface of the module frame (150). A thermally conductive resin layer (220) may be formed on the lower surface of the upper plate (152) of the module frame (150). A support member (230) may be formed on the upper surface of the lower plate (153) of the module frame (150). When the upper side of the battery cell stack (140) is fixed to the upper plate (152) of the module frame (150), a gap may be formed between the lower side of the battery cell stack (140) and the lower plate (153). A support member (230) disposed in the spaced-apart space between the battery cell stack (140) and the lower plate (153) can support the lower side of the battery cell stack (140). A venting hole (155) for discharging gas generated from the battery cell (110) to the outside may be formed in the module frame (150). The venting hole (155) may be formed in the lower plate (153) of the module frame (150). The venting hole (155) and the support member (230) may be formed in different areas of the lower plate (153). Referring to FIG. 4, the support member (230) may be disposed below the compression pad (130) on the lower plate (153), and the venting hole (155) may be formed in an area other than the area where the support member (230) is disposed.

[0060] The elastic member (210) may be positioned to wrap around at least a portion of the battery cell stack (140). The elastic member (210) may be positioned to be in contact with the upper surface and both sides of the battery cell stack (140). The elastic member (210) may also be positioned to be in contact with the upper surface of the battery cell stack (140) and the outer surface of the side plate (154) of the module frame (150). The elastic member (210) may have a shape in which at least a portion is bent. The elastic member (210) may include an extension (213) formed to be extended, and a first bent portion (211) and a second bent portion (212) that are bent from each of the two ends of the extension (213) in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the extension (213). The elastic member (210) may be positioned such that the extension portion (213) contacts the upper surface of the battery cell stack (140), and the first bend portion (211) and the second bend portion (212) each contact the two sides of the battery cell stack (140). The elastic member (210) may also be positioned such that the extension portion (213) contacts the upper surface of the battery cell stack (140), and the first bend portion (211) and the second bend portion (212) each contact the outer surface of the side plate (154). The extension portion (213) of the elastic member (210) may be positioned between the upper surface of the battery cell stack (140) and the lower surface of the upper plate (152). The extension portion (213) of the elastic member (210) may be fixed in a manner such as being attached to the lower surface of the upper plate (152). Each of the first bend portion (211) and the second bend portion (212) can be positioned between the two sides of the battery cell stack (140) and the side plate (154) of the module frame (150). The first bend portion (211) and the second bend portion (212) can be fixed between the two sides of the battery cell stack (140) and the side plate (154) of the module frame (150). The first bend portion (211) and the second bend portion (212) can be inserted and fixed between the two sides of the battery cell stack (140) and the side plate (154) of the module frame (150).The first bend portion (211) and the second bend portion (212) may be fixed in contact with the outer surface of the side plate (154). In this case, the first bend portion (211) and the second bend portion (212) may be fixed to the side plate (154) by means of welding to the outer surface of the side plate (154) or by means of fitting into a groove provided on the outer surface of the side plate (154). The upper surface of the battery cell stack (140) can be fixed to the upper plate (152) by using elastic force to grip the upper surface and both sides of the battery cell stack (140) with an elastic member (210) fixed to the upper plate (152). There may be multiple elastic members (210). As shown in FIG. 2, multiple elastic members (210) may be spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the battery module (100). Here, the length direction of the battery module (100) is the direction in which the end plates (170) arranged at the front and rear of the battery cell stack (140) face each other (x-axis direction in the drawing), and means a direction perpendicular to the width direction (y-axis direction in the drawing) of the battery module (100).

[0061] The thermally conductive resin layer (220) may be formed to be in contact with at least a portion of the battery cell stack (140). The thermally conductive resin layer (220) may be formed on the inner surface of the module frame (150). The thermally conductive resin layer (220) may be formed by applying it to the inner surface of the module frame (150) and then curing it. The thermally conductive resin layer (220) may be formed to be in contact with one side of the battery cell stack (140). The thermally conductive resin layer (220) may be formed on the lower surface of the upper plate (152) to be in contact with the upper side of the battery cell stack (140). The thermally conductive resin layer (220) may fix the battery cell stack (140) to the upper plate (152) of the module frame (150). Specifically, a thermally conductive resin layer (220) is applied to the lower surface of the upper plate (152), and while the upper side of the battery cell stack (140) is in contact with the thermally conductive resin layer (220), the thermally conductive resin layer (220) is cured so that the upper side of the battery cell stack (140) can be fixed to the upper plate (152). As described above, a plurality of elastic members (210) can be spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the battery module (100), and a thermally conductive resin layer (220) can be formed between the spaced-apart plurality of elastic members (210). Consequently, the upper side of the battery cell stack (140) can be fixed to the upper plate (152) by the thermally conductive resin layer (220) formed on the lower surface of the upper plate (152) and the elastic members (210).

