Battery pack case

• US 10,026,936 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Jongho, Cho, Yongho, Shin, Joonyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Takeuchi, Yoshitoshi
• Application Number:
  US14/741,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20150287964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6235 Power tools
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6562 with free flow by convection only
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/30 Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a pack case constructed in a structure in which a plurality of battery cells are mounted in the pack case to electrically connect the battery cells with each other, wherein the pack case includes an upper case and a lower case constructed in a hollow structure in which the upper case and the lower case are coupled with each other while the battery cells are mounted between the upper case and the lower case, each case is integrally provided at the inner part thereof with a plurality of spacers for supporting the battery cells, and each case is provided at the outer part thereof with a plurality of ventilation openings which communicate with the interior of each case, and a battery pack including the pack case. The pack case according to the present invention has effects in that a plurality of battery cells are stably mounted in the pack case in a compact structure through a simple assembly process, heat generated from the battery cells is effectively removed during the charge and discharge of the battery cells, and an additional safety unit, such as a detection member and/or a protection circuit module, is easily mounted to the pack case.

Claims

1. A pack case for mounting a plurality of battery cells to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells with each other, comprising:

an upper case and a lower case collectively constructed to form a housing having an interior portion for mounting the plurality of battery cells, the upper and lower case being in direct, physical contact with one another, the lower case having a bottom having a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom;

a plurality of spacers projecting from an inner surface of at least one of the upper case and the lower case toward the interior portion for supporting the plurality of battery cells; and

a metal plate including terminal contact parts for contacting electrode terminals of the plurality of battery cells and connection parts for electrically connecting the terminal contact parts with one another, each connection part having grooves extending therethrough, the protrusions extending within corresponding ones of the grooves.

2. The pack case of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of connection through-holes formed in each of the upper case and the lower case, each of the plurality of connection through-holes being aligned with an electrode terminal of one of the plurality of battery cells to expose the electrode terminal to an outside of the pack case.

3. The pack case of claim 1, wherein the upper spacers are arranged in a first pattern and the lower spacers are arranged in a second pattern, the second pattern being aligned with the first pattern.

4. The pack case of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spacers are arranged in a matrix of rows and columns.

5. The pack case of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spacers is diamond-shaped.

6. The pack case of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spacers includes outer edges that complement the cross-section of the plurality of battery cells.

7. The pack case of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spacers has a cross-section including at least one curved edge for supporting a plurality of cylindrical battery cells.

8. The pack case of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spacers has a cross-section including at least two arcs for supporting a plurality of cylindrical battery cells.

9. The pack case of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality spacers is configured to support a plurality of battery cells.

10. The pack case of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality spacers is configured to support at least two battery cells.

11. The pack case of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality spacers is spaced from others of the plurality of spacers.

12. The pack case of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spacers includes an exhaust through-hole.

13. The pack case of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spacers include a first group of spacers, each spacer of the first group being spaced from others of the first group to form a cylindrical cavity defined by curved edges of each spacer of the first group of spacers.

14. The pack case of claim 1, wherein ones of the plurality of spacers have a cross-section that is astroid-shaped.

15. The pack case of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spacers are configured to support the plurality of battery cells by partially surrounding the outer circumference of four neighboring ones of the plurality of battery cells, selected ones of the plurality of spacers having exhaust through-holes at centers thereof that provide communication between the interior portion and the outside of the pack case.

16. The pack case of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spacers include lower spacers projecting from an inner surface of the lower case and upper spacers projecting from an inner surface of the upper case, the upper spacers and the lower spacers projecting from the respective inner surfaces toward one another.

17. An electric or hybrid electric vehicle comprising the pack case of claim 1 as a power source.

18. A power source comprising the pack case of claim 1.

19. A battery pack comprising the pack case of claim 1.

20. A power tool comprising the pack case of claim 1 as a power source.

21. A power source comprising:

a plurality of battery cells;

a pack case for mounting the plurality of battery cells to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells with each other, the pack case including;

an upper case and a lower case collectively constructed to form a housing having an interior portion for mounting the plurality of battery cells, a first surface of the upper case and a first surface of the lower case being in direct physical contact with one another, the lower case having a bottom having a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom;

a plurality of spacers projecting from an inner surface of at least one of the upper case and the lower case toward the interior portion for supporting the plurality of battery cells by, each one of the plurality of spacers having at least one concave surface in contact with one of the plurality of battery cells, and each of the plurality of battery cells being in contact with four of the plurality of spacers; and

a metal plate including terminal contact parts for contacting electrode terminals of the plurality of battery cells and connection parts for electrically connecting the terminal contact parts with one another, each connection part having grooves extending therethrough, the protrusions extending within corresponding ones of the grooves.