[0062] The support member (230) is configured to support the battery cell stack (140) and can be formed on the inner surface of the module frame (150). The support member (230) can be formed on the upper surface of the lower plate (153) to support the lower side of the battery cell stack (140). As described above, the upper side of the battery cell stack (140) can be fixed to the upper plate (152) of the module frame (150). At this time, a gap may exist between the battery cell stack (140) and the lower plate (153) to allow for the discharge of gas generated from the battery cell (110) and to ensure minimal assembly error. The support member (230) can be placed in the gap between the battery cell stack (140) and the lower plate (153) to support the lower side of the battery cell stack (140).

[0063] The support member (230) may have a shape that extends long along the longitudinal direction of the battery module (100). The support member (230) may be positioned below the compression pad (130) to support the battery cell stack (140). More specifically, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the support member (230) may be positioned below the compression pad (130) such that both sides along the width direction (y-axis direction in the drawing) of the battery module (100) are in contact with at least a portion of the lower part of the cell banks (120) positioned on both sides of the compression pad (130). The support member (230) may be positioned below the compression pad (130) and the cell banks (120) such that the central part along the width direction of the battery module (100) is in contact with the bottom of the compression pad (130), and both sides are in contact with at least a portion of the lower part of the battery cells (110) positioned on both sides of the compression pad (130). At this time, the upper surface of the support member (230) may have a shape corresponding to the lower surface of the battery cell (110) and the compression pad (130). For example, referring to FIG. 5, a portion of the battery cell (110) placed on both sides of the compression pad (130) may be lower than the bottom of the compression pad (130). Accordingly, the upper surface of the support member (230) may have a shape in which the central part is formed higher than the sides along the width direction (y-axis direction in the drawing) of the battery module (100). Conversely, if the bottom of the compression pad (130) is lower than the bottom of the battery cell (110) placed on both sides, the upper surface of the support member (230) may have a shape in which the sides are formed higher than the central part along the width direction of the battery module (100). Accordingly, the support member (230) can stably support the cell bank (120) and the compression pad (130), while preventing gas or flame generated in one cell bank (120) from being transmitted to another cell bank (120) through the gap between the battery cell stack (140) and the lower plate (153).

[0064] Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 5, each battery cell (110) may include a double-sided folded sealing portion (DSF) having a double-sided folded shape. Here, the double-sided folded shape refers to a shape formed by folding the sealing portion of the cell case at least twice. Specifically, the double-sided folded sealing portion (DSF) of the battery cell (110) may be a portion (114sc) that bonds the two sides (114c) of the cell case (114) connecting the two ends (114a, 114b) of the cell case (114), as described in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the electrode leads (111, 112) may be located at both ends of the battery cell (110) along a direction perpendicular to the double-fold sealing portion (DSF) of the battery cell (110), and the battery cell (110) may have a rectangular structure formed long in the direction in which the electrode leads (111, 112) protrude. As shown in FIG. 5, to prevent damage to the double-fold sealing portion (DSF), the support member (230) may be formed to support an area other than the double-fold sealing portion (DSF) of the battery cell (110). The support member (230) may be formed integrally with the lower plate (153) of the module frame (150) or manufactured separately and attached to the lower plate (153).

[0065] FIG. 6 is a comparative example of the present invention, and is a drawing showing the internal structure of a battery module (10) according to the comparative example. FIG. 7 is a drawing showing the internal structure of a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] With reference to FIGS. 6 and FIGS. 7, the differences between the battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention and the battery module (10) according to a comparative example, and the effects of the present invention will be explained.

[0067] First, referring to FIG. 6, a battery module (10) according to a comparative example may include a plurality of cell banks (12) in which a plurality of battery cells (11) are stacked, a compression pad (13) disposed between the plurality of cell banks (12), a module frame in which the cell banks (12) and the compression pad (13) are housed, a thermally conductive resin layer (17) formed on the lower surface of the upper plate (14) of the module frame, and a bank frame (18) made of mica material that surrounds the sides and lower surfaces of each cell bank (12). A venting hole (19) may be formed in the lower plate (15) of the module frame. The cell banks (12) and the compression pad (13) may be fixed to the upper plate (14) by the thermally conductive resin layer (17) formed on the lower surface of the upper plate (14). At this time, a gap may be formed between the cell banks (12) and the lower plate (15). According to this structure, if the thermally conductive resin layer (17) breaks due to swelling of the battery cell (11) or external impact, the cell bank (12) may fall down and be damaged due to its weight. Additionally, the battery module (10) according to the comparative example may be inefficient in terms of cost and energy density because each cell bank (12) is wrapped with a bank frame (18) to prevent gas or flame generated in one cell bank (12) from being transferred to another cell bank (12).

[0068] On the other hand, referring to FIG. 7, a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a support member (230) that is disposed in the space between the battery cell stack (140) and the lower plate (153) and supports the lower side of the battery cell stack (140). Through this support member (230), the weight, external impact, and vibration of the battery cell stack (140) can be distributed to the module frame (150), thereby improving structural stability. Even if the thermally conductive resin layer (220) is broken due to swelling of the battery cell (110) or external impact, the support member (230) supports the battery cell stack (140) to prevent the battery cell stack (140) from falling down and being damaged.

[0069] The support member (230) of the present invention may be placed below a compression pad (130) positioned between a plurality of cell banks (120). Accordingly, it is possible to prevent gas or flames generated in any one cell bank (120) from being transmitted to another cell bank (120) through the gap between the battery cell stack (140) and the lower plate (153). Since the venting path of each cell bank (120) is separated, gas or flames can be effectively discharged to the outside without backflow.

[0070] The battery module (100) according to the present invention does not include a configuration such as the bank frame (18) of the battery module (10) according to the comparative example. Therefore, it is advantageous in terms of cost, and the energy density can be improved by additionally placing battery cells (110) in the space where the frame surrounding the cell banks (120) has been removed, or by forming the battery cells (110) larger.

[0071] One or more battery modules (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention may be packaged inside a pack case to form a battery pack. At this time, a venting hole may be formed in the lower part of the pack case to discharge gas or flames generated from the battery cell (110) to the outside. Additionally, the pack case may include a pack cover that covers the upper part of the battery module (100). The pack cover may release heat generated from the battery cell (110) and transferred through the thermally conductive resin layer (220) to the outside. A heat sink that releases heat generated from the battery cell (110) to the outside may be disposed on the upper part of the pack cover.

[0072] The battery module and the battery pack containing the same described above can be applied to various devices. Such devices may be applied to means of transportation such as electric bicycles, electric vehicles, and hybrid vehicles, but the present invention is not limited thereto and can be applied to various devices capable of using the battery module and the battery pack containing the same, and this also falls within the scope of the present invention.

[0073] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention as defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0074]

[0075]

[0076] [Explanation of the symbol]

[0077] 100: Battery module

[0078] 110: Battery cell

[0079] 120: Cell Bank

[0080] 130: Compression pad

[0081] 140: Battery cell laminate

[0082] 150: Module Frame

[0083] 151: U-shaped frame

[0084] 152: Upper plate

[0085] 153: Lower plate

[0086] 154: Side plate

[0087] 155: Benting Hall

[0088] 160: Busbar frame assembly

[0089] 170: End plate

[0090] 210: Elastic member

[0091] 211: First bend

[0092] 212: Second bend

[0093] 213: Extension

[0094] 220: Thermally conductive resin layer

[0095] 230: Support member

Claims

1. A battery cell stack comprising a plurality of cell banks formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells; A module frame in which the above battery cell stack is housed; A thermally conductive resin layer formed on the inner surface of the module frame to contact one side of the battery cell stack and to fix one side of the battery cell stack to the module frame; and A support member that supports the other side of the battery cell stack between the battery cell stack and the module frame. A battery module including 2. In Paragraph 1, The above thermally conductive resin layer is, A battery module formed on the lower surface of the upper plate of the above module frame and fixed to the upper plate the upper side of the battery cell stack.

3. In Paragraph 2, The above support member is, A battery module formed on the upper surface of the lower plate of the above module frame and supporting the lower side of the battery cell stack.

4. In Paragraph 3, The plurality of battery cells are stacked along the width direction of the battery module, and The above support member is a battery module having a shape that extends long along the length direction of the battery module perpendicular to the width direction of the battery module.

5. In Paragraph 4, The above battery cell stack further includes a compression pad disposed between the plurality of cell banks, and The above support member is a battery module placed below the compression pad.

6. In Paragraph 5, The above support member is, A battery module disposed below a compression pad such that both sides along the width direction of the battery module are in contact with at least a portion of the lower part of the cell banks disposed on both sides of the compression pad.

7. In Paragraph 6, The upper surface of the support member has a shape corresponding to the lower surface of the compression pad and the cell bank, in a battery module.

8. In Paragraph 3, A battery module in which a venting hole is formed in the lower plate above.

9. In Paragraph 8, The above venting hole and the above support member are formed in different regions of the lower plate of the battery module.

10. In Paragraph 3, A battery module further comprising an elastic member positioned to surround at least a portion of the battery cell stack and to fix the battery cell stack to the upper plate.

11. In Paragraph 10, The above elastic member is a battery module positioned to be in contact with the upper surface and both sides of the battery cell stack.

12. In Paragraph 11, The above elastic member is, An extension formed by extending long; and A battery module comprising a first bend and a second bend, each bent from each of the two ends of the extension in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the extension.

13. In Paragraph 12, The above elastic member is, A battery module arranged such that the extension portion contacts the upper surface of the battery cell stack, and each of the first bend portion and the second bend portion contacts each of the two sides of the battery cell stack.

14. In Paragraph 13, The above extension part is, A battery module disposed between the upper surface of the battery cell stack and the lower surface of the upper plate and fixed to the upper plate.

15. In Paragraph 14, Each of the first bending portion and the second bending portion is a battery module that is inserted and fixed between each of the two sides of the battery cell stack and the side plate of the module frame.

16. In Paragraph 15, The above elastic members are multiple, and The plurality of elastic members are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the battery module, and The above thermally conductive resin layer is a battery module formed between the plurality of mutually spaced elastic members.

17. Battery module according to paragraph 1; and A pack case in which the above battery module is packaged inside A battery pack containing

